Turkey Cake Balls

I know it's not even October yet and Thanksgiving is still almost 2 months away, but I'm feeling especially festive and in the mood for fall, so I thought I'd post these little guys today.

Last year, right around Thanksgiving, I hosted a Shutterfly Party (through HouseParty.com) and I decided to do something holiday themed and make Turkey cake pops as part of the refreshments.

I'd like to say that they were easy, but not really. They were pretty time consuming. If you've ever made cake pops, you know what I mean.

I used Bakerella's method to make the actual cake ball - crumbled cake a store bought frosting. I then coated them with Almond Bark (it's like the Wilton Candy Melts, but cheaper) and decorated them.

Here's what I used:

-Almond Bark (probably almost 2 packages)
-Indian Candy Corn - like the regular candy corn but it's brown and red instead of orange and yellow. Also, you want the whole candy corns for feathers and then a bunch of the white tips broken off for the beaks.
-Butter cream frosting in light brown, white, red and black
-Decorating bags (4) and tips #12, 1, 2, &3
-Pretzel sticks, halved

1. Cover the cake balls with the Almond Bark
2. As you're coating them, stick in the pretzels for legs and the candy corn for feathers. I actually didn't do this. I coated them and stuck in feathers as I went, but I wish I'd done the pretzels then too. If you look closely you can see where I had to use butter cream to get the legs to stick or where the coating cracked as I stuck in the pretzels.
3. After the coating has hardened, pipe on the turkey "head" using the light brown frosting. I used a #12 tip to make the job quicker. It was just a simple ball shape.
4. Using the white and black frosting, make the eyes. For the whites of the eyes I think I used tip #3. For the black, I used tip #1.
5. Using the white ends of the candy corn, stick them on the head to make a beak.
6. With the red frosting, pipe a little "gobbler" onto the turkey heads using tip #2 or 3.

Sorry - no pics of the process. This was done pre-blog.

Look at those funny little minions!

Thanks to all the fabulous bloggers out there who take the time and effort to host these spectacular parties!! We're linking up here:


Mondays:
Just Something I Whipped Up, Craftastic Monday, Turquoise Lovin', Making the World Cuter Mondays, Making Mondays Marvelous, Creative Me Mondays, Made By You Mondays, Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Made with Love, More the Merrier


Tuesdays:
Get You Craft On, Tuesday Confessional, Who's Got Glam, Ta-Da Tuesdays, Tip Me Tuesdays, Take a Look Tuesdays, Show Me What You Got, Tuesday Tutorials, Too Cute Tuesdays, Craft & Tell, Tutorials & Tips Tuesday


Wednesdays:
Whatever Goes Wednesday, Idea Sharing Wednesday, What I Made Wednesday, DIY Under $5, Woot Woot Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Lil' Luna Link Party, Hoo's Got Talent, We Can Do it Cheaper, Look What I Made, What I Whipped up Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday


Thursdays:
Strut Your Stuff, DIY Diva Thursdays, Hookin' Up With House of Hepworths, Get Your Brag On


Fridays:
Frugal Friday, Creative-ly U, Feature Yourself Friday, PityParty, Look At Me, Show & Share, Fantabulous Friday, Tickled Pink Fridays, I'm Lovin' It


Saturdays/Sundays:
Lovely Little Linkup, Weekend Wander, Sundae Scoop, Sunday Showcase Party, Think Pink Sundays, Anything Goes, Whatcha Got Weekend, Free For All

Some Help for Flat, Cripsy Cookies

My cookies need help. Seriously. Look at this stuff...

The cookies above were cooked on just a regular cookie sheet. Flat, crispy, and, in my opinion, yucky. I like cookies that are soft and chewy and a little...fluffy?

And these were cooked on a cookie sheet using my Silpat (a silicone "sheet" that you use for baking). While they came off of the sheet easily, rhey still spread a little too much for my liking. I know they didn't cook evenly because the cookie dough wasn't all the same size. But that's beside the point. 

These are the best of the batch. I was hoping for a more even bake, so I pulled out my pizza stone, preheated it, and baked them on there. Not as much spreading, but they still weren't what I wanted.

You should know that all the cookies above were baked from the same batch of cookie dough. I was trying different things using different methods.

And them my cookie life changed. Our Primary President brought in some cookies for sharing time and they seriously looked like the pictures on the packages of store bought cookie dough (which I can never get to turn out either). The other ladies in the presidency were also impressed and asked for her secret. It's not really a secret though. Want to know?

She uses shortening! Am I the last one to know about this? I've always used butter or margarine (the cookies above were done with butter). I think I've tried shortening in the past but didn't really get the result I was wanting so I didn't use it again. I decided to try it though.

Look at those beauties! She said she uses her grandma's recipe, which I didn't get. Instead I just used the recipe off the back of the chocolate chips bag (which is basically what I always use) and substituted shortening for the butter/margarine. She also said to let them cook ONLY until they looked almost done - not until they looked done. Then let them cool on the pan and they would keep cookin

It worked! These things were seriously so good!

No more burnt edges, underdone middles, or rocks. Just perfection!

10 Tips for Frosting a Cake

One of my favorite hobbies is decorating cakes, so I thought it would be fun to share some tips for layering and frosting a cake! Before we get to work layering and frosting though, be sure to check out the post I did a couple weeks ago about baking a better cake and about my favorite cake recipe.

So, here are a few tips to follow once you've baked and completely cooled your cake(s). In the pictures, you'll see that I used two 8" or 9" (I've never measured) rounds. You could easily follow these techniques with any diameter or shape of cake.

1. Level Your Cake. This can be a little difficult at first. There are a lot of handy tools out there to help you get it just right. Tools like this...

They typically either have a small wire or a gently serrated "knife" that essentially cuts through the cake. They're also adjustable so that you can change the height - you can change it to cut through the middle of the cake or just take off the domed top. But, you don't need those fancy little gadgets. You can use floss or even just a knife. Which is what I used.

See how the cake filled up over the top of the cake? When I do my round cakes, it's just easier to use the cake pan as a guide. It may not be perfectly level, but it's good enough for stacking. Frosting will help even out the rest! So, take your top off and set it aside.

I just have to say, if muffin tops are the best part of a muffin, then cake tops are the best part of a cake. Especially this yummy cake

Also, instead of just taking off the dome and putting the two layers together, you can make layers within the single layer to then fill and stack together.

2. Bring your cake up to a higher level and/or use a turntable.

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This is actually my cake taker reversed - the bottom part where the cake goes is actually sitting on top of the cover. I like this setup best for two reasons - it brings the cake up higher (about 10") and because I can easily turn it as I frost my cake. A raised turntable would accomplish the same thing, but I don't have the money for one of those.

3. Make sure your cake layers are even on the sides. My cake pans are ever so slightly angled outward towards the top. It really isn't a big deal in my case, but sometimes it's necessary to trim the outer edges of the cake so that the layers are even. Doing so will help in the icing and smoothing process. Just stack your layers together and then with a knife, gently trim off any parts that stick out of the side. This process is easier if your cake is frozen (it's so much easier to cut through when frozen) and should be done before filling/stacking your layers if you're going to be using a filling besides frosting. If you're just using frosting, then you could do this after stacking and filling your layers.

4. Use a good frosting. Despite the fact that making my own frosting can make a huge mess (think sifted flour EVERYWHERE), I think homemade frosting is so much better to work with and it's a little more natural (no additives or preservatives). Store bought frosting is much more sticky (which is horrible for when you're trying to not get crumbs in your frosting) and doesn't hold its shape as well when you're trying to decorate with it. The frosting recipe I use is just Wilton's Buttercream Frosting. I prefer a mixture of butter and shortening and I typically double the recipe, too. This is usually how I make it:

1 cup shortening
1 cup butter (if you're going for a completely white frosting, use only shortening or get a whiter butter)
2 lbs sifted powder sugar
2 tsp vanilla (I don't usually use clear vanilla -if you want a perfectly white frosting, go for clear though)
2 tbsp milk (or water)
additional milk or water for thinning

To frost the cake, you'll want to use a thinner consistency frosting so that it will spread easier. Your stiff frosting is used for decorations that need to hold their shape. A medium consistency is also used for decorations like borders and such. A thinner consistency is also used for piping and writing. Check out Wilton's information on icing consistency. They even have a video - way more that I can show you!

Even if you're going to be covering your cake with fondant, you'll want to give your cake a good, thin layer of frosting. The frosting will help keep the crumbs in (it's sometimes referred to as a crumb coat or crumb later) and will give the fondant something to stick to. You'll want to make sure your frosting is as smooth and even as possible so that any imperfections don't translate into imperfections in your fondant.

5. Filling your cake layers. You can really use any kind of filling. I prefer to just use icing, but you can also use any kind of jam or preserve. If you're going to use something other than frosting, then you'll want to add a step to the filling process. Fill a decorating bag with some frosting, and using a round tip (probably around a #12 or so) pipe an edge of frosting all the way around the edge of your layer of cake. Then fill the inside with your filling. Putting an edge of frosting will help keep the filling in and will help it from squishing out into your layer of frosting that you're going to be putting around the rest of the cake.

6. Choose your weapons of choice. I prefer to use a small straight spatula and a larger bent spatula.

 I like to use the smaller spatula for the initial smoothing and especially for the sides. I find it's easier to work with. I like the larger spatula for smoothing out the top or for a tall cake. There are also angled/pointed spatulas and all sorts of sizes in between.

I also like the large bag and flat tip to help get the frosting onto the cake.

Have you seen those gigantic bags they use on the cake decorating shows? My little 16" bag is about the closest I'll ever get, but it does the job. I fill that baby up and it's so much easier than trying to smooth it on with a spatula.

Once you've covered the side of the cake, use your spatula to remove excess and smooth it around. When smoothing the side of your cake, use your spatula at a 45 degree angle and spin the base/cake, if possible. You'll get a smoother edge by moving the cake instead of the spatula. If too much icing builds up on the spatula, just wipe it off and start again.

7. Ice your cake carefully. Once you get your cake onto your base, plop on some frosting and get to work. But be sure to frost carefully! Don't go sloshing the frosting around every which way. Use your spatula at an angle on the cake - not flat and not perfectly perpendicular either. Once you start moving your frosting in one direction on the cake, follow that direction through until you read the edge of the cake. Once you've moved your spatula off the cake, you can choose a different direction.

8. Use your icing to help even out the cake. If your cake isn't cut/leveled perfectly even, don't worry. You'll just want to add some frosting in some places to give the illusion of evenness. No big deal! If you're going to be covering your cake with fondant, you'll definitely want to make sure your cake is as even as possible.

9. Getting straight corners. This is probably the hardest part of the cake for me. And unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of this process. Basically it's just a lot of back and forth between going around the side and smoothing the top. I could do this part for probably almost an hour. If you're using fondant, don't stress too much about this part. Your fondant is pliable and you can still give it a few smooshes and use a fondant smoother to get the squared corner look.

10. Smoothing out the icing. This is another step that I could spend quite a while doing. You'll need a tall pitcher, cold water, and your spatulas. Cold water from the tap should be fine unless it's summer and/or your water runs warm. If that's the case, just use a few ice cubes or put it in the fridge before you start the frosting process. This process may sound weird, but it really does work, trust me! Unfortunately I was running short on time and didn't get to snap any pictures of this process either, so I'll try and explain it the best I can.

Dip your spatula into the cold water, then tap the excess water off. You don't actually need the water, you just need to make your spatula cold so it will easily glide over the frosting. Holding your spatula at a slight angle (around 45 degrees), run it across the top and sides of the cake. You'll notice that the frosting starts to take on kind of a glazed look. The imperfections are smoothed out with ease. Repeat this process across the whole cake. When the frosting builds up on your spatula, wipe it away with a napkin or on the side of your bowl. Be sure to dip the spatula back into the cold water after every or every other run across the frosting. If you see any beads of water, just gently dab at them with a napkin - don't wipe them if they're on the frosting otherwise you'll have to redo what you just did with your spatula. After this process, you should have a fairly smooth, beautiful cake.

Again, I was running out of time and didn't have time to make it perfect, so ignore the imperfections you see on the side. Also, the camera made them look way worse - you could hardly tell they were there!

Do you have any tips for getting a smooth, beautiful cake? I'd love to hear them!

I'll be doing some decorating tips in the next week or so, so be sure to check back. Also, if you have any questions or want to know how to do something particular, please let me know so I can (hopefully) share with everyone in the upcoming decorating posts!

10 Tips for Baking a Better Cake

I love baking and I especially love making cakes! I'm always fascinated with the cakes that you see on shows like Ace of Cakes or Cake Boss. I'm so sad that they took Cake Boss off of Watch Instantly on Netflix. I didn't care for the drama and yelling, but I LOVED the cakes. I loved the process and the final creation and... just everything.

One of the things that I did to increase my cake decorating skills was to take a Wilton Cake Decorating class. My mom and I took all three courses together. Two hours a week for 12 weeks. I loved spending that time with my mom and having something that we could share together. Plus it was a night out of the house every week! If you're interested in the classes, you can take them at places like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Joanns (I think - if you have a bigger Joanns). Also some specialty stores offer the classes too. We took our classes at Michaels mostly because I worked there up until I had Andrew (dream job, right!) and I knew the instructor. I figured if I was going to pay for something, I would help a friend out, right?

But before you can really make awesome cakes like that, you need some fundamentals - you have to start with the basics. And what's more basic than the actual cake itself?! So I thought I'd give you all some tips on making a great cake.

Picture from cakes-you-can-bake.com

1. Cakes from scratch are usually always better, but if you're going to use a mix, use a higher quality mix. My favorite is Duncan Hines but I'll also use Betty Crocker or Pillsbury. Mostly I just stock up when they go on sale! I also HIGHLY recommend my favorite cake recipe in the whole world. It's a box mix with some additives. Best thing in the world!
2. Mix your cake mix VERY WELL. I don't know if you've ever actually read all the directions on the cake mix box, but it tells you to mix the cake mix for around 2 minutes. Do it! It is well worth it. Unlike brownies that you're only supposed to mix until moistened, a cake batter needs the smoothness and the air that it gets from being whipped for so long. And make sure that you're scraping the edge and bottom of the bowl two or three times during that 2 minutes so that everything is mixed evenly.
3. Use good, quality cake pans. And looks for pans that have cornered edges rather than round edges, especially if you're going to be stacking cakes. Rounded edges require more work - having to fill them in and such. Also, heavier pans just last longer and cook your cakes better.
4. Grease and flour your pans EVERY SINGLE TIME! Try and make it fairly smooth, also. Get into all the cracks and crevices of your pan with the shortening, especially if you're using the character-type pans that have lots of bumps in them. You want all of those details to show in your cake. Remember that you're trying to create a good covering on the cake - the crust. You want the cake to come out smoothly, evenly, and with nothing left behind in the pan. The non-stick sprays really aren't the best thing to use. If you want a spray, Wilton (and probably other cake decorating manufacturers) make a spray with the flour already in it.
5. Tap some of the air bubbles out of the batter after you pour it into your pan. If you want a firmer cake, tap out more for longer. If you like the crumblier type cake, then don't tap for so long. I usually just bang mine against the counter. I always feel like I'm going to drop it if I tap the edge of the pan against the edge of the counter, so I always just hold the pan firmly and bang the bottom of the pan against the top of the counter. You should see bubbles in the batter rising and popping when they reach the top.
6. DO NOT OVERBAKE YOUR CAKE! I can't stress that enough. Along with that though, don't underbake it either otherwise it will fall and you'll wind up with a crater in the middle of your cake.
7. Try not to open your oven within the first 20-25 minutes of baking. At at any point during the baking process, do not slam your oven door. Again - you'll wind up with a big gaping crater.
8. The old toothpick or knife trick to test for doneness is not the best way. If your cake is close to be doing done but not quite, then you could actually cause it to fall. That's no good. The best way to test for doneness is to A) look at the color, and B) test the springiness of the cake. To do that, gently touch the top of the cake with your finger. If it doesn't spring right back up, it's not done. Also, the best (and hardest) way is to listen to the cake. If when you push on it, you still hear a crackling or bubbling noise, it's not done yet either. Go for one or two more minutes and check it again.
9. Don't take the cake out of the pan right away. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. If you do it too soon, you may crack your crust. Too late and you'll have the same problem. If you wait until your cake and pan are cooled completely, you'll wind up with more craters. Instead of just taking it out, warm your oven up a big again and put the cake back in enough to help release the cake from the pan. What happens if you wait to long is the shortening that you greased your cake with firms up again and causes the cake to stick.
10. If I have time, I always freeze my cakes right away too (after the 10 minute cooling period). Have some plastic wrap ready before you take the cake out of the pan - enough to cover the cake completely. When you take it out, transfer it directly to your cake circle/cardboard and then immediately wrap it in the plastic wrap. Put it in your freezer (this is hard to finagle sometimes) for at least a few hours, preferably overnight. This not only speeds the cooling process, but wrapping it in plastic wrap keeps all that steam in as moisture. It then goes back into your cake to help keep the cake moist. Freezing the cake is also very helpful if you're going to be carving or shaping the cake. It's much easier to cut when frozen.

Do you have any additional words of advice? I'd love to hear them and I'm sure our readers would too!