How to Bake a Great Cake

Your beautiful decorations can make a party cake something extraordinary - but to show them off at their best, you must start with a perfectly-baked cake.  Great cakes don't just happen by accident. Follow the following steps to help you get that WOW factor from everyone that see's your cake!

Choosing the Right Pan
Quality Pans are essential for creating beautiful decorated cakes.

• Determine the size you will need.
• A pan with a light finish will bake cakes with a lighter color crust.
• Anodized Aluminum pans bake evenly and they won't warp or rust.

Preparing Cake Pans

• Use a Non-Stick Spray or Cake Release and a Pastry Brush (or use solid vegetable shortening and flour).  If your using a Non-Stick Spray make sure to just spray the inside of the pan first before you fill it up with the batter.  If your using Cake Release or vegetable shortening with flour make sure to brush a thin coat on the inside of the pan before filling with cake batter.
• I suggest you use Wilton's Bake-Even Cake Strips to help you bake even cakes that won't leave you with a crown on the cake.  Throughly saturate the strips with cold water.  Run your fingers down the strips to remove any excess moisture.  (DO NOT WRING DRY!) With the aluminized side out, wrap the strip around the outside of the cake pan and close the bottom.  Overlap the ends and use the pins that are provided (or straight pin without a plastic head) to hold the strip in place.

Mixing the Batter

• Pre-heat your oven to the specified temperature for about 10-15 minutes.
• Whether you bake from a recipe or a boxed mix, measure all of your ingredients before you begin.
• Measure liquid ingredients at eye level in a standard liquid measuring cups.
• Level off dry ingredients using measuring cups for dry measure.
• Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl for even blending.

NOTE: Do not use a liquid measuring cup to measure dry ingredients, or use a dry measuring cup to measure liquids!  This will give you different results!

Filling Cake Pans

• Fill prepared pans half full.
• Bake immediately after mixing as near to the center of the oven as possible.
• Allow at least 1 inch of space on all sides and between pans.
• Avoid opening the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking.

Testing Cakes for Doneness

• Test cakes for doneness while they are still in the oven.
• To test for doneness, insert a toothpick near the center of the cake.  The cake is done if the toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove cakes from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes on a cooling grid.

Removing the Cakes

• To remove the cake easily from the pan, place parchment or waxed paper over the cake.
• Place a second grid on top of the cake and invert the cake while sandwiched between the 2 grids.
• Remove the top grid and cake pan and cool completely on the remaining grid for about 15-30 minutes.  The paper prevents the wire from breaking the crust or leaving imprints.

Come by on Saturday to check out the next topic:  "Icing Ingredients"!

Hungry Chick Chunky Chicken Soup

By hungrygirl_lisa on Aug 28, 2012 12:10 AM in Recipes

Sometimes you just need some chicken soup. This veggie-loaded crock-pot recipe has everything you need! 

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Two 14.5-oz. cans (about 3 1/2 cups) fat-free chicken broth
One 15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney)beans, drained and rinsed

One 14.5-oz. can stewed tomatoes (not drained) 
2 cups bagged coleslaw mix
2 carrots, chopped
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Directions
Evenly season chicken with 1/4 tsp. salt and the pepper. Place all ingredients in the crock pot and stir.
Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Remove the chicken and place in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot and stir into the soup.
Season with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Serve up and enjoy!

Makes 10 servings
PER SERVING (1/10th of recipe, about 1 cup): 150 calories, 1g fat, 570mg sodium, 15g carbs, 4.25g fiber, 5g sugars, 20.5g protein

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Posting Schedule

I noticed that it's been a while since I posted anything, so I can keep you guys coming for more and keep you interested, I'm going to try to aim to keep a schedule with videos, new recipes that I find delicious and think anyone is capable of doing, and learn some history facts and nutrition facts about food! =D  So every Wednesday and Saturday by 5:30pm Pacific time I'll post up a new posting to share with you all.  I know I have a busy life, and so do you, so I'm going to do my part to keep you coming for more and so you can share with your friends and family.


See you on Sunday with the next posting!  If there is anything you'd like to know how to make, see, or learn about let me know by posting your comments below! 

Don't forget to check out my facebook page at
www.facebook.com/sweetcreationsbakeryboutique!

Pressure Control (Squeezing the Bag)

Pressure Control is the third of the 3 KEYS TO SUCCESS in cake decorating.

The size and uniformity of your icing designs are affected by the amount of pressure you apply to the bag and the steadiness of the press-how you squeeze and relax your grip on the decorating bag.  Your goal is to learn to apply pressure so consistently that you can move the bag in a free and easy glide while just the right amount of icing flows through the tip.  Practice will help you achieve this control.

Option 1:  Light Pressure 

Option 2:  Medium Pressure

Option 3:  Heavy Pressure

Take the chance to watch this video to review all 3 KEYS TO SUCCESS for cake decorating.  

Correct Bag Position

Correct Bag Position

This is the 2nd Key that you need to know in order to succeed in decorating.  The way your decorations curl, point and lie depend greatly on how you hold and move the bag.  Bag position is described in terms of both angle and direction.


Angle
Refers to the position of the bag relative to the work surface.  There are 2 basic angles.

90* angle is straight up, perpendicular to the work surface.  It is used when making starts or drop flowers.

45* angle is halfway between vertical and horizontal.  It is used for writing, borders and many flowers.



Direction
The angle of the bag to the work surface, when holding it at 45*, is only half of the story of a bag position. The other half is the direction in which the back of the bag is pointed.  Correct bag position is easiest to learn when you think of the back of the bag as the hour hand of a clock.  When you hold the bag with the tip in the center of the clock, you can sweep out a circle with the back end of the bag.  Preted the circle you formed in the air is a clock face.  The hours on the clock face correspond to the direction you point the back end of the bag.

Right-handed directions will be labeled R; left-handed directions will be labeled L.  Techniques which use the 6:00 direction are the same for both left- and right-handed decorators and are not labeled.  NOTE:  Right-handed decorators always decorate from left to right.

Right-Handers 

Left-Handers

Icing Consistency

There are so many different types of frostings out there, but there are somethings you should know about frosting your cakes.  The different consistency of your icing makes a HUGE differences in your cake/cupcakes.

There are 3 KEYS to Success in basic decorating, and Icing Consistency is one of those lessons and skills you should know.

Icing Consistency is the first key you need to learn, and almost any problem that you come upon while decorating will usually be resolved by referring to one of these keys. Correct Bag Position and Pressure Control are the other 2 Keys of Success for decorating.  You will need to adjust the consistency of your buttercream icing depending on the decorations you will be making.  Bellow are some examples of how to test icing consistency.

Stiff
Used for decorations such as flowers with upright petals, like the rose.
Use this test t check the consistency.

• Place 1 cup of icing in a 9 oz. cup, 3 3/4 in. tall and about 2 3/4 in. diameter.
• Insert a straight spatula all the way into the center of the icing and jiggle the cup.
• When the icing is stiff consistency, the spatula will not move.

Medium
Used to create starts, dimensional decorating, borders, and flowers with petals that lie flat.
To convert stiff consistency icing to medium consistency, add 1 teaspoon of water for each cup of stiff consistency icing (2 1/2 teaspoons of water for the full recipe).  Mix until well blended.

• Use the same test as for stiff consistency.
• When the icing is medium consistency, the spatula will move slightly and start to lean when you jiggle the cup.

Thin
Used for writing and printing, leaves, icing a cake.
To convert stiff consistency icing to thin consistency, add 2 teaspoons of water for each cup of stiff consistency icing (5 teaspoons of water for the full recipe).  Mix until well blended.

• Use the same test as for stiff consistency.
• When the icing is thin consistency, the spatula will fall over when you jiggle the cup.

When making thin consistency icing for writing and printing, add 1/2 teaspoon of Piping Gel per cup of thin consistency icing.  It will add stretch to the icing to making writing and printing easier.

How to make Marshmallow Fondant

So, I've been getting this question asked a lot lately, "How do you make Marshmallow Fondant?" So I'm going to give you lovely people my recipe on how to make this yummy sugar treat that looks amazing on cakes and cupcakes!

*Note: Just know that this is a great arm workout! =D

Read everything first before making this!

Ingredients:
1) 1 bag of Mini Marshmallow (1lb (16oz) 453g)
2) 1 lb of Powdered Sugar
3) Crisco
4) Vanilla Extract*
5) Gel Food Coloring
*Clear extract is great for making white fondant.

Materials Needed:
1) A big bowl that is microwaveable
2) Rubber Spatula
3) Biggest size Mixing Bowl
4) 2 big Zip Blog Bag.
5) A container with a lid to put the fondant away.

Directions:
1) In the biggest mixing bowl you can find, grease up the bowl with Crisco, making sure to cover every spot, then put the powdered sugar and make a well in the middle.
2) In the microwavable bowl, cover the bowl with Crisco.  This is to prevent from the marshmallow sticking.
3) Put the mini marshmallow in the microwavable bowl, as well for the any food coloring you plan to use, 3 tbsp of Crisco, and the extract.  Put a little bit of food coloring at a time until you find the correct color you wish to work with.  If making white fondant use CLEAR EXTRACT, as the regular extract will leave a brownish color to the finish.
4) Microwave in 30 seconds increments.  After every 30 seconds mix the marshmallows with a greased up spatula.  Continue until all the mini marshmallows have melted. During the time you are mixing the marshmallow its also a great time to add more color if you still haven't gotten the color you want. This just saves you time later on. Or you can just use the white fondant and knead the color in.
5) After all the mini marshmallows have melted, pour the melted marshmallow into the mixing bowl that has the powered sugar. Use the rubber spatula to pour whatever is left in the microwave bowl.
6) Use the spatula to cover the marshmallow with powered sugar. Keep using the spatula to help you from using your hands and getting them all sticky with marshmallow. If you must use your hands make sure to cover your hands with Crisco.
7) Keep kneading  the powered sugar into the marshmallow.  The texture should be nice and smooth like play-doh.  If it's still sticky put more powered sugar.  If it's to dry put more Crisco.
8) Once the kneading is done, put the fondant in the plastic zip blog bag.  Double bag it to prevent any air entering the bags.  Then put the fondant into a tight container to store away.

Marshmallow Fondant

Don't put in the fridge or freezer!

You can use this right away if you must use it.

This should last you up for a week.

I hope my instructions are as clear as possible.  Have fun making this and by the end of making it you should have better looking arms (lol!)