Marshmallow- fondant and Jelly Fish cake part 1!

My Aunt Linda came to visit me after going to the Ices show

in Reno Nevada this year. Between her and my Grandma,

they have both been trying to get me interested in

applying my art skills to the craft of cake decorating.

After only 5 days of playing I AM HOOKED!

 

First, I am going to share the Marshmallow Fondant Recipe:

Ingredients:

3tbs water

1 pkg. Marshmallows (I prefer mini)

1pkg. Powdered Sugar

 

Step 1: dump marshmallow in a glass bowl.

Step 2: Sprinkle 3 tbs. of cold water over marshmallows

Step3: place in microwave for 3o seconds then stir with

wooded spoon. Continue to repeat this step until marshmallows

are smooth.

Step 4: slowly add powdered sugar, stirring it in as you go.

When the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl,

and feels like it is ready to kneed place ball on plastic or

silicone matt continue to kneed in the rest of your powdered sugar:

See progression pictures below:

 

 

Now, spread Shortening over some plastic wrap and

wrap fondant in plastic wrap sealing out all air and

place in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to cool.

 

 

(fondant can stay this way in the  fridge for a week or more!)

 

Marshmallow Fondant tastes just like marshmallows. It is

way better eats than traditional fondant and is quite easy

to work with and very forgiving.

Stay tuned for part 2 explaining how we made

the Jelly fish and the coral it sits on!

 

 

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Kitchen Aide Accident!

It was late, and I was working under a heavy cloud of sleep deprivation.

I was up very late two nights in a row trying to prepare a lesson to be

observed by my new boss. The lesson went extraordinarily well, and as

always, I had promised my students a great reward for their extra effort.

After a long stressful day at work, a grocery store run for supplies,

and a fully cooked meal for the family, I set to work on the cupcakes

of my dreams. The first mistake I made, (which looking back,

should have tipped me off on how this project was going to go) was

purchasing a generic brand of cake mix. It had an odd texture,

and did not seem to mix well by hand. So, I dug out the handmaiden of all

handmaidens my precious Kitchen Aide!

I placed the contents in the bowl and set her to work…..

And then… well, I got a bit side tracked and ….. let’s just say

the consistency was no longer chunky but very very smooth

and very very aerated.  “oh well, they will still taste good right?”

and away I proceed. I then fill 24 cups to the top, (against the cupcake instructions)

because of course I want huge, impressive,  high top cupcakes like you find at Costco!

But, no, that is NOT what I got. What I got was a cupcake disaster that

resembled Pangaea, complete with all the tops connecting perfectly

to form a nearly solid flat surface. 

Well, scratch those, and start again,

After scrubbing the muffin tin clean for 20 minutes,

the rest of them baked oaky with little mishap.

But wait there’s more!

As my barely-tolerable cupcakes cooled I began my butter-cream

frosting. Hope renewed, I start with my butter and whip it in my

mixer till smooth and begin to add the first cup of powdered sugar.

{The rest of this story happened in a matter of seconds but in my

fatigued mind it was in very slow motion} As I am dumping the powdered

sugar I feel my grip on the cup loosen and I watch it as it falls into the bowl

of speedily whipping butter. Like a bomb going off there is a truly

magnificent explosion of butter and sugar in a perfect spray pattern

across my kitchen, across me and across the face of my three-year-olds

angelically, surprised face. The grinding of the motor and the off-beat scraping

sounds of my priceless Kitchen Aide wakes me from a trance of shock. I here

myself saying turn… it… off… stupid! 

and I gradually feel my arm catching up with my slow reacting mind as

I see my arm reach out to turn the abused mixer off. The clanging stops

and my eyes scan and assess the damage. My Son stands affixed,

wide-eyed in wonderment covered in icing! I see what can only be described

as a beautifully powdered wall, black table and dark tile indicating all too

perfectly the location and direction of the detonation. My husband emerges

cautiously from the office located at the furthest end of the kitchen and does

a quick assessment of the incident and then he, with some hesitation in his

voice asks,…what the heck happened?  It was at that moment that

 I l-o-s-t, lost it! I gave in to hysterical laughter! How could I not?

I mean, I have been cooking and baking since I was seven, what a completely

amateur move!   

                      These pictures could never give it justice!

 

 

          

 

Fortunately, my engineer of a husband was able to

bend my whip back into a usable shape and there was no

permanent damage to my favorite kitchen helper!

 

The show must go on, so I proceeded to finish my cupcakes.

I was up till midnight but I got them done. In my opinion, they

were the worst tasting but most adorable looking cupcakes.

 

I thought that it would be fitting to take at least one photo

with the splattered table as the backdrop.

 

I did sweep the floor that night but the table and walls did not

get cleaned until the next day!

In the words of my students. “WOW Those are awesome!”

They loved the story about the exploding cupcakes and

the epic story spread through the school hallways that day.

 

 

 

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Peña-Colada Cake

 

When my mother-in-law told me of a cocoanut cake she came up with,

it instantly got my mind reeling  on how I could add to it and make a

no-sugar added version for my Birthday!

This cake is light, super moist and oh-so easy.

First you will need:

1 yellow cake mix or your favorite yellow cake recipe.

(I used the Pillsbury No-sugar added yellow cake mix)  

1 can of cocoanut milk

2 tbs. Splenda or 1/4th cup sugar

1 small box of vanilla pudding (I used sugar free)

3/4 –1 cup milk

1 small can of crushed pineapple

1/2 cup shredded cocoanut (toasted) 

1/2-1 container of Cool-whip 

 

Start with baking your cake according to directions.

Once it has cooled, poke holes in the cake with a small

instrument. (I use chop sticks)

 

Stir in sugar or Splenda with the cocoanut milk and spread evenly

over cake.

Place cake in refrigerator while you mix the pudding for the

next layer.

In a mixing bowl,  pour dry pudding, and pineapple with

the juice. Mix. Now add the milk a little at a time to

ensure normal pudding consistency. Allow pudding to set up;

then spread evenly over the cake.

Now spread a layer of cool whip evenly over the pudding layer.

and sprinkle the top with your toasted cocoanut.

For best results, allow the cake to set over night in the fridge.

 

This was so satisfying! My husband said that he could not

tell any difference between the sugar version and the

no sugar-added version. So give it a try even if

you do not “have to” have sugar-free. With the cool and moist

effect of the cocoanut milk, pudding, and Cool-whip it is a

perfect dessert for  for the hot days of summer ahead. 

 

I had a few more ideas that you could try with this same recipe:

Add sliced bananas to the pudding layer.

Use a large can of crushed pineapple and add 1/2 of it to the cake mix.

Pour some of the pineapple juice over the cake along with

the cocoanut milk.

 

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A VERY Vanilla Birthday Cake!

Yummy Vanilla!

I asked my Spouse what kind of cake

he wanted for his birthday and this is what

he said… “ I want a dense, moist, vanilla

cake.” When I probed further he indicated,

a vanilla filling with vanilla frosting. So,

I said, “you want a wedding cake!…

You got it!”

I tease about his love of vanilla but vanilla

can be rich and VERY satisfying.

I fist sought out the cake recipe. I chose

this one by haute apple pie

but adapted it to my husbands vanilla desires.

Very Vanilla Yogurt Cake:

4 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups Vanilla yogurt

2/3 cup Vegetable oil

4 eggs

4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. vanilla powder

Yields: 2- 9inch rounds

preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour

bottom and sides thoroughly. Mix together dry

ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl,

mix together yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Finally, pour yogurt mixture with the dry

ingredients and stir until just combined.

Pour half the batter into each of your pans

and bake for about 40 minutes or until Golden

and toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool for

5-10 minutes then flip cake out on to wire

rack.

Now for the filling! I made a Bavarian Cream!

It was adapted from this Food.com recipe.

Very Vanilla Bavarian Cream

8 oz. softened cream cheese

2 small boxes of instant pudding mix

2tsp. vanilla powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

12oz. Cool Whip

Mix together cream cheese, dry pudding mix,

and vanilla powder until smooth on medium

speed. Then add milk and cream, and beat

on medium for two minutes or until smooth.

Fold in cool whip.

Now that my cakes are cooled I am ready to

add my cream center! (my layers were not the

same size and worried that I wouldn’t be able to

properly “fill” my cake. so I decided to take a little

from the top/bottom of each cake)

The picture explains…

 

I then filled and stacked them realizing

the removal of some of the cake was not only

not necessary, but weakened my top cake!

It turned out that the two cakes were not

that different in size!

Since it was like 3:00 a.m. I decided to wrap my

cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate

overnight to firm it up for decorating.

(Also not wanting to waste the removed cake, and

coincidently needing a nice thank you gift, I dug

out two clean mason jars. I layered the bits of

cake alternately with the extra Bavarian cream

and added layers of a homemade blueberry syrup

that I made for a Sunday Brunch. They were a huge

hit! and made a small mistake into a blessing! )

I felt quite resourceful!

Okay on to day two:

The Perfect Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting!  

Adapted from foodnetwork.com

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla powder

2tbs. whipping cream

In standing mixer, fitted with a whisk, mix

together sugar, vanilla powder and butter. Mix on

low speed until well blended and then increase speed

to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Finally,

add cream and continue to beat on medium speed

for another minute or so. Check for consistency,

and add more cream slowly,

if needed for spread-ability!

I was tempted to leave it this beautiful white

snowball but the artist in me could not

leave this blank pallet for long. I went

with simple berries to keep the illusion

of simplicity.

The outcome:

“received two thumbs up from MR. Vanilla, little vanilla

licked his plate clean and our guests loved it too! By the way this

was my first successful homemade cake and only second frosting! " 

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Funny First Fondant

Clearly Amateur Fondant Job!

So our young women wanted to make cakes and decorate them with fondant

for Mothers’ Day. Well, it was a new experience for all of us involved,

including my very talented friend Jamielyn at I Heart Nap Time who has graciously

let me pick her brain and helped me start TrulieUniqueLife!

(check out her blog, she is A-mazing!)

Anyway, got the recipe for Marshmallow Fondant from my Aunt at

Cakes by Unique Design and made two batches for about 9 mini cakes

Here is a pic of my first fondant cake…

I know right … Yikes I need some serious practice! ..

 

 

Oh and the fingerprint is my son’s “decorative touch!”

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

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