So! Zoe..: icing

Showing posts with label icing. Show all posts

Doll Cakes

Chocolate Cake with Buttercream frosting

My eldest daughter wanted a spectacular cake for her birthday and it is a great challenge on my part. Before I prepare for it, I asked her what theme she wanted and automatically she said "Frozen".

I scoured the internet for inspirations. I checked if there are any cake designs that is feasible for a non professional cake baker like me. The layered cakes available in google often display fondant cakes, which I do not have the necessary equipment to make it a realization. The frosting layered cakes was rather to much for my meager skills, like I said in my previous articles, I never had any professional proper education when it comes to baking, Google was my teacher apart from my little exposure to baking when I was still in Ireland, so hmm.. not a good idea....

Then, I stumbled upon an Elsa doll cake during one of my Google searches and I wondered if it is actually possible for me to make it. I studied the structure of some doll cakes and also checked some of my cake molds if I have the necessary equipment or if I needed to buy some new ones.

Chocolate with cream cheese

I thought, I should practice before I would actually make it and luckily one of the employees of the company I am working is having her birthday and the team wanted to surprise her. My colleagues paid me to bake a cake for her so since she is also special to our team I decided that this is my chance to actually make a doll cake and gain confidence in forming my doll. The cake was well received so I am very happy and my confidence level in making doll cakes are increased. Now I have another cake decorating technique to add on my list! Weeee....

Carrot Cupcakes, cream cheese and
cinnamon sugar snowflakes cookies

My daughter wanted a chocolate cake for the Elsa doll and carrot cupcakes to bring to her school so she can also celebrate with her classmates so I thought why not top the cupcakes with cinnamon sugar snowflakes cookies for a real "Frozen" theme. Her classmates loved it and are asking for some more. Until next birthday then....

Mangoes in a Velvet Cake

Mango Velvet Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Filipinos pride ourselves with having one of the sweetest mangoes in the the world. Before only the mangoes of Guimaras Island were allowed to get in the US market but now, US have allowed importation mangoes from other Philippine Islands as well which is very good considering the fact that in general Philippines mangoes all over the island do have export potential, take one for example, Cebu's very own Guadalupe Mangoes. When you go inside any supermarket in Cebu, you'll see a lot of people from other countries buy dried mangoes, mangoes in chocolate, mango juice or any other mango product and for us to finally be able to share how sweet Cebu Mangoes are gives you this sense of pride.

Mango Cakes are not really as popular as red velvet cakes or chocolate cakes but a Mango Velvet Cake? Hmmm, that is something else, ain't it?

During my father's birthday, I was able to make this mango velvet cake and somehow it turn out nice and I definitely am keen on making it again if opportunity permits..

White Chocolate on Frosting

I have always known myself to be curious with a lot of things especially when it comes to art. I think everyone wants to make a signature to their craft so, in my own way, I keep to trying different ingredients to see if I can feature it as one of my salable products.

I have always wanted to make something with white chocolates simply because I prefer white chocolates over the regular milk chocolates.

The opportunity came when the sister of my cousin's girlfriend contacted me for an order of red velvet heart cake.

Because it was short notice, I was not really able to prepare for the ingredients that I only have a bottle of red McCormick left, I have been having some challenges finding the red food coloring for months since Christmas, if ever I get to find one it would not be enough to stock on, sometimes there's be only one bottle left or two. Anyways, I was hoping to make a red velvet heart with red cream cheese frosting covered with white chocolate shavings, I ended up making a purple heart and I was not able to take a picture of it because the person who ordered it, already came to my house and I was not finished making the greetings she requested to be included in the cake. Although the cake looks nice, because if the purple color, it somehow lacks the kind of class and strong presence of the red velvet. The cake however did gave me an idea to try adding the white chocolate shavings even if there is no red food coloring available. So when my mother asked for me to bake a cake as gift for her friend's daughter who will graduate, I was determined to try the white chocolate shavings again.

I also tried white chocolates on my cupcakes as well. I mixed some white chocolate shavings on the frosting, whip it up and frost it on the red velvet cupcakes, I then add some more white chocolate shavings, some jelly beans and topped it with gummy candies.

I am so loving the white chocolate shavings idea so I will always consider this as one of priority frosting ideas but of course if we limit ourselves with what is just there, there will be no room fro growth that is why I keep on trying our different frosting ideas to satisfy customers.

Them Carrot Cakes

Back in Ireland, everytime there is a gathering or a celebration may it be a co-worker's or the resident's birthday or anything that is worth celebrating, every house would prepare some food to bring to one house where the occasion is to be held. And if it calls for a cake and if it is carrot season then sure enough there would be a carrot cake. Also, when there is an open day where the community can sell arts and baked products carrot cake is a popular cake to sell. This is not only happening with our community but also the neighboring communities as well. One Japanese co-worker is an expert with this along with her famous japanese delicacies like sushi.

At first, I was not really into carrot cakes. I just did not fathom the idea of putting an ingredient that is not usually added on desserts but I do am curious as to how it is made. I never made a carrot cake back in Ireland nor have I tasted one since everytime someone bakes it there is always another one baking the traditional chocolate cake so I often opted for chocolate cakes as opposed to the carrot cake but when a cousin of mine who works in a hotel mentioned about carrot cakes and how much their hotel is charging for it, I decided to make my own version.

I was so happy that my number one fans, my two lovely daughters found carrot cake delicious and my eldest wants this cake for her 7th birthday also even my number one critic, my mother requested that I make a carrot cake for her birthday and it was well accepted by her Zumba friends, in fact one of them even said that she would like to order one for our fiesta celebration this May after her stint in Australia, I just hope she remebers about her order.

Red Velvet Round Cake and Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cherries on top on the sides

After my mother sort-of bragged to one of our house tenants about my little business venture, the tenant's nephew came to me one night and asked how much my cakes cost and that he would like to order. I gave him some choices but he just said which one looks big? I said they are all in the same size, my most salable are heart cakes but I do have round cakes and square cakes as well. So he ordered a round Red Velvet Cake. The cherries did not turn out as I expected it to be because apparently, they are not seedless but so far it is still good though.

Mini Cupcakes - A little goes a long long Way

Red Velvet

Making mini cupcakes is not as easy as it looks. From changing the quantity of ingredients to finding what topper would fit these bitesize pleasure.

In this picture:

Mini Cupcake - Red Velvet

Frosting - Pink Swirl Vanilla Buttercream

Topper - Sugar coated gummy bears

These mini cupcakes were enjoyed by my cousins and relatives during our grandmother's death anniversary.

Chocolate

I don't usually make chocolate cupcakes, that's my aunt's specialty but she does not make mini cupcakes so here we go.
In this picture:

Mini Cupcake - Vegan Chocolate
Frosting - Vanilla Buttercream
Sprinkles - Chocolate chips and Gold beads
Topper - Mini Chocolate Biscuits

Chocolate

I also made another variation as per request of the buyer.

In this picture:

Mini Cupcake - Vegan Chocolate
Frosting - Chocolate Hazelnut (Nutella) Buttercream
Sprinkles - White speckle beads (snow effect) and Silver beads
Topper - Mini Chocolate Biscuits

These cupcakes were perfect gifts for a dear husband's birthday...

For more pictures of our products please click on the pages of this site, I hope you'll find something you might like...