SMORE"S CUPCAKES

 These are amazing and delicious cupcakes.It has a Graham Cracker Crust as a base with a rich  moist chocolate cake and topped with lightly toasted meringue frosting.Yum!!!

 Ingredients:
----------------
For the Crust:
--------------

1 cup Graham Cracker crumbs
4-5 tbsp Butter,melted
1 tbsp granulated Sugar

Instructions:
------------------
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.Line the muffin pan with cupcake liners or baking cups.
In a mixing bowl,stir together graham craker crumbs,sugar and melted butter until combined.
Place a tablespoon of this mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner.
Use a measuring cup or a glass to press down the graham craker crumbs to form a crust.Bake for 5 min for the base to harden.
Cool for 10 mins before filling with batter.

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:
-------------------------------------
1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder dutch-processed
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup boiling water
1 cup buttermilk
1/2  cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
-----------------

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
In a large bowl,combine the dry ingredients(flour,sugar,baking soada,baking powder and salt).set aside.
In another mixing bowl beat eggs,buttermilk,vegetable oil and vanilla extract until combined.Slowly add the dry ingredients mixing until smooth.Add the boiling water and mix well.
Pour into the cooled graham crust filling halfway and bake for 18-20 mins or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.cool completely before frosting.

Meringue Frosting:
-------------------------
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Combine egg whites,sugar and cream of tartar in a heatproof  mixing bowl over a simmering water or  double boiler.whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch.Remove from heat.Using a whisk attachment,beat on low speed gradually increasing to high until stiff glossy peaks form.Use a pastry bag to pipe frosting over the cupcakes.I used a kitchen torch to lightly  toast the meringue.alternately you can also use the oven in  broil mode for  less than a minute to toast the meringue.Happy Baking!!!

BABY SHOWER CAKE

A " Baby Shower Cake" for my Friend.This is a Chocolate cake filled with chocolate Ganache covered with Chocolate Buttercream and Fondant.

The Pregnant Lady and the baby shoes are all made out of Fondant.

               

Guess i need to work on face sculpting skill.lol!!

         

A sneak peak inside the cake..

                       
The  Slice...

STAR WARS THEMED CAKE

                          

star wars themed cake for a little star wars fan whose celebrating his 6 th Birthday.

This is a Basic vanilla cake filled with Raspberry spread covered with buttercream icing and fondant.I choose to make these two characters(DARTH VADER & YODA) because they are my Favorite too.They are made out of Fondant.I tried my best sculpting these characters and the outcome was a Happy Ending.

I used  blue and Black food color to color the fondant to give it a Galaxy Effect.DARTH VADER took a Little Longer to make but i guess i am happy of  how  these two characters turned out.

Cheesecake Topped Fresh Fruits with Lemon-Honey Glaze

This is a very simple but delicious cheesecake i have ever made.This cheesecake has a Graham Cracker Crust  topped with summer fruits and glazed with lemon honey syrup.yum!!

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1-cup Crushed Graham Crackers or Vanilla Wafers
1-tbsp sugar
4 tbsp melted butter

For cheesecake filling:
2-8 oz Cream Cheese(room temp)
2/3 Cup sugar
2 Large eggs(room temp)
1 tsp Pure vanilla Extract
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Garnish or Topping:
Fresh seasonal Fruits

Glaze:
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp lemon juice

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Lightly spray the bottom and the sides of your spring form pan,Keep aside.
In a bowl ,mix the Graham Cracker Crumbs with sugar and melted butter until all the crumbs are moistened.Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of your pan.Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until set.Remove from oven and place on wire rack  to cool.

Cheesecake filling:
In a Bowl of your stand or hand-mixer, beat the cream cheese,sugar and salt until creamy and smooth.Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.Add eggs one at a time until incorporated.Then add the extract,zest and sour cream until combined.Pour the filling over the cooled Crust.Bake for about 55 mins or until the center is almost set.Loosen cake from rim of the pan and cool before removing from rim.Refrigerate for couple of hours after its completely cooled down.Garnish with fresh fruits.
Mix  1/2 tsp of lemon juice with warm honey and gently brush the top of  fruits for a glaze.Enjoy

Cricket Themed Cake!

CAPTAIN AMERICA CAKE

Captain America Cake for my son's 5 th B'day!!!

Baby Shower Cake & a Diaper Cake

Musical Theme cake

Barbie Cake

At the Party...

The Cake Cutting...

This is my 3 rd and the Best ever Barbie i have made so far..This cake was made for a little girl who turned four yesterday.This time I presented this cake with Rose cup cakes surrounding.It almost took 3 to 4 hrs Perfecting this cake but the end result turned out really amazing.The cake was so moist inside and everbody in the Party Loved it.I Love Making Barbie Cake.

Spiderman Cake

This Spiderman Cake was made for my son's 4 th B'day.It Turned out Really Good as i Expected.I used a Box Cake Mix and a 9 inch round cake pan.After i let it cool completely i trimmed the edges off to get the spiderman face.I then filled the cake and Crumb coated the cake with Buttercream Icing.I used Marshmallow fondant which i made a day before to cover the cake.Then i painted the face with red gel food coloring.With the help of a Toothpick i just drew the spider lines.The End Result was REally Amazing.Overall My Son was so excited to see the SPIDERMAN Cake.The Recipe For the Marshmallow Fondant is Listed Below:

Marshmallow Fondant:
-------------------------------

1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
2 pounds confectioners' sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
Vegetable Shortening To Grease your Hands from sticking

Method:
-----------

Place the marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 30 seconds to 1 minute to start melting the marshmallows. Carefully stir the water into the hot marshmallows, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of powdered sugar for kneading. The dough will be very stiff.

Rub your hands thoroughly with Shortening, and begin kneading the sticky dough. As you knead, the dough will become workable and pliable. Turn the dough out onto a working surface dusted with confectioners' sugar and continue kneading until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes.

Form the fondant into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. To use, allow the fondant to come to room temperature, and roll it out onto a flat surface dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Thomas The Tank Engine Sheet Cake

This is a Half sheet Chocolate cake.It was made for one of my friends son's Birthday.I used cake toppers on this one which was purchased from a local store.The Cake turned out really great.I used Box cake mix and made Butter cream icing From scratch to fill and decorate the cake.The recipe for the Butter cream icing is listed below.Overall the Cake was a hit at the Party.Everyone Loved it.

Butter Cream Icing Recipe:
---------------------------------------
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp milk or whipping cream

Method:
----------

Cream Butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.Add Vanilla Extract.When all the sugar is mixed,the icing will appear dry.Add milk 1 tbsp at a time at medium speed until fluffy.

Add more milk or cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

Topping:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1(20 oz) can pineapple slices
Maraschino cherries

Cake Batter:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk

Method:

For topping: Melt butter over low Heat.Remove and Stir in brown sugar. Spread to cover bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Using your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture (in three additions), alternately with the milk ending with the dry ingredients.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt or cream of tartar until stiff peak. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter in two additions. Pour the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top. Bake in preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes, (a toothpick inserted into the cake will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto your serving plate. Serve warm topped with ice cream or whipped cream.Yum!!

Mermaid Doll Cake

Side View...

Back view..



This is my second doll cake.I made it for one my friends B'day.For this adorable cake I used the trusty Wilton "Wonder Mold". The baking pan is meant to look like the bottom of a dress when a doll is placed through the center. So here it is a mermaid cake Its a simple chocolate cake with butter cream filling and icing.Just couldn stop working on it.Loved making it.I used gummy fish for added decoration.I also made some star fish using gummies.So Except the doll everything else was edible.I used different icing tips to pipe out shells,flowers,grass etc.Hope you guys Like this cake.If you have any Questions about decorating please post Your comments. Your comments are so Encouraging to me...

Chiffon Cake

Ingredients:

Ingredients :
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degree F. Grease a 8" round cake pan. Keep aside.
2. Sift together all purpose flour, baking powder and powdered sugar. Keep aside.
3. Separate egg whites and yolk in two separate bowls.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until very stiff. Set aside.
5. Combine orange juice,egg yolks ,oil and vanilla extract.Mix Gently and pour over the combined dry ingredients.
6.With a large rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold the egg whites into the batter just until blended (being careful not to deflate the batter).
7.Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 30mins or until a toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean.

Princess Cake

I made this Barbie cake recently from scratch.I looked at many princess cake ideas and ended up doing this one.It was really fun to make.I was a little nervous about it, but it turned out Great.

At first I baked a dome shaped cake.After the cake was completely cooled .I sliced the cake in 3 layers to fill with buttercream and also crumb coated the cake.I made the fondant a day before and used it to make the princess skirt and top.. Also made flower using fondant a day before to decorate the dolls skirt.I used Petal dust for the flowers.I then inserted the dolls head on top of the cake and decorated using icing.Overall the cake was a big hit.

Atlast we had to cut the cake and this is how it looked.Poor Barbie....awww...

Fresh Ginger spice cake

Ingredients:

4-ounce(115g) piece fresh ginger,peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup(250 ml ) mild-flavored molasses
1 cup(200g) sugar
1 cup(250 ml) vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups (350 gm) All purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) water
2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs at room temp

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform or round cake pan with 2 inch (5 cm) sides and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or with a chef's knife, chop the ginger until very fine. Set aside.

In a large bowl , mix together the molasses , sugar, and oil. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour , cinnamon, cloves and pepper.

In a small sauce pan, bring the water to boil , then stir in the baking soda.Whisk the hot water into the molasses mixture, then add the chopped ginger.

Gradually sift the flour mixture over the molasses mixture, whisking to combine. Add the eggs and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared springform or cake pan and bake until the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger or a tooth pick inserted comes out clean about 1 hr. Let cool completely.

Run a knife around the sides of the cake to help loosen it from the pan. Invert the cake onto a plate, peel of the parchment paper, then re-invert onto a serving platter.

Serving:
Serve wedges of this cake with whipped cream or your favorite ice cream

Storage:
Because this cake is so moist, it keeps well for upto 5 days at room temperature. It can be frozen for upto 1 month.

Thomas the Tank Engine Cake!!!

The Making:

This 3D cake was made from scratch for my son's 2nd Birthday who was so crazy about Thomas.It was lot of work but had fun making it and was worth it.It was a chocolate cake with Buttercream icing.I used Fondant for making the face and the Engine master.the wheels were are also made out of fondant.It was very much easier to use and be creative with.I used dowel rods to support the cake.Overall the cake turned pretty good as expected although the cake was slightly tilted.
It was hard finding a cake box that would actually fit the cake.since the cake was tall we had to cut the clear lid which goes on top of the cake box and covered the cake using a clear wrap.

Here is a list of tools and products I used:

3 batches Buttercream frosting
Hershey's Cocoa powder (to add to black frosting, this will help you achieve a true black)
12"X18" sheetcake pan (may also use 12"X18")
Wax paper
Cling wrap (plastic wrap)
9"Cake decorating spatula
Wilton gumpaste tools for creating Thomas facial features
Wilton Colors Black, Blue, Red, Yellow
Toothpicks
Wilton Fondant
Small rolling pin
Powdered Sugar for dusting work surface
Crisco shortening
Piping bags and tips
Piping Gel for the back of Thomas face and wheels
cookie stick for holding Thomas face
dowel rods to hold the cake in place
cake board

Buttercream Frosting recipe:

Ingredients:

2 lbs powdered sugar (leave about 1/4 cup in bag) Never use beet sugar!
1 stick butter room temp (do not use margarine or butter substitute)
1/2 cup of Crisco (regular, not butter flavored)
1/2 cup of milk or water
1 tsp clear vanilla extract (you may use regular vanilla extract, but if making white icing will give it a bit of a tint)
1/4-1/2 tsp almond extract (imitation or regular)
1/8 tsp salt

Beat together butter and shortening in your mixer, add vanilla, almond extract, 1/4 milk or water (half of that called for in recipe), and salt. When well mixed, add sugar a cup at a time. As frosting gets thicker, add enough of the remaining milk or water until the consistency seems right. You may or may not need the entire 1/2 cup.
Scrape sides of bowl and mix on high speed for 8-10 minutes.Cover your bowl with a warm damp towel to keep the frosting from drying out.

This frosting can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 6 months.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is one of the the most popular Italian cakes. It is made of biscuits dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks and mascarpone, and flavored with liquor and cocoa. The recipe has been adapted into many varieties of puddings, cakes and other desserts.
Making tiramisu is somewhat tricky and takes some time to do.After the entire process is done it has to be refregirated for longer time.Otherwise it might get soggy and end up looking like a pudding.If you want a firm Tiramisu, place it in the freezer for about an hr before serving.

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup grandulated sugar
3 cups mascarpone cheese (this is an Italian cream cheese)
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 – 24 lady fingers
1/4 cup cold espresso
1/4 cup Kahlua coffee liqueur
2 teaspoons cocoa powder




Directions:


1.Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a boil over medium/high heat, then reduce heat so that the water is simmering. Whisk egg yolks, milk and sugar together in a medium metal bowl, then place the bowl on top of the saucepan (you can also use a double boiler for this step). Stir the mixture often for ten minutes. After the sugar dissolves the mixture should begin to thicken and turn light yellow. Remove it from the heat to cool.

2.Use an electric mixer to combine mascarpone, cream cheese and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until mostly creamy, but with a few small chunks remaining.
3.Add egg yolk mixture to the cheese mixture and mix just until well-combined.
4.Combine espresso and Kahlua in a small bowl. Pour this mixture onto a dinner plate. One-by-one touch the bottom of each lady finger in the espresso. The lady finger will quickly soak up the espresso/Kahlua mixture, but you don’t want the lady finger soaked — just a dab will do. The top half of each lady finger should still be dry. Arrange the soaked lady fingers side-by-side on the bottom of an 8×8-inch serving dish or baking pan.

5.Spoon about half of the cheese mixture over the lady fingers, then add another layer of soaked lady fingers on top of the cheese mixture.

6.Spoon the remaining cheese mixture over the second layer of lady fingers and spread it evenly.




7.Put two teaspoons of cocoa powder in a tight-mesh strainer and gently tap the side of the strainer to add an even dusting of cocoa powder over the top of the dessert.





8.Cover and chill for several hours. To serve, slice the dessert twice across and down creating 9 even portions (the first serving is always the hardest to get out).

Simply Apple Cake

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup (75 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans
1 pound (454 grams) apples
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cup (195 grams) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup (50 grams) raisins

METHOD:

Apple Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter or spray with a non stick cooking spray, an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan and then line with parchment paper or wax paper.

Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown and fragrant. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack and then coarsely chop.

Peel, core, and coarsely chop the apples. Toss with 1 - 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated. Fold in the chopped nuts, raisins, and chopped apples. If the batter is thick, stir in the milk.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in preheated oven for about 35 - 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

While the cake is still warm, prepare the glaze. Place the apricot jam or preserves in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until liquid. Remove from heat and strain the jam through a fine strainer to remove any fruit lumps. Alternatively, place the apricot jam or preserves in a small bowl and heat in the microwave. Using a pastry brush, spread the warmed preserves over the apple cake.

Serve with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Cover and refrigerate leftovers. Reheat before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Blueberry Crumble Cake

Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup (45 grams) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (56 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cake Batter:

1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (56 grams) (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
2 cups fresh blueberries

Blueberry Cake Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) square pan or an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake pan.

For streusel topping: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, and beat only until combined. Spread the batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.

Evenly arrange the blueberries on top of the cake batter and then sprinkle with the streusel topping.

Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 9 servings