red velvet cheesecake.

 

For my sister's birthday, I made her a red velvet cheesecake this! She made the cheesecake part (she's been on a serious cheesecake kick) and then I made my favorite red velvet cake using my grandmother's recipe and stacked it on top and then iced the entire cake in cream cheese frosting.  Since her birthday is the day after Valentines Day, I made these cute heart cake toppers using cookie sticks & scrapbook paper.  CLICK HERE to see her cake from last year!

Dark Chocolate Cupcake Recipe.

 This cupcake recipe is actually from my sister! We have made them several times and they are delicious! Insanely moist, not too sweet... the perfect cupcake for any chocolate lover.

Ingredients:

 2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup dark cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 325*. Stir cocoa, sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt in large mixing bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix with a whisk until blended.  Stir in boiling water( batter will be very thin) bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely.

Chocolate frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter

2/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter in saucepan, or microwave, and using a spatula stir in cocoa.  Alternately add sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.  If frosting is too thin add more sugar, too thick add more milk. Frost cooled cupcakes!

Whipped cream:

Using an electric mixer, whisk heavy whipping cream with 1 1/2 tbsp sugar until thickened.

ice-krispy cones.

  This past weekend my sister Savannah embarked on a challenge to recreate a delicious dessert that she found on her recent trip to the beach! Unsure as to what these yummy treats are really called, we referred to them as Ice-Krispy Cones! A rice crispy treat, stuffed onto an ice cream cone and covered in white chocolate and sprinkles! What's not to love?! So here's her lovely version! These are incredibly easy to make so go give it a try!

You will need:

* 1 batch of rice-krispy treats (make as directed on box) will make enough for 7 cones

*ice cream sugar cones

*White chocolate (she used Wilton Candy Melts in different colors, 2+ bags)

* Sprinkles

*Small cups or jars to rest finished cones in.

Directions:

*Make Rice-Krispies as directed and spoon out into cup sized portions onto waxed paper, let cool until comfortable to handle.

* Mold into an ice cream shape and let cool completely.

* Melt the chocolate using a double boiler or in the microwave and dip the top portion(approx. 1/4 inch) of each cone, and press onto bottom of the Rice-Krispy

* let rest on wax paper with the cone in the air until it is completely hard to the touch(you can place in the fridge to speed along process)

* Once everything is cooled and hardened, you may begin dipping and spooning the chocolate onto the entire Rice-Krispy, immediately add sprinkles and then let the finished product rest in a cup or jar to harden!

 

baby shower.

A few weeks ago my mom, sister, and I had so much fun throwing a baby shower for my cousin's wife Sara! Their sweet baby girl is due in just a few weeks and we decided to go all out with pink! We also incorporated small details of gold,black and white. We also included a few DIY projects for the occasion including a pennant banner with the baby's name, added polka dots to a burlap table cloth, and had fun creating some extra girly desserts!I am so excited to take this sweet couple's maternity photos this weekend!

sweet showers.

Last month my mom and I hosted 2 different showers at her house for friends and family that are both getting married this month!  Here's a few snapshots of the desserts and favors that we made. And I've been experimenting with more design lately so I also designed and printed my own invites!

Oreo Pops with sprinkles for favors!

ruffle cake.

 

I have been in love with the ruffle cakes I see all over Pinterest and decided to give one a go for my mom's birthday! I watched a few YouTube videos for help holding the piping bag and a Wilton #104 tip.  Try holding the piping bag as vertically as possible the entire time and keep the small end of the tip facing you and the thicker end almost touching the cake.  I also did a quick crumb layer of buttercream before starting the ruffles for the best coverage!

Vegan Orange Layer Cake recipe from the Joy of Cooking

tres leches cake.

Here is a yummy recipe for tres leches (3 milks) cake with strawberries.  You can use your favorite vanilla cake recipe like this one here or the boxed mix below from Trader Joes is excellent.

Here's the other things you will need:
*  sweetened condensed milk
*  coconut milk
* heavy whipping cream
*strawberries

After baking your cake, use a fork to poke holes throughout the top of the cake and pour on about 1/2 of each of condensed milk and coconut milk. As it absorbs, continue to add more.  After cake cools mix your heavy whipping cream in a mixer on high speed with 1 tbsp of sugar until whipped. Cover cake and top with strawberries!  

sprinkles.

My sister turned twenty-one last week and I made her this chocolate cake with lots of sprinkles.

 Stay tuned for a tutorial on making this neon cake topper garland!

valentines & a bake sale.

This week at school my students had a "WE HEART ART" bake sale to raise money. So for the past few days I have been baking like crazy!