Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I didn't have time to cook much in recent days, but did have time to peruse the web now and then; and I found a couple of fancy cakes that provide a lot of visual 'bang' but don't look too difficult to make. Either might be very nice for Mother's Day.

I've always been attracted to the fondant- and marzipan-covered cakes, but never attempted one. This one from 'Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking' looks very easy, and the technique for the rose decoration is ingenious (there's a video, and all the recipes are linked in the blog post):

http://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/painted-cake/

Another beautiful, somewhat more complicated cake with rich fillings, is the Swedish Princess Cake:

This cake became popular after it was featured in a 1948 cookbook written by a teacher to the three daughters of a Swedish prince - hence its name. If you do a google image search on 'Swedish Princess Cake', you'll see many different ways of decorating it; and you'll notice that it is almost always a pastel green. This recipe from the 'Baking Obsession' website looks classic and clear:

http://www.bakingobsession.com/2009/02/24/swedish-princess-cake/

-JT

[Ellendra]

Here’s an angel food cake recipe that’s almost as easy as a mix:

http://www.delightfulrepast.com/2012/05/angel-food-cake-in-loaf-pan.html

[Liz]

Shhhh........this is not a cake. Paper plates were stacked then basket-
weaved w/ royal icing. Marzipan fruit and animals are really marzipan.

[bgill]

Thanks. And I don’t have to dig in the cabinet for the angel food cake pan.

[bgill]

Hubby called to say he stopped at the store for bread. Of course, they were out. He asked the manager and the manager walked him over to the bread section. Ok, so where’s the bread? Good thing I can make bread.

Thank you, HEB! You seriously need new managers. Empty shelves do not make the customers or the stock holders happy. Another time, of the many times, they were out of bread I asked a low level employee and was told they get what others won’t touch and that it comes in frozen so that’s why it’s never fresh.

[leaning conservative]

There is a chain in the south called FRED’s. They have the bullseye caramel creams,burnt peanuts, zeros. Kind of Woolworth like.

Carved fruit makes me think of the “edible arrangements.” I renamed them “bacteria arrangements.” Something about those freak me out.

[Liz]

This is nice to make for a Sunday supper.....just a sheet cake and lotsa fruit.

[Grammy]

Cakes! That’s what I do for a living.... I make wedding cakes. The kind that you see on the tv shows.

I love working with fondant. I know a lot of people don’t like it but I make my own marshmallow fondant. It’s quite tasty, and you can roll it much thinner. I think most of what people don’t like is the texture and that’s because it’s too thick.

I also make flowers out of gum paste. You always know who my friends are because they touch the flowers to see if they are real. I don’t know how to post pictures, but some older ones are on my website.. www.victoriancakes.com

[Duchess47]

What beautiful cakes. I love them all, most especially the Sleepy Mouse. If you lived closer I would order a cake for my niece’s wedding in October.

You are wonderfully talented.

[Grammy]

Thank you Duchess47. I tell people I get paid to be in kindergarten. I get to play with clay, paint, sculpt, trace..... all the best parts of being a kid.

[Duchess47]

I can tell in the pictures you love what you do. ;)

[pugmama]

These were really good. Great photos too!

http://www.sweetnsourdeals.com/2016/05/birthdays-canada-dry-blackberry-ginger-ale-cupcakes-ice-cubes.html/?utm_source=P-1026&utm_medium=FB&utm_campaign=SocialFabric

[pugmama]

This is beautiful Liz!

[pugmama]

This is a carrot cake I have been making for years. Very decadent as all carrot cakes are!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/tropical-carrot-cake-with-coconut-cream-cheese-frosting-107949

[Ellendra]

Bizarre. Have you considered writing to corporate about that store?

If, honestly and truly, they can’t sell merchandise fast enough to be worth keeping it on the shelf, then they should at least change their business model to match the reality. Make it so people could call the day before and order their groceries, then have their order waiting when they come pick it up. Sort of like a drop off point for Amazon Pantry. They could even work with local producers for fresh milk, eggs, and produce.

For canned and dry goods, Amazon Pantry might be worth looking into anyway.

[Liz]

Even a novice confectioner could duplicate this Parisian beauty. Non?

[Jamestown1630]

Those are fabulous! I love the teacup cake, and can’t imagine how you made that. I have a book that shows how to make a teapot cake; but I probably wouldn’t have the patience ;-)

-JT

[bgill]

HEB headquarters has been notified time and time again. They don’t care. We’ve had one grocery in town forever and it used to be really good for a little store. They enlarged it many years ago but it now seems to have less than when it was little. They hassle you about about coupons (not that the newspaper carries them) and if there’s a national coupon, they’ll take the product off the shelf. Weird.

[leaning conservative]

This just makes me want to make an espresso, curl up w/ the Sunday paper & dig in........mmmmmmmmm.........

[Liz]

Coffee and cake......pure heaven.

[pugmama]

A thing of beauty.