Erika's 30th Birthday Cake!

It's amazing that I was able to complete this cake! I miscalculated the amount of buttercream I needed and had to make 2 batches. I wasn't working with a turntable so the cake had a bit of a tumble and needed to be righted. All in all, it finally was completed in the wee hours of the morning and settled into the fridge.

It was a 6 layer dark chocolate cake...with Grand Marnier syrup to keep the layers moist, with Maman framboise preserves and TONs of fresh raspberries with vanilla orange meringue buttercream...just as the birthday girl requested.

Hope to be baking soon...stay tuned for more goodies, soon!

I sound like skipping CD...yes, I am still baking!

Yes, I am still here and still baking. I don't get to bake very often any more, since circumstances have changed AND it's a HUGE challenge to bake where I am for now...This wonderful FALL weather has me cooking comfort foods, like the PERFECT roast chicken...a 7-pounder that is easily enough for 2 meals.

So what to do? Make pot pies! Make a velouté, which is just chicken stock thickened with a roux (butter and flour) with some seasonings- a little salt, a little pepper, some thyme and parsley. Toss with braised leeks and sauteéd mushroom, and the diced chicken. Top off with REAL puff pastry, you know the kind, it's only made with butter, flour, salt and a bit of water.
Bake at 400° F for 30-35 minutes or till golden brown. YUM...
You can add any type of veggies you like...but since Hub is allergic to Vit C, we avoid potatoes since they are like 45% C, thanks to Mother Nature.

Fall baking also includes pecans...apples...cranberries. Well, at least this day it was pecans. The pecan tart is like having a small piece of pecan pie, just a bit less complicated. Oooey, gooey, butter pecan caramel goodness poured into a buttery crispy crunchy shortbread crust. Trust me, a little goes a LONG way!

Baking this week made me happy and creative. I have missed that, and will need to figure out what to bake this coming week. Hmm, what should I make next?

Dream a little dream of me...

 

It's been a while since I've been baking again. ( seems like an un-ending saga, huh?)

I miss it. I miss the creativity and the getting lost in a recipe, similar to readers that get absorbed into a good book that takes them on an adventure and somewhere else from where they are. I miss that feeling since I have not been able to really "bake" in my current situation. The kitchen where I am now, is full of hot morning sun, and I am lucky if there is 12 square feet of working surface space. Actually I should say, there is a 3' x 2' space and another one. Two small spaces make it very challenging to bake anything.

A request came my way last night giving me a day to get it all together. Find all my tools, clear off some space and find the coolest part of the day to bake the cupcakes. Check. Assemble, box and wrap to go.
Everything is stabilized this go round, since there is no extra fridge space to keep these cold...
Yet, cool is fine, so the buttercream will stay soft and fluffy...
and when this thank you gift is received, the recipients can dig in whole heartedly to dark chocolate cake laced with espresso and mocha liqueur, filled with a whole raspberry filled with raspberry mousse with the super soft vanilla meringue buttercream pillow topped with another raspberry and sparkling sugar.

Thank you for letting me have a creative day today- for you to share tomorrow.