Baking               Cake Decorating               Tutorials              

Friday, July 27, 2012

Feature Fridays: Cake Sketch and Sketchbook Pro for iPad

I have a cake to decorate for a client next week so I wanted to share the cake sketch that I did with you. This isn't your traditional paper and pen sketch. This is digital and I had a lot of fun drawing it. This sketch was all done digitally with a great sketchbook app that I discovered for the iPad.

The app is called Autodesk Sketchbook Pro. It's like having all of the art utensils that you'll ever need inside of your iPad. All of the colors and paintbrushes that you'll ever need are in this app. You can also make certain shapes that you need and place words in different positions and fonts wherever you need them.

 

This is what the app looks like when you open you iPad. Your main drawing tools are on the left side, but there are more if you hold a tool down. I have showed you what each of the main tools look like in the order that you see them from pencil, to airbrush, and paint. You can even choose how wide you want the paint strokes to be using the brush properties wheel in the middle. There are an endless variety of painting styles that you can use with this app.

 

On the right side there are standard colors that you choose from. You can even open up a color wheel to choose a specific color that you want to use. Below the color wheel you can mix a variety of colors by using the three slides to create a custom color.

I have only outlined a few of the great features of this app, but you will not be disappointed. The app is $5 to purchase, but that is a small fee to pay for this versatile app. Let me know if you but this app and how you like it.

Have a blessed weekend.

Savor the Baking,

Chineka

 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Sweet and Summery Cake

I was in the mood for something sweet, summery, and bright this week so I decided to make and decorate a cake. This cake is a lemon cake with buttercream icing. the flowers are marshmallow fondant with a little gum paste mixed in so that they would dry hard. I chose the colors of purple and gold because they are bright colors and make me think of warm weather.

The basket weave was an extra special touch. I used a Wilton 21 tip for this basket weave. There are other decorating tip combinations that you can use to achieve different basket weave looks. For a tighter basket weave use smaller decorating tips. This is my first attempt at trying the basket weave and it is easier than I thought with the right decorating tip and concentration.

Making the flowers was the fun part for me. I used a flower press to achieve the shapes of the flowers. You can also use cookie cutters of various sizes to achieve this same look. The vibrant purple and yellow color was achieved by kneading gel color into the marshmallow fondant and gum paste mix.

What is your favorite color combination for a Summer cake?

Comment below or email me at savorthebaking@hotmail.com .

Savor the Baking,

Chineka

Monday, July 23, 2012

Bakery Inspired Candles

Candles make your surroundings feel warm and cozy. I also love the light that they give off when you read a good book before bed. They are even better when they smell like baked goods. I call these bakery inspired candles. Three of my favorite candles remind me of being in a bakery with fresh baked goods hot out of the oven. Yankee Candle-vanilla cupcake, Slatkin & Co. - apple crumble, and Scent portfolio are three of my favorite scents.

 

 

Yankee Candle-vanilla cupcake is a light fragranced candle that smells like a vanilla cupcake and even a sour cream pound cake. Put this candle on in your residence and it will make you want a piece of cake. This candle smell also reminds me of Yankee Candle - buttercream. This candle has an approximate burn time of 110-150 hours. I can tell you that I have burned this candle for about 60 hours and I still have half of the candle left. This was my first Yankee Candle and it is my favorite.

 

Red velvet is one of my favorite cakes and this candle, Scent Portfolio- Red Velvet Cupcake, smells like a moist red velvet cake . It is also a soy candle. I instantly loved this candle when I first smelled it in Target. This candle has a burn time of approximately 50 hours so I would grab two candles at a time if you like the way that it smells. Aside from the lovely smell of the candle the color is a beautiful cranberry/cherry red.

 

 

This last candle is Slatkin & Co - Apple Crumble. This candle smells like a fresh baked apple pie. The burn time is between 40-65 hours. These candles are sold at Bath and Body Works for $20. During semi-annual sales at Bath and Body works and certain times of the year these candles are 2 for $20, which is an even greater deal. Different scents come out at different seasons of the year so if you like a scent during a particular season get a couple of them.

 

What is your favorite bakery inspired candle?




Savor the Baking,

Chineka

 

Friday, July 20, 2012

Feature Fridays:Marshmallow Fondant

 

Marshmallow Fondant is easy to make and it tastes great. Many things can be made with fondant such as flowers and figures. Also cakes can be covered with fondant for a more sleek look. You will be saving money by making fondant yourself versus buying it from the store. This recipe is easy to make and the directions are simple to follow.

 

Ingredients

16 ounces mini marshmallows

2-5 tbs water

4 cups powdered sugar

Cisco vegetable shortening-to put on surface that you put the marshmallow fondant on

 

Directions

1. Place 16 ounces of marshmallows in a glass bowl and add 4-5 tbs of water. Microwave on high for 40-60 minutes.

2. Take mixture out of the microwave and add 4 cups of powdered sugar to it. Stir it all together with a rubber spatula until it is no longer sticky.

3. Coat any surfaces that you are going to place the marshmallow fondant on with a thin layer of Crisco.

These are button flowers that are made out of fondant just so you know the decorations that fondant is capable of making.

 

What do you use fondant for?




Savor the Baking,

Chineka

 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

A Bloggers Dream iPad App:Blogsy

I have officially got an iPad 2 thanks to my husband surprising me last Friday, July 13. Technology and blogging unite in the most travel friendly form with this iPad app. I wanted to find a great app for blogging on the go and Blogsy was highly recommended. This app has everything that a blogger would ever need to create a blog post. Do you need to place a video in your post? YouTube is in the toolbar. Do you need to use email? There is a toolbar for that also. 

The Blogsy iPad app has thought of everything that a blogger could possibly need to succeed with this app. No matter what blogging platform (blogger, Wordpress...etc) you use it will be compatible. Bloggers can format their posts. If you want to give your words color or put them in bold font it is possible.

If you need to get on google or the Internet while you are typing a blog post you don't have to get out of the app to do so. All that you have to do is click on the web button in Blogsy. For those of you who have picassa or Flickr accounts you can access your photos through this app.

The Blogsy app is $4.99 in the iTunes store, but it is well worth it. For those of you who want to know a little bit more about this app before making the purchase you can visit http://blogsyapp.com/how-to/ to see how to videos on how to use the iPad app.

What is your favorite iPad app for blogging?

Savor the Baking,

Chineka

 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Melt In Your Mouth Sweet Potatoes


These melt in your mouth sweet potatoes will make you think it is Thanksgiving in July. They are soft on the inside with a crisp crunch on the outside. A combination of flavors cover the outside and bring out the richness of the sweet potatoes.  The directions to make these are pretty easy and your kitchen will smell great afterwards.

Nutmeg and cinnamon are two of my favorite smells in the kitchen. They are warm and inviting and they remind me of family and being in my Grandma's kitchen during the holidays. These two flavors are the stars of this great side dish. I hope that you enjoy this side dish as much as I do.

Ingredients

4 small Sweet Potatoes
1-2 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg


Recipe

Heat skillet using medium high heat on the stove top


1. Boil and peel sweet potatoes


2. Cut sweet potatoes into 1 inch sections

3. In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg.
4. Put 1-2 tbsp of butter in skillet and let melt



5. Coat sweet potatoes in sugar mixture on both side and place in skillet. Allow them to cook on both sides until they are slightly brown and crispy.

6. Remove sweet potatoes from skillet and allow to cool. Enjoy!!!!

What is your favorite side dish to make with sweet potatoes?

Savor the Baking,
Chineka

Friday, July 13, 2012

Feature Fridays: Sweet Royal Icing Recipe

Royal icing is known in the baking world for it's ability to harden quick and to use to make cake decorations ahead of time, such as flowers. It is not loved for it's bitter taste. I have a royal icing recipe that gets rid of the bitter taste and replaces that with a marshmallow taste. Best of all only 3 ingredients are needed.

Ingredients
1 egg white
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (the clear kind can be found at Michaels...etc.)


Directions
1. Mix egg white until it is foamy.
2. Slowly combine the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time to the egg white and mix well.
3. Add 2 teaspoons and mix well.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe and have a blessed weekend. What royal icing recipe do you use?


Savor the Baking,
Chineka

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Strawberry Muffins



Strawberry Muffins are rich in flavor and pack a big punch in the food world. They are also great for a quick breakfast on the go. Your favorite fruit can also be incorporated into the muffin, which makes it even better. I chose to use strawberries since they are one of my favorite fruits and they are a staple summer fruit.

I have taken a muffin recipe from joyofbaking.com as my base recipe and I made a few changes to it to make it my own. The ingredients that I used are listed below. I used all purpose flour, but if you want to use another kind of flour you can.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe and let me know if you make these.


Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick)  unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

1 cup  fresh strawberries (cut into bite sized pieces)

2 1/4 cups  all-purpose flour
3/4 cup  light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon  salt

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and melt butter in the microwave. Let butter cool.

1. Whisk together eggs and vanilla extract in a bowl. Add in the melted butter and combine.
2.  Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in another bowl.
3. Coat the strawberries with a little flour. Fold the strawberries into the flour mixture.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir only the mixture is well combined.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the center and comes out clean.   


Monday, July 9, 2012

Let's Eat Pie: Grandma's Homemade Peach Cobbler



Peach Cobbler has always been a comfort food for me. The sweet and juicy peaches paired with a flaky crust always made me smile. I can remember my Grandma baking a lot of days up until recently when she passed away. Right before that she taught me how to make her peach cobbler step by step. I can't give the recipe, but I can show you some pictures of the finished outcome.

 By itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream it is sure to pack a party of flavor in your taste buds. I was really happy with how the peach cobbler turned out. The best part was the homemade pie dough. It had a little bit of a crunch to it that melts in your mouth with a mild buttery flavor.

This pie was made with love, which can be tasted in every bite. I was proud to bring one of my Grandma's recipe's into my kitchen.



What is your favorite pie to make during the Summer?

Savor the Baking,
Chineka

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Happy 4th of July- Sour Cream Pound Cake

Happy 4th of July to all!!! I hope that everyone had a festive day while remembering those that have sacrificed so much for our freedom. To celebrate my husband and I were invited over someone's house and afterward we watched fireworks from the flight line on the Air Force base where we are stationed at. Of course I had to make a sweet treat to celebrate the day. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I decided to make a sour cream pound cake because it is light in flavor and it will go good with any kind of ice cream so it is versatile. I got the recipe from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook. I iced the cake  in buttercream that was red white and blue. I was very happy with the way that my icing turned out and how the icing looked smooth on the cake.

I took this cake to a friend of my husbands house and everyone love the look and taste of this cake. Did you bake any special treats to celebrate the 4th of July. If so what did you bake?

Savor the Baking,
Chineka
 
UA-56305807-1