Cake Lake =D

Wedding cake is done! Celebrating with Pocky

I am finally done baking and decorating! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy both of thoses things quite a bit, but making a wedding cake is pretty intense. It's a big responsibility and is a lot of work over a short period of time. I ended up baking seven cakes in total, which combined into four tall cakes; three tiers for the wedding cake itself and one extra 6 inch. The top and bottom cakes were Almond Cream Pound Cake with Cherry Preserves and pure Vanilla Buttercream. The Middle was Chocolate Mocha Buttermilk Cake with Espresso filling.
Dan and I were rushing to set up the cake at the reception and our cabbie (who was very nice) accidently took us to the wrong aquatic club. We drove towards the other club and only to reach a dead end. The street stopped there, so rather than turn around and drive around the lake we decided to take turns running the cakes across a little foot bridge over the canal. It felt like a bad reality tv challenge, he stayed with the cakes while I carried the first one across the bridge to the club, which proved difficult to get into. No one answered the doors when I knocked. Luckily I found an open door out back, but when I returned with the second cake the door was locked! I guess someone must have heard me, maybe thought I wasn't supposed to be there, and locked the door. At this point I was very stressed and exausted. Those Pound cakes are awfully heavy.
To make a long story short, after some wait a staff member finally answered the door and we lugged the other cakes one by one over the bridge down the path to the club, around the back, up the stairs to the reception area. After which I set up the tiers, arranged the fondant roses and had a stiff drink. In all this hurry I didn't take any photos. I can hardly believe I forgot, but I am hoping soon I will get one from someone to put up.

Tamara and Trevor cut the cake late into the night, and served generous portions, it was great. (She looked stunning by the way).

The photographer, Mohammed, seemed to like it a lot, he asked me what the mocha cake was and said something to the effect of "If I want you to make me a cake, I want one like this. None of that Frosting Bullshit." Which I took as a compliment, I bet he tastes a lot of sickly sweet or shortningy wedding cakes. I noticed a box outside in the dumpster that was smeared with acid green shortning frosting. Yuck.

On a different note, I found Pineapple Pocky at Tian Phat on the bedford highway, simply labled "pine cream" flavour. Definitely going to make some cupcakes or cookies based on that next. Pineapple Curd maybe? If you have any fun suggestions let me know. I'll try to whip something up and post the recipe for you. = D

Bunnies

Who doesn't like baby bunnies?
Too cute

Roses for Evelyn

On top of the wedding cake I'm making this weekend I've also been working on some sugarpaste roses for a lady I met at the store. She is going to pipe on the rest of the decorations.

Baking Wedding Cakes!

Tonight I'm up baking a wedding cake for my friend Tamara. (Check out her blog in the links) Photos will be up soon.

The Almond Pound Cupcakes

Cherry and Almond tastes awesome.
Check the wikipedia articles about Almonds and Cherries here.
Excellent for Elevenses :D


Almond Pound Cup Cake Recipe:

1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups of cake flour
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
11/2 cups heavy cream
100g (average small bag size) almonds
1 tsp bourbon vanilla
1 1/2 tsps pure almond extract

Red Cherry Preserves for filling

Remove eggs and butter from the fridge so that they can warm up to room temperature, preaheat oven to 300f.

Make the Almond cream; put the almonds in the blender so that you are ready to add the cream as soon as it's to temperature. Bring the cream to a boil in a heavy bottom saucepan, pour over almonds and blend for two minutes. Let cool. Strain the mixture and reserve 1 cup of cream for the recipe. If there is a little less liquid than that when the process is finished top up to 1 cup with cream. You have the option of using half of the almonds in the recipe for crunch. Stir in extracts.

Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, approximately 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add flour and cream in two batches alternately. Cook cupcakes for 20- 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Cut a hollow out of the top of the cupcake and fill with preserves, top with rich vanilla buttercream.

Almond Pound Cakes on August 19th

Today at The Cookhouse; Almond pound cake filled with Cherry preserves and Frosted with Vanilla Buttercream. 2$ each. This cake or some variation of it will be used for two tiers of Tamaras wedding cake.

Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Biscotti

There is no reason not to make and enjoy biscotti. I mean it; it's quick and simple to make, plus it's also pretty low in fat when it comes to desserts. These are great for taking to parties or get togethers with friends. Coffee and a biscotti make a rich duo and are suitable for any get together from casual to formal. I must confess, I can't resist dipping this flavour in particular.

Don't have time or don't feel like baking it? I'll make a batch for you and package them in cello bags with simple satin ribbon. 15$ a dozen


Recipe:

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
100g of dark chocolate cut into chunks
1/2 cup whole shelled pistachios
2 large eggs at room temperature
4 1/2 tbsps melted butter
1 tsp Bourbon vanilla extract

coarse sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 and line with parchment if using a shiny cookie sheet, or 300 if using dark or non stick.

In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients. In another smaller bowl combine all the wet ingredients and wisk these together. Make a well in the centre of the dry and pour in the wet mixture. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to mix until it start to come together.

Turn out on a floured surface and knead a few times, do not over work it. Divide in half and form into short baguette like shapes, but low and with a gentle curve. If you'd like to brush on a little butter and sprinkle the top with sugar you can. They are already a sweet cookie, though.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then remove from the oven, let cool on the sheets a few minutes and cut into slices on a diagonal. Put the cookies back in the oven, eat the little bits at the ends, and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes turning halfway through. The cookies should feel firm to the touch and have a little golden colour.

Ps: I can make other flavours too, such as, but not limited to; Orange Cranberry Almond, Almond and double dark chocolate, Cinnamon Sugar, Anise Almond, Chocolate Orange cashew, chocolate hazelnut, lemon almond poppyseed.

Thinking About Rain and Chocolate Cake

It can't believe summer is almost over, it's halfway through august and I still haven't had a good run around in the rain. My daily routine forces me to arrive dry to work, the store, etc, and has stopped me from fulfilling one of my oldest summer rituals; getting soaked and laughing in a good summer downpour. I love the "bad weather" and we've had a lot of rainfall this summer, but I guess I am always headed here or there hiding under my oversized umbrella.

I'd better do something about this quick. I hope it rains tonight, or tomorrow morning. Dan and I tend to wake up early on stormy mornings, we lay in bed listening to rain and thunder. I'll have to try to get him to agree ahead of time to join me in my adventure next time (I know he'd never say yes at 5am, he's a sleepy bear).

My mother ran around in the rain with me when I was 13 or so, maybe younger. It was spring and the air was wet with the smell of lilacs and we laughed in our raincoats, we were soaked right through all our layers of clothes. Mom was probably trying to keep us somewhat dry, but I knew that it would be pointless to try, she's a mom though, that's her job.
We stopped at my friend Kelly MacNeilys house to visit her and her mother. I must have waved at greeting of some sort, because water shot out the sleeve of my coat, into the entryway and splashed the two of them.

Those were the days.

Now you're probably wondering what this has to do with chocolate cake? Well, sensual moments are important. Whether it's running around in the rain or eating a piece of cake, I believe it's good to truly enjoy experience and that means, at least for me, connecting my self of this moment with this moment through the senses. You only live once; the past is behind you, the future is only foresight, what matters is you, now and here.
Feel every moment to the fullest.

(oh and question everything, if it's worth living it's worth thinking about)

Honey Cupcakes

Well, it's been a while since I've posted. Mainly because I've been angry with my camera. I took so many great photos of the miniature roosters I made for the last run of cupcakes and somehow the photos were corrupted and I can't move them from camera to computer.

On the plus side the maple chocolate cupcakes were delicious.

Tomorrow I am trying an experiment. I've made some honey pecan cakes, they are a little sturdier than a typical cupcake. They are a buttery buttermilk cake with a generous amount of dark buckwheat honey instead of sugar and a smattering of pecan pieces.

The first icing I made with hazelnut paste, but when I got home tonight I wasn't quite satisfied. It seemed a bit too sweet for this kind of cake, so I experimented and made a batch of light icing with red wine and peanut drizzle. Come try them out tomorrow, Saturday the 13th.

Maple Tastes Like Trees!

Saturday, August 5th at The Cookhouse ; Chocolate Mocha Cakes with Maple Cream Frosting. These little cakes are made with Dutch Process Cocoa, fresh unsalted Butter, and Real Maple Cream from Nova Scotia.

These Canadian cakes are a toonie each.