Here is the cake I made for Thanksgiving: Barely lemon cake, lemon curd filling, and vanilla buttercream!
![photo[2]](http://www.karascakery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/photo21.jpg "photo[2]")
Taste = amazing! Mums = meh, butter luck next time, ha
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taste the rainbow
Monday, November 30, 2009
I saw this recipe and thought it was pretty fun! OR maybe it is because I love colorful things… Or because it looks like something Miss Tiana would like!
Just separate your white cake into bowls, color, and viola! Full instructions can be found at Omnomicon.com! Happy Monday Everyone!!
grown up kitchen
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Everyone has a different picture in their head about what their kitchen will look like when they grow up and live happily ever after.. or at least those of us that bake or cook. I don’t think about the counter tops, or the fancy wooden cabinets, all I want is a wall that looks like this:
A TON of high quality spices in lovely little bottles with colorful labels, just like in Bakerella’s Kitchen! (except hers aren’t spices, they are sands from around the world… but you get the point!) I absolutely love her blog and read it religiously, which is where I saw this and realized that I wasn’t the only one that loves having every spice imaginable organized in little rows on lovely little shelves! And if that isn’t enough….here is another picture she has up with her “Spice Up Your Kitchen” article!
I’ll be going to buy some little glass jars ASAP!
Oh and if you haven’t discovered Penzey’s Spices yet, check them out!
personalized stationary
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Looking for a unique present for someone this holiday season? Personalized stationary makes a great gift! You can chose from a huge variety of colors (I use paper products from Paper Source!) and personalize them in any way you chose! Here are a few examples below:
Feel free to shoot me an email at kara@karascakery.com and I’d be more than happy to accommodate your stationary request.
Happy Holidays!
cupcakes with a cake on top!
Monday, November 16, 2009
I am seeing more and more weddings that feature cupcakes for guests and a tier or two of wedding cake for the couple to use for the ceremonious cutting. I decided a long time ago that when I get married, I’m going to have an elaborate 2 tiered, smaller cake and then several cupcakes for each guest with cordinating edible decoration and flavor. I just feel like this gives a more intimate, personal touch when each guest gets a mini version of the wedding cake!
Here is a picture from a wedding featured on project wedding! So simple and pretty!
photo by Tec Petaja Photography
gumpaste flowers take 2
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
So I had sort of sworn off gumpaste flowers… I bought tons of tools and cutters and made several flowers- all of which didn’t quite look like the flowers I was seeing on the cake decorating websites and I got discouraged and lost interest. Lately – I’ve been browsing techniques and I’m going to use a few points I’ve picked up to try again. Here is a summary of what I’ve gathered:
1) Use cornstarch. This is probably a no-brainer, but I didn’t have any at the moment and figured I could get around it. ERRR WRONG! Using cornstarch helps the ball tool (and other tools) glide across the petals and cause them to curl. Mine kept sticking and tearing so I wasn’t able to make them very detailed.
2) Use floral wire – Many flowers are made using floral wire. Parts of the flower are strung on a piece of wire and then layered – which really helped keep the pieces together and make it look like a real flower. Here is good example of how useful wire can be from Yasmin’s Baking Project blog and website. She gives photo tutorials on how to do many flowers and it is extremely helpful – I’ve been looking for something like this for awhile!
3) Use floral tape and fake stamens – This way if you make individual petals with wire and want to tape them together – it works great. Also – incorporating fake stamens help create a very realistic look.
I’ll work on improving my patience with gumpaste flower making and see what I can come up with!
halloween treats
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I always love this time of year because you can decorate cupcakes and cakes with all kinds of spooky treats like spiders, rats etc. And spider webs are so easy to make! You just ice your cake/cupcakes with chocolate icing, pipe on a few circles (inside each other) and then run a knife from the middle, outward!
I have to hand it to Martha though… I saw this recipe on her site and loved it! All you need is a chocolate cupcake and flesh colored meringue icing!
prettytape
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
I received an order that I placed today with Prettytape and I was so impressed with the packaging! Another example of a cute way to use Japanese masking tape!
Check out the Prettytape site at prettytape.etsy.com!
japanese masking tape
Friday, October 23, 2009
I have found my latest obsession… and I think it stems from my love for stickers – Japanese Washi Tape. It is masking tape that uses Japanese flat paper (washi = made of rice) that is coated with an acrylic adhesive. I can’t really remember how a stumbled upon it, since I’ve googled and looked at about 100 websites that either sell it or display projects on it, but it comes in a multitude of colors and designs (maybe that’s why I am so attracted to it!) and is good for scrapbooking, labeling, art work, decorating, posting, etc. I think it would be awesome to somehow incorproate into invitations or stationary! Here are several varities that Origamisan carries:
And then here are a few cool creations/uses I’ve found:
From: the gallery at mt masking tape
I’ll purchase a few and see what I can do with it!!
it’s friday!!
Friday, October 23, 2009
I have been horrible at posting lately…. but I have a follow-up and a nifty idea to show you! As I mentioned, my good friends Nan and Cooper got married on Saturday. I was assigned to make the wedding cake topper. Unfortunately… I couldn’t get it to work out as I would have liked. Here is a picture (before the break)…
Nan wanted a cursive L monogram topper. So we decided on the font above. I left the gumpaste L to harden for two days… and then applied the pearl dragees with royal icing. This is where the problem started… I think the moisture from the royal icing softened the monogram.. causing it to be too top heavy and seperate in half. I tried it again.. making the gumpaste L thinner. I think it dried harder… but I ran into the same problem. I think the larger size of the topper contributed to the problem. This was extremely disapointing – especially because it was for a good friend. But I suppose every baker runs into problems like these!! Afterall – this is how we learn and become better bakers/cake decorators! Her cake turned out absoutely gorgeous – even without the topper. Live and learn!
So another one of my favorite blogs is The Bride’s Cafe. I found this article the other day… it is a Do It Yourself Dessert Trifle table! Trifles are gorgeous glass dessert bowls. Because they are glass, you can see the lovely layers of the dessert. The article was submitted by Hillary Burgess of Off White Wedding.
I just think all of the flavors look so gorgeous – and they are so easy to do!! They consist of about 3 different ingedients which you alternate. For the whole DIY article, check it out here! Look around The Bride’s Cafe too!! I love Janie’s articles!!