Coming soon - graduation gown
Sunday, May 18, 2025
DIY Soft Scrub
Mix even amounts-Dawn, baking soda, epsom salts
Works great on glass shower doors, shower walls, etc.
Make a small amount to use because it hardens if trying to save it for later.
Monday, April 21, 2025
Tamalada Time
Tamalada - Tamale making party.
Hosting one is probably the best (&most fun) way to make a bunch of tamales.
To make tamales you'll need masa, filling, corn husks to hold/form, and various toppings to add when serving them. (3.5-4cups of filling and 4c. masa. will make 40 tamales)
You can use squares of parchment paper if you don't have corn husks.
Masa - can be savory or sweet (for dessert tamales). It can also be colored with some of the ingredients that go into the filling so you can differentiate between filling flavors.
Filling - Beef, pork, chicken, beans, cheese, peppers....do yourself a favor and make these ahead of time.
In class - we will make Red Chili Pork tamales, and bean and cheese
(15oz. refried beans w/1.5c. shredded mozzarella) tamales.
I made the chocolate tamales ahead of time.
I found https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/ very helpful. She also has a Salsa Verde Chicken tamale recipe you might try.
Steps to make tamales-
(break it down into parts, trying to do it in one day is too much)
Cook meat ahead of time. Crock Pot or Instant Pot. Let sit in fridge overnight so the fat can easily be skimmed off. It's also easier to shred and defat the meat when it's cold. The Birria Roast from Aldi is a super quick way to do meat as it's already nicely seasoned.
Save the liquid to flavor your masa.
PORK - for 20 (Idid x4) - 60HI NPR in IP
or crock pot 8 hours on low (or overnight)
1 1/2lbs. pork loin shoulder or butt
1 large onion chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic
1/2tsp. oregano
1tsp. cumin
1tsp. chili powder
1tsp. salt
1/2tsp. black pepper
Shred the cooled meat (remove fat-most of it will have cooked away).
Save the liquid to flavor your masa mix.
Red Chili Sauce
4 dried california chile pods-anaheim chilies
2 c. reserved pork broth (fat removed)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. oil
1Tbsp. flour
Remove seeds from the chiles, cook in two cups reserved broth for 20 minutes. Blend til smooth, use immersion blender (or regular blender). Cook 1 Tbsp. oil and flour, add blended chilies, spices, cook for 10 minutes. Add to shredded meat. Don't make it too wet.
mix 1 1/3c. shortening (traditionally lard is used) w/2Tbsp. broth for 3-5min til light & fluffy.
1cup of shortening weighs 6.7oz. - using a scale is easier than using a measuring cup
if you use a Kitchen Aid, you may not have enough to mix, so you may need to start with a hand mixer
Separately, mix 4c. masa harina, 2tsp. baking powder, 1tsp. salt, 1tsp. cumin
add gradually to shortening, alternating with broth
Start w/3c. broth - mix til light and fluffy
To see if it is ready, drop a small ball into a glass of water - if it sinks, you need more liquid.
Regular masa can be made 24 hours in advance. Chocolate masa can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Both can be frozen if necessary.
Soak husks in very hot water for 30-60 minutes. Any longer may lead to bacterial growth.
Assemble tamales.
Keep masa covered so it doesn't dry out.
Remove corn husk from water and dry off.
Spread masa (1/4c) on the smooth side, from the middle up to the wide end. Leave edges clean.
Place 1-2 Tbsp. filling down the center. Don't overfill.
After class, I tried a variation of the 'tortilla press' method. I smushed the dough with my hand using the plastic bag and to my surprise, it worked great. Then I tried my little fondant rolling pin, and that worked even better!
Fold in sides like a brochure, then fold up bottom. Can tie a string around to differentiate flavors.
Could also tie a strip of corn husk, but it's not necessary. It only took 3 minutes to fold up the 11 tamales shown above. (I spread all the masa first)
(Refrigerate overnite if no time to steam-standing up and well covered)
Steam tamales standing upright (pack tightly enough to keep them standing), open end up -
stove-top - don't let the water touch the bottom of the tamales - lay a few husks over the top, or a towel
once boiling, reduce to a simmer and steam for 90 minutes, til tamale separates from husk
DON"T LET THE WATER DRY UP
Apparently if you put a penny in the bottom of your pan, it will make noise when the water runs out.
To use an Instant Pot - 1c. water on bottom - Manual/High Pressure 25 minutes. NPR10, QPR
In class, I got the 'burn notice' - to avoid this, raise your rack a bit with a couple balls of aluminum foil so you can put more water in the bottom. (you don't want the bottoms of your tamales 'in' the water. I noticed a couple of mine slumped down because they weren't packed tightly. A couple others weren't wrapped tightly and leaked a bit of masa, which soaks up the water and could lead to a burn notice.
If you need to fill up some space, empty tuna cans come in handy. You could even use a regular can and fill it with water, which may help to avoid a possible burn notice.
Once cooked, tamales should not be left out too long.
Leftover tamales can be kept in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
To freeze - allow cooked tamales to cool. Place in bag, freeze up to 3 months.
Tamales can also be frozen prior to steaming. Don't keep them too long before cooking.
Use same Instant Pot cooking times to cook them from frozen.
To rewarm - wrap tamale in dampened paper towels (to steam them) and microwave until warmed through. Letting them defrost first will allow them to reheat evenly.
Lots of options here:
https://deliastamales.com/order-online/best-ways-to-reheat-tamales/
Other ideas - mini tamale cupcakes - see Pinterest
Tamale Pie - press just over half of masa into bottom and up sides of a pan. Fill with meat, beans, corn, cheese, onion, salsa...press rest of masa onto waxed paper in the shape of the container you're using.
Use waxed paper or saran wrap to spread out the masa, and then place it over the filling.
A tamale pie cooks for the same amount of time as the tamales.
I made two of these 6" square pans (cover with foil) stacked up in the Instant Pot (on the rack)
for 25HI, 10NPR, QPR
In the oven - Place pan into a larger pan, pour water onto the larger pan. Cover the two pans together with foil to make a 'steamer.' Bake at 375 for at least 1 hour.
http://www.austinfoodlovers.com/2007/12/31/chocolate-yep-thats-right-chocolate-tamales/
you'll find great instruction here on how to mix masa
1-mix masa and liquid in a separate large bowl and let sit to hydrate for 30 minutes.
2-in stand mixer, beat shortening (or butter) til light and fluffy
add in baking powder
3-gradually add in masa mix - will be dry and crumbly
4-add in rest of water - mix on med high for 8 minutes (I alternated masa/liquid)
5-add in sugar and cocoa (if using) - mix for 2 minutes
6-keep mixing and adding small amounts of liquid til it passes the 'float' test
10Tbsp. butter - mix til light and fluffy
1 3/4c. masa (can mix in a separate bowl w/1c. of the water to start to rehydrate, let sit 30 min)
1 3/4c. water
1tsp. baking powder
1/4c. cocoa powder
1/4c. sugar
This makes approx. 16 tamales (or 12-20 depending on size)
Fill with 1Tbsp. chips, caramel, nuts....I did add some marshmallows to the above chocolate tamale pie - they disappeared ;)
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Dawn Heavy Duty Degreaser
If you haven't yet discovered this product....go find it!
See the videos below-the one shows the right side where I did my 'regular' wash.
Then over to the left where I used this. These cookie sheets are 20 years old.
I thought they looked pretty good, but now?!
If you have a nice manicure, maybe put on a glove just in case.
Friday, October 18, 2024
Homemade Pasta...
...is hard to make, requires special flour and lots of $$$ tools - all MYTHS
You can make great pasta with all-purpose flour, a rolling pin, and your hands.
Full transparency, a food processor and a pasta roller does make it quicker and easier ;)
Why make your own pasta? It's softer, more delicate, with a fresher taste.
Customize to your own taste, thicker noodles, special shapes, add herbs, colors, special fillings...
| Egg pasta (northern Italy) is for shapes that need to be rolled thin and keep their shape. Plan on 100g flour (AP or 00) plus 1 egg per person. Add an extra yolk to make it a bit richer. |
If kept in the fridge, cook within two days.
*Use only the freshest eggs. Test your eggs in a bowl of water, if they sink, they're fresh.
If they remain in a vertical position, they are getting old but can still be used for other recipes.
If they float, they've gone bad.
Drizzle cooked pasta with a bit of olive oil - 1-2tsp. per lb. Toss, spread on sheet pan to cool.
Store in ziplock in fridge for up to 5 days.
Semolina pasta (southern Italy) is for a thicker, more rustic shape. 100g flour to 50g water
Adding some AP will make it a bit more elastic.
**Fresh dough can be refrigerated for 24 hours before rolling out.
Any longer and the dough will start to oxidize/discolor.
00 flour Semolina All-Purpose
more finely ground more al dente more common
best texture harder to work with great texture
Dough can be mixed by hand, stand mixer, or food processor.
Stand mixer-use dough hook for 4-5 minutes to save on kneading time.
Food processor-mix til dough comes together, remove to work surface, rest 1 minute.
If sticky, sprinkle w/flour. Knead 1-2 minutes.
By hand - mix, and then knead 7-10 minutes.
Fresh pasta has a short shelf life, cook or freeze as soon as possible.
Pasta can be cooked right from frozen.
Mix, knead, wrap, rest 30 min. (in the refrigerator if using eggs),
bring to room temp, roll, shape, dry 30 min. (use a fan to speed up the process)*, freeze or cook.
*I make my shapes and put them straight on a lined (parchment/wax paper) cookie sheet
and then straight to the freezer
and then straight to the freezer
Dough should be at room temp. before rolling. Divide dough into manageable pieces to roll,
either by hand or with a pasta roller.
Keep remaining dough wrapped when not in use to keep from drying out.
If using a cutter (like a spaghetti or fettucine attachment), allow rolled pasta to rest/dry for 15 minutes.
Make nests out of long noodles (sprinkle with flour), freeze, then put in ziploc.
Other shapes, freeze on parchment lined cookie sheet, then transfer to ziploc once frozen.
Make sure container is airtight.
To see 29 pasta shapes made by hand Visit:
| side note: https://www.theburntbuttertable.com/ has loads of yummy looking recipes along with some tutorials you may be interested in. To color pasta, use carrots, spinach, fresh herbs, beets, pumpkin, cocoa powder. Add more flour/liquid as needed. Have your sauce ready to go before cooking your pasta. To cook pasta: Start with cold water. Add salt/sugar when the water is almost to a boil. Cook regular pasta in salted water, dessert pasta in sugared water. Do NOT add oil to your water - this may prevent the sauce from sticking to the pasta. Wait for BIG bubbles before adding pasta to the water. The boiling temp. prevents the pasta from getting mushy. The first plunge is critical to the texture. Do not use a lid - this will keep the pasta from boiling over. Remember to stir to prevent sticking and/or uneven cooking. Don't pour the pasta into a colander. Remove pasta straight to sauce right when it is done to avoid overcooking. If the sauce gets too thick, add a bit of the pasta water. Covered in class-cavatelli, orecchiette, manicotti (lasagna see 12/19/20), tagliatelle, agnolotti (the little hand-formed ravioli), ravioli Sauces-Meat sauce, vodka sauce brown butter sage sauce, quick alfredo sauce Pasta - 1c. AP flour 1egg (add another half if needed) 1/2Tbsp. olive oil 1/2tsp. salt add water sparingly if needed (could use a spray bottle) Knead 7-10 minutes. Manicotti: In food processor-2c. AP flour, 2 eggs + 1 yolk, 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil wrap and rest 30 minutes Using the food processor cuts down on the need to knead. I actually rolled, cut, and froze the sheets until I had time to fill them. They defrosted quickly. Filling: Cottage cheese, (ricotta), shredded mozzarella, cream cheese, 1 egg Cavatelli: 1c. semolina 1/4c. water (see rolling video below) Make your own gnocchi board with skewers. See pic below. Try the cottage cheese flour/cavatelli, it's super easy and quick. I did use the Food Processor so the CC was smooth. You could just blend that ahead. Start with 1c. AP flour and add cottage cheese till a good workable consistency. Roll into ropes, cut into pieces, form shapes, cook or freeze for later. I don't even wrap and rest this, just mix and cook. Meat sauce-I add 1lb. ground beef, 1 onion, and doubled the recipe on the Tone's Italian Spaghetti Seasoning from Sam's. I add an equal amount of sugar substitute. Slow cook in crock pot, instant pot, add more/less water depending on what you're using it for. |
Pumpkin Agnolotti: 2c. AP flour pinch salt 2 eggs 1-2 yolks 2Tbsp. pumpkin
1Tbsp. olive oil dough was sticky after resting, so I added flour when rolling
Filling: 1oz. grated parmesan, 1oz. cream cheese, 1 clove garlic, 1c. canned pumpkin puree, 1 egg, 3/4tsp. kosher salt, 1/2tsp. pepper, 1/4tsp. nutmeg
*make the filling ahead of time and refrigerate so it's not too runny
Brown Butter-Melt 8Tbsp. butter in large skillet, cook until foamy. Do this step first before adding anything! Add in 2 cloves garlic and 1 Tbsp. fresh sage (leave whole). Add in 1 tsp. brown sugar, s&p. Serve with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.
Your pasta: 1c. AP flour 1egg 1/2Tbsp. olive oil 1/2tsp. salt
add water sparingly as needed (could use a spray bottle).
Knead 7-10 minutes. Less if using a KitchenAid or a Food Processor
Quick Alfredo Sauce-Melt 3 Tbsp. butter, whisk in 1c. heavy cream (or 1/2&1/2) bring to simmer. Cook while whisking 5 minutes. Add 4cloves garlic, cook 1 more minute. Gradually add 1.5c freshly grated Parmesan (stirring constantly), s&p to taste. If sauce is too thick, add some pasta water.
Can add lemon juice, cream cheese, nutmeg for a different flavor.
Spinach artichoke dip with added cooked chicken for ravioli filling.
Spinach Artichoke Dip/Chicken Ravioli Filling
Ahead-defrost spinach (or use fresh, cut up), set out cream cheese
To make dip-Saute chopped onion + garlic to taste in 2Tbsp. butter
Turn off heat, add: 1 8oz. (less fat) block cream cheese - softened
1 can artichoke hearts - cut into small pieces (much easier to do with kitchen shears)
1 box frozen spinach - defrost and squeeze all the water out first
couple dashes hot sauce + crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (Swiss/gruyere mix from Aldi or mozzarella)
plus 1/4 to 1/2 c. grated parmesan
1/2 c. mayo or plain greek yogurt or sour cream - I only used a couple Tbsp. so it'd be thicker for ravioli
1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into very small pieces so it would blend in.
Ahead-defrost spinach (or use fresh, cut up), set out cream cheese
To make dip-Saute chopped onion + garlic to taste in 2Tbsp. butter
Turn off heat, add: 1 8oz. (less fat) block cream cheese - softened
1 can artichoke hearts - cut into small pieces (much easier to do with kitchen shears)
1 box frozen spinach - defrost and squeeze all the water out first
couple dashes hot sauce + crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (Swiss/gruyere mix from Aldi or mozzarella)
plus 1/4 to 1/2 c. grated parmesan
1/2 c. mayo or plain greek yogurt or sour cream - I only used a couple Tbsp. so it'd be thicker for ravioli
1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into very small pieces so it would blend in.
If making large ravioli, you could place thin sliced cooked chicken and then cover w/filling
Make this ahead so it's cool when filling ravioli.
00 pasta: (penne) 300g. 00 flour (3eggs 1 yolk + oil to equal 185g.)
Vodka Sauce-I used Daniel Gritzer’s Penne alla Vodka on Serious Eats
Visit:
Chocolate ravioli: 2.5c. AP flour, 1/3c. cocoa, 2 eggs, 1/3-1/2c. water
Can cut this in half, or make them all and keep in the freezer.
It's ok if this dough sits in the fridge for an extra day. It doesn't seem to oxidize like the plain pasta.
Filling: 4oz. cream cheese, 3oz. ricotta, 1/3c. cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1.5c. powdered sugar, 1tsp. vanilla,
Filling: 4oz. cream cheese, 3oz. ricotta, 1/3c. cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1.5c. powdered sugar, 1tsp. vanilla,
1Tbsp. cocoa
My filling was runny so I added extra powdered sugar, which didn't really help.
Next time I may just do cream cheese, white sugar and cocoa so it'll be like cheesecake.
Make ravioli, freeze, add 2Tbs. sugar to water when cooking.
Serve with nuts, choc. chips, raspberry sauce. Could use fudge or caramel sauce.
Make ravioli, freeze, add 2Tbs. sugar to water when cooking.
Serve with nuts, choc. chips, raspberry sauce. Could use fudge or caramel sauce.
Monday, October 7, 2024
Spooky Halloween Food
The pictures below were all screen shots from Pinterest, originally posted by numerous talented cooks!
Date Roaches-they're already cut from the pit being removed. Use a mix of whatever cheese you like. We used cream cheese & feta. Try using prosciutto since the pepperoni didn't get super crisp.
Hasselback Potato-These make a yummy side dish for something different. Put any spice, onions, cheese, panko, etc. over the top. I put them in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes to partook them.
Putrid Punch-makes more than 2 quarts, so use a large pitcher
Ratloaf-If you don't want to do bbq sauce, catsup would give the same fun (gross) results.
When forming, put half your meatloaf mix, all the 'guts', then the rest of the meatloaf.
Shape into a rat shape.
Brimstone Bread-I couldn't find the bread mix so I used my 'no-knead' bread. It's mixed the night before making. I put some butter in my pan, probably should have sprayed it or used parchment. I just freehanded some 'rolls'. For the topping, I couldn't find the rice flour so I subbed 1/2 Tapioca flour and 1/2 cornstarch. I would only add 1/2c. warm water. Also, there was really no need to put it on so thick.
Slugs & maggots-marzipan recipe - 1cup each almond flour and powdered sugar, almond flavor or vanilla. Add corn syrup (approx. 1/4 c.) til it gets to a handleable consistancy.
Dead finger cookies-If you don't have frosting, (we used royal icing), you can use some jelly, but do that just prior to serving so they don't get soggy. Melted red candy melts would be even better.
Shrimp Udon-I doubled the sauce recipe. I'd suggest adding a cup of water to make it saucier and to cut the saltiness. If you want to try homemade noodles, check this out: https://redhousespice.com/hand-pulled-noodles/ Don't skip the resting step!
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Cake 101
START WITH:
Cake recipe - or use a box mix
Frosting recipe
Practice Practice Practice
MUST HAVE TOOLS:
Offset spatula
Aluminum pans (not black)
Cake Leveler - or use knife and toothpicks to mark
Decorating bags - can use ziplocs
Tips/couplers (optional)
Food Color Gel is best-use a clean toothpick each time
To purchase supplies:
You can find certain items at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, JoAnne's, etc. plus Karen Annes on Gravois
(or a cake supply store near you)
Boards/boxes/foil/bags/tips/cake filling
Bake Cake –box mix (betty crocker is my fave) – mix in eggs & oil then slowly add water to get a cake with no large air pockets
extra egg / butter instead of oil / milk(coconut) instead of water / dry pudding mix
lower the temp / use insulator strips / rotate pans
1 Mix yields 4 cups batter / approx. 2 lbs.
use 2 or 3 leftover yolks to sub for no more than 1 egg per mix
remove all but 1 yolk per white mix to get a light fluffy cake that still cuts well
USE BAKER’s JOY*** or DIY goop/cake release (see below)
Insulator strips (can make your own) work very well.
Here's a link to make your own.
https://www.wyldflour.com/how-to-make-an-insulated-cake-strip-step-by-step-pictures/#:~:text=There%20are%20several%20techniques%20for,And%20it%20works%20for%20me.
You could also just cut up some towels. Don't have them dripping wet when you wrap them around your pan.
Cool / Split / Level
Fill – build a dam / then use frosting or cake filling (not both)
place top cake (cut sides together)/ and smooth/close side gap
(pipe a bit of frosting around the gap and smooth it with a spatula w/no regard to crumbs)
Crumb Coat – if necessary (I find this just makes top coating more difficult)
Some people refrigerate or freeze a cake after applying a crumb coat and then they do the top coat.
I only do this a crumb coat on ‘cut’ cakes or when I’m building something
Frost – can use part or all butter but won’t work as well
Smooth with Viva (printer paper or parchment paper will also work)
can make an imprint with a textured towel or a
clean piece of ‘non-slip’ or impression mats (aliexpress)
Frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen – bring to room temp before using
Decorate – piping bags / tips / color icing
Can use Ziploc bags or parchment paper cones
Border / write
2 days prior to serving – Bake cakes - cool in pan till you can ‘hold’ it
(Larger cakes should cool longer so they don't crack when you dump them out)
A-dump out and cool ‘as is’ on the bottom of the cake pan
B-level off the top & then cool cut side down (again on the bottom of the pan)
C-fill cake (and close gap) – let sit overnite (this minimizes the side bulge look)
1 day prior to serving (or the day of if you have the time) – (Bake cupcakes)
Frost / smooth / decorate
Pan | Svgs (2-layer) | Party svgs | Cups Batter each pan |
6" round | 12 | 10 | 2 - 4 / 1 mix |
8" round | 24 | 15 | 3 - 6 / 1 1/2 mixes |
9" round | 43 | 20 | 4 - 8 / 2 mixes |
10" round | 38 | 25 | 5 - 10 / 2 1/2 mixes |
6" round 3" | - | 5 | 2 / 1/2 mix |
8" round 3" | - | 10 | 4 / 1 mix |
10" round 3" | - | 15 | 6 / 1 1/2 mix |
9x13 | 24 | 20 | 8 / 2 mixes |
double 1/4 | 50 | 35 | 3.5 mixes for two |
12x18 | 54 | 30 | 12 / 3 mixes |
double 1/2 | 98 | 60 | 3 mixes each |
6" square | 18 | 10 | 2 - 4 / 1 mix |
8" square | 32 | 20 | 4 - 8 / 2 mixes |
10" square | 50 | 30 | 6 - 12 / 3 mixes |
If you have a scale – 1 mix yields 4 cups or 2 lbs. or 32 oz. (30oz. w/the recent cut)
Where the above says 2 cups – you’ll put 1 lb. Or 16oz. (15oz.)
Small batch Decorator Buttercream
1/2 lb. Crisco (1 1/8c.) - 8oz. (I use7.5 oz.)
can use part or all butter but won’t work as well
Walmart–shortening (whiter, similar to hi ratio)/vegetable shortening
check out the taste test done by Karolyns Kakes on YouTube
2 lb. powdered sugar
scant 1/2 c. milk or water - warm helps it mix better
hold back some liquid for stiffer frosting – it will stiffen a bit when the water cools
if you’re frosting cupcakes, a thinner frosting will be easier on your hands.
1 tsp. flavoring each - clear vanilla & clear butter
1 tsp. salt (mix with the warm water)
After all powdered sugar is added, stop and scrape bowl well.
Continue to mix on low for 2 minutes.
Chocolate Buttercream
Sub 1 lb. powdered sugar with ¾c. cocoa (SACO dutch cocoa is my fave)
(I purchase it at Dierbergs)
Add flavoring and salt (and cocoa) to shortening and start mixing on low.
Alternately add powdered sugar and water while mixing.
After all powdered sugar is added, stop and scrape bowl well.
Continue to mix on low for 2 minutes.
cake mix extender
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Mix all ingredients together in a ziploc and store in fridge.
add a couple Tbsp. to a half mix to get 12 cupcakes
3 Tbsp. to a full mix to get 24
I just use a couple Tbsp. out of another mix since I go through so many
When making cupcakes, a cookie scoop is best for even sized
I use the large Pampered Chef scoop (holds approx. 3 Tbsp.)
Quick Fix Chocolate Cupcakes****
This is my 'vegan' recipe - uses ingredients you probably always have on hand
1 1/2 c. flour makes 18 cupcakes
1 c. sugar fill liners 2/3 full
1/4 c. cocoa powder bake at 375 16-18
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 c. hot water
Cake goop – DIY pan release
Even amounts: Crisco, oil, flour
Mix well, does go bad eventually
WASC-popular cake mix adaptation
1 box mix
1 c flour
1 c sugar
Dash salt
½ c melted butter (optional)
1 c milk
1 c sour cream
1 small pkg pudding (optional)
4 egg white (or 3 whole eggs)
1 tsp almond
This will yield the equivalent of 1.5 mixes so adjust pan size accordingly.
https://delishably.com/desserts/Cake-Decorating-Basics-How-to-Extend-a-Boxed-Cake-Mix
my web-site – www.terisdesserts.com feel free to steal ideas ;)
find links to Meramec classes here https://terisdesserts.com/classes
There is a list of ‘my’ classes there too.
How the above cakes are done:
cat - leave one of your layers domed for the head. you can even put the dome from the other layer on top to make it taller. this works great for ball cakes too. the hat is a sugar cone, face/ears are fondant, paws are buttercream.
3 tier cake using 6"(1/2 mix) 8"(1 mix) 10"(1 1/2 mix) 3"tall pans
this is a great way to have 3 different design elements and potentially 3 cake flavors.
light blue cake - side is frosted first and smoothed. the top is done next, along with a small amount on the top and bottom, then these are smoothed.
pink/blue cake - frost the cake in white, 'swipe' on some color, then smooth all together.
rosette cake
petal effect cake
sprinkle covered cake
pastel palette painted - frost/smooth base coat. swipe on some colors, but don't smooth them
watch some 'palette painting buttercream cake' tutorials - so fun
pink flowers - imprint pattern with cookie cutter, fill in, smooth (like lily pulitzer designs) or not (adds texture/interest)
brown design - pattern is made with the metal strip from a wax paper box, then piped over
stone look - pattern is pressed on with an impression mat
on this blog:
3/26/23-sprinkled filled cake/jersey cake/RV cake
2/19/23 – how to make a Faultline cake
2/15/23 – how to make an airplane cake
8/22/22 – the making of a Snoopy cake
9/26/20 - how to assemble a large 3D golf bag cake
2/21/20 - how to make a roller skate RK cake topper
1/1/20 - how to make a dog face cake using cake scraps also how to make a Tshirt cake
9/11/19 - how to assemble a tiered cake also how to frost a square cake
4/24/19 - how to make RK Dino cake toppers
8/21/18 - how to make a shape #3 cake with no waste also a cute simple lamb cake
9/6/16 - how to make MMF marshmallow fondant
9/11/19 how to assemble a tiered cake - Hammer a dowel down the center
Also a video of how to frost corners on a square cake
10/4/15 - #1 Elmo cake using the multi use cake pan (love it!)
8/16/15 - 3D 4-wheeler cake
12/30/14 - multi use pan again - shaped #40 + a cake showing a good use for cake scraps
3/11/14 - shaped Dino cake
9/14/13 - Cake made from chocolate chip cookies…
3/24/13 - building a 3D firetruck cake
6/25/12 - Awareness ribbon cake
3/13/12 - 3D frog cake
There's a great video on frosting a cake here:
https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/how-to-frost-a-smooth-cake-with-buttercream/
I don't use a measuring cup (so I don't have to clean it)
Same with the jumbo tip to frost the sides. You've probable seen the Cake Boss use this technique.
Check out: YouTube – Buttercream Flower Series
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