Saturday, December 27, 2014

Cupcake Wedding Cake!

Wedding Dress Cake

 

You will need approximately 2 to 3 cake mixes

Cupcake Liners

1 Large Star Tip

1 Package Wilton White String Beads 

1 Roll Wilton White Fanci-Foil  (can be purchased at Michael's or Hobby Lobby)

1 Large Board

1 Large Batch Decorator's Frosting (recipe follows)

 

Mix cake batter according to package directions. Fill cupcake holders about 1/2 full of batter. Bake cupcakes according to package directions, and let cool. Depending on how many people you need to feed, this will determine how big your cake board needs to be.

By looking at the picture above, you can guestimate how many cupcakes I used. The width of the bottom of my dress was made with 7 cupcakes, as were the next 4 rows were. I simply baked my cupcakes, then placed some of them on a large piece of cardboard to get the correct measure from top to bottom.

To make the exact size above, I simply laid 7 cupcakes along the bottom and about 9 cupcakes extending up the board, then marked the cardboard. Removing the cupcakes, I then cut the cardboard into a rectangle and covered it in white Fanci-Foil. (You may use aluminum foil, but the white Fanci-Foil makes the cake look more professional.)

I used decorator frosting to cover the cupcakes, while I used a large star tip to make the swirls. Once you place the cupcakes, there will be gaps in the cupcakes in some areas, and you simply make small swirls (or rosettes) to cover up the gaps.

Once the dress is completely iced, take your strings of beads and make as many even strands of pearls as you can by cutting them. Lay them in a straight line at the waist. If you want, you can make a rosette under the pearls and make ribbon "tails" as pictured.

The waist and bust area is made of 6 cupcakes. The sleeves are made of four cupcakes, and the sleeves are slightly offset and above the bust area.

 

Decorator's Frosting

1 3/4 to 2 cups Crisco

2 lb. bag of Confectioner's Sugar

2 Tsp. Clear Vanilla (I use Wilton, and can be purchased at Walmart)

3/4 to 1 cup water, more or less

In a very large mixing bowl, put in Crisco, vanilla and water (use a lessor amount of water to begin with), and then put 1/2 of the amount of sugar in. Start mixer on low, and then add a little more sugar at a time. If icing gets too thick while mixing, add water a teaspoon at a time, but be careful not to add too much---you do not want runny icing. After your cupcakes cool, load a decorating bag with your tip and icing. Squeeze out any air bubbles from your bag, and start from the outside of the cupcake to make swirl rosettes. If you are anxious, practice on a cupcake, removing the icing with a knife if it doesn't look right to you, and redo until you feel good about your rosettes. This cake is really simple and forgiving. In other words, it does not have to be perfect! This cake is so cute, its really not meant to be perfect...and trust me, your guests will be so impressed! This cake makes a sweet Princess Cake, too~just add a toy crown, necklace and wand! Check out Pinterest for more ideas! Happy Baking!

 
 

Here we placed a Wedding Dress Cake on a mirror I purchased at Hobby Lobby. Everyone loved it!

 
 

 

 



Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Cake Mix Cookies! All flavors!





~Easiest Recipe for Cake Mix Cookies~

Double Fudge Cookies

 (You Cannot Eat Just One)

 

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix

2 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup (or a handful*) Walnuts or Pecans (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet pans. Mix the eggs, oil and cake mix together (by hand). Add chips and nuts if desired. Roll into balls about the size of golf balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 11 to 15 minutes (sugar cookies made with white cake mix may take longer), and of course, depending on your oven and type of cookie sheets you use may take less or more time. Cookies may look a little under done, too, but no worries! Let cool on cookie sheets for a couple minutes, and then remove with a spatula and place on cooling rack. No cooling rack? Just place on plate---around here, they go so fast anyway, they barely even get cool before they are gobbled up. These cookies are so easy and delicious. They are the perfect go-to for a nice treat for the family or gifts for Christmas or other occasions. 

*The photo above shows a batch of Double Fudge Cookies I made where I added chopped walnuts to the top of some of the cookies as I like nuts and some of the kids do not. 


Happy Baking! :)

 
  
You could use a white cake mix and make a whole different batch of cookies, i.e., Sugar Cookies, or add butterscotch chips, coconut, white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, cinnamon, oats, raisins, colored sugars, sprinkles, etc, and your cookies can be customized! 

Add 1/4 tsp. Molasses and chocolate chips to a white cake mix, and Viola! Chocolate Chip Cookies! 

(I keep molasses on hand to make brown sugar. 1/4 tsp. Molasses + 1 cup Sugar = Brown Sugar Add more molsses for dark brown sugar) and chocolate chips to a white cake mix, and Viola! Chocolate Chip Cookies!