Hannah's Birthday Cake

It was my daughter Hannah's 15th birthday last week.  We had a luncheon for her at my husband's work and had so much fun with her and her friends!  Of course I had to make her a cake as well.  Hannah pretty much designs her own birthday cake each year, but with this one I did make a few last minute adjustments.  I'm so glad that she liked it!  It does look like it's leanin' a little though dang it.  Unfortunately we didn't get any other pictures of it from it's "good side".  

Hannah chose her favorite cake flavors!  Top tier was lemon cake with custard cream, middle tier was vanilla cake with raspberry buttercream and bottom tier was chocolate cake with peanut butter filling.  Happy Birthday to my sweet second daughter!

Floral Wedding Cake

I made this two tier wedding cake this weekend for a great couple.  The cake was marble swirl, filled with milk chocolate ganache, iced with vanilla italian meringue buttercream and then covered with white vanilla fondant.  The bride brought me paint chips for three different colors and I made all of the flowers out of gumpaste to match!  I was so excited to use the new milk glass cake stand that I just purchased from Mosser Glass.  Now, if we can just get rid of all this snow because this cake made me super excited for Spring!

Veronica's Birthday Cake

This cake was so much fun to make for such a nice lady! Completely designed by the client, this two tier featured rhinestone bling, edible glitter, silver dragees, damask & a silver sugar monogram "V". Cake was lemon with raspberry buttercream. Happy Birthday Veronica!

Blueberry Peach Oatmeal

I have to say that I get really tired of regular old cold cereal day after day. Once in a while I'll make cream of wheat or scrambled eggs for myself and the kids, but most mornings we are really rushed and just don't have time. Even when I do make something like cream of wheat or hot cereal in general, not every child will eat it. They can be so darn picky!

Blueberry Peach Oatmeal is the exception. I serve it hot from the oven with milk and everyone loves it! Even my toddler! Not to mention the brownie points I score with Handsome because it's his fave as well. This is a great recipe because I usually have all the ingredients on hand, even the blueberries. They're the kind that you find in the frozen section at Walmart or any grocery store. I prefer "Dole Wild Blueberries" but any brand will work. I've never tried fresh blueberries but I bet they would be even better! The only downfall to this recipe? It takes 45 minutes to bake so I have to plan ahead.

I really adapted the original recipe to suit my family's tastes (or should I say mine?). If you would like to try the original lighter and healthier version I have included the link.

Blueberry Peach Oatmeal

Taste of Home

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 can (15 ounces) sliced peaches in juice, drained and chopped

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; add to dry ingredients and stir until blended. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in peaches and blueberries.

Transfer to an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with milk. 9 servings.

New Year, New Blog!

I have many plans for 2012 and this blog is one of them. I attempted a baking blog last year with not much success. So, moving on, I like this new idea for a blog much better and hope to share many fun things!

One of my goals for this new year is to learn how to decorate cookies. I have long admired the skills of women like Sugarbelle, Glorious Treats, Haniela & Cookie Artisan. With all of the supplies that I have to decorate cakes I thought that it would be an easy crossover into cookies. But, do I have the skills? Hmm, we shall see. I plan to make every Tuesday on this blog my "Cookie Tuesday". I will post pictures of the cookies I make each week and hopefully by the end of the year I will have improved!

So! Here is my first ever set of royal icing decorated cookies:

I made them for one of my daughter's friends for her 9th birthday. I didn't have much time to make them so they are pretty simple. They also are itty bitty cookies and I put them in a cute jar with a bow but, of course, I didn't get a picture of that! Oh, well. I was pretty happy with how they turned out!

In case you were wondering, I used recipes from Sugarbelle for the sugar cookies and royal icing. It does take some practice!

Here are the links:

Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing