Cultured Cakes

I have a new mission.

I love to read, and I am a book store's worst customer because I will just go in for hours and read a stack of books without buying them. 

Sorry Borders!

Anyway...

While watching Harry Potter last night, I made a list of confections I must make. Global baking and pastry arts spark my imagination, you could say. 

The Swedish Prinsesstarta was my favorite. It's meant for a birthday, but can be used for more occasions of course. I think it'd be just perfect for a tween's tea party!

But my first foreign love will always be in France. I'd love to make a Croquembouche (Fancy tower of Profiteroles, cream puffs) for a teen tea party.

So that list...I'm excited for the challenge. 

Good thing I joined the gym this weekend.

Pan Cuppy Cakes

I crossed Pancake Cupcakes off my Pan List this morning! Now, one would assume that pancake batter wouldn't rise well in cupcake molds because of their spreading nature in a pan. This is false- especially when you add some baking powder. I added more batter than necessary and they rose quite high! Luckily, they didn't rise and spread or that could have been ugly.

 See? They rose to look like mini biscuits with a cuppy bottom! They tasted a bit like that too- not as buttermilk sweet but that could be my ingredients. I just made Bisquick batter for this, adding baking powder to help it rise (it certainly worked).

With eggs and maple syrup, this is an adorable after church brunch for me and my mom!

Pan List

Instead of a Bucket List, I'm creating a Baking Pan List of the things I'd love to create and learn about.
Let's see if I can complete it successfully!

Cakes
Angel Food Cake
"Jewel Osco" Cake 
Petit Fours
Carrot Cake
Tiered Cake
Donuts (Fried Cakes Count) 


Cupcakes
High Hat Cupcake
Pancake Cupcakes
Image Frosted Cupcakes (like the book Hello, Cupcake)

Holiday/Theme
Buche de Noël
King Cake
Irish Soda Bread
Homemade Marshmallows 

Fancy Stuff
Cream Puffs
Profiteroles
Soufflé
Baked Alaska
Éclairs
Scones
Viennese Strudel 

First Birthday Cake Trial

I'm having a Barbie Sweet Sixteen Banquet in May. I love to bake, therefore I am baking my own cake!
The dream is this:
Three square tiers
Tasty, deep chocolate (like Jewel Osco Cake and buttercream!)
Fondant covered with fondant dancers on sides
Topped with a barbie

So this weekend I decided to do a little rehearsal. There were a few problems, but MAN could this cake be amazing!!

So this was the bottom tier.
Pros: Great texture, flavor, color, smell, difficulty level
Cons: I'm really impatient and its temperature caused it to break as I took it out of the pan... Oops... COVER WITH FROSTING  :)

 

Then I covered it in buttercream (Jewel Osco imitation- so beyond good) and homemade fondant

Pros: Tasted really good, slightly more attractive with fondant

Cons: I really messed it up. The fondant was too sticky and got all caught on the cake and wasn't smooth at all...Time to practice

 

Next I made the fondant dancers! These turned out pretty well, modified from a gingerbread boy shaped cookie cutter. I painted one black, left one white, and tinted one pink to see which I like best. I believe I'll be doing the pink on the final cake.

Pros: Look like dancers, good coloring, cute decorations, easy to make

Cons: Flopped over a bit- stupid pliable fondant!

 Finally I added a Pink Carpet, the dancers, a random bow I drafted, and the Magic Jewel Barbie!

The real cake will have another tier, and 2 layers of each tier. But I think it will turn out quite well! Just have to work out a few kinks- practice makes perfect!

 Finally, the easiest step: Cutting and EATING. This cake is delicious. My mom and I are devoted to the Jewel Osco bakery and this cake mimics it exceptionally well. The cake recipe is from Epicurious.com (featured on the Today show); the buttercream is an improvised recipe from my personal taste, and the fondant is a Wilton recipe. The cake slices perfectly and tastes rich without being painfully rich.

I had three slices.

No big deal or anything.