Decorating a Barbie Cake

Now that we have our Barbie cake form made and ready, let's get to decorating! 

I used pink icing (of course) for my cakes.  I used three different tips.  Each cake took me about half an hour to decorate. 

No, I'm not kidding...it's that easy!

Here's how I did it...

Jan. Goal - Check and Check!

I shared with you my goals for each month.  My goal for January was to make a Barbie Birthday Cake.  I am elated to report that I not only have reached my goal but also have EXCEEDED my goal!  What a great way to start off the year!

I've made two Barbie birthday cakes so far and it's only the middle of the month!  I am so happy with how the both of them turned out and can't wait to show you more pictures!

For now you will just have to wait anxiously for the tutorial (still working on that) and drool over my little teaser photo to the left!

CLICK HERE for the tutorial.  I'm telling you, ANY ONE can make one of these, and everyone will be impressed!

a tipsy little cake

I shared with you the other day a cheesecake recipe my aunt gave me.  That got me thinking about a cheesecake that my husband declared as his favorite cheesecake ever as soon as he ate it.  It was the Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.  I went to looking for the recipe online and was so excited to find it!  We went to Wal-Mart (my husband was excited about this find too) and got the ingredients.  The recipe called for espresso coffee, which my husband said that he had.  However, I later found out he didn't...only after putting his ground coffee into the mix.  UGH!  However, it turned out to be a happy little accident.  I am going to attempt the actual recipe eventually. I halved the recipe and made cheesecake cupcakes however, I am giving you the whole recipe.

What you'll need:
15 Oreo cookies, crushed (I used whole cookies instead and just put one in each cupcake liner before filling with the cake mix)
3 tbsp Butter, melted (omit this if you are not crushing the cookies)
24 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs (for halving, I used two eggs)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/8 cup flavored instant coffee powder (I used french vanilla)
1/3 cup espresso coffee
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp Kahlua (or any other coffee liqueur)
9 inch Spring Form Pan (if making one large cake)
Cupcake pan (if making cheesecake cupcakes) and Cupcake liners
2 Mixing Bowls
Electric Mixer

What to do:
Mix crushed cookies and butter and pat into bottom of pan, set in refrigerator - OR -  put one cupcake liner into each cupcake dish, put one whole Oreo in each dish

Mix cream cheese and sugar until well blended
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well
Divide the cream cheese into two parts, 3/4 in one bowl and 1/4 in the second bowl

In the larger mixture, add flour, flavored coffee powder and coffee liqueur, mix well

In the smaller mixture add the espresso powder and cocoa powder, mix well (this is the part I messed up, so my cheesecake cupcakes did not have this layer but, my husband liked them just as much!)

Pour the larger mixture over the crust, top with the remaining smaller mixture

Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes (for a cake).  I only cooked mine about 25 minutes and they are good though, I only had one pan of cupcakes.  You know when the cheesecake is done when just the center wiggles a little.

Run a knife or metal spatula around the rim of the pan to loosen.  Do not remove the cake until it is completely cooled.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

You can top the cake with Cool Whip, chocolate shavings, chocolate syrup...whatever you'd like!

creamy cheesy cake

My Aunt made a cheesecake for Christmas day and it was just so pretty!!  I think Cheesecake looks so delicious but, I just don't care for cream cheese..quite the dilemma, I know!  Don't fret...I had my husband try it!  He said it was quite the tasty little treat!
I was thinking of my sweet, loyal readers and wanted to share it with you.  Aunt Shelly sent me the recipe as soon as she got home Christmas night and now I have it to share with you.  How exciting!

What you need:
1 1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 8oz PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
9 inch spring form pan (she used a pie dish because she didn't have a spring form pan)
Mixer

How to make it:
Heat oven to 325
Mix graham crumbs, 3 tbsp sugar and butter (she added a few shakes of cinnamon...mmmmm), press into bottom of spring form pan
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended
Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low speeds after each just until blended
Pour over crust
Bake 55 minutes or until center is almost set
Loosen cake from rim of pan (or not, if you aren't using a spring form pan)
Refrigerate four hours
Top with fresh fruit just before serving

How easy is that?  I never tried to make cheesecake before because I assumed it would be so hard to do.  Now that I have this recipe my husband may get to eat it more often!  Since this is a very basic recipe I might even try adding a few things to see how he likes it.  He had Kahlua cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory and loved it, I might try that sometime!  Oh, the ideas running through my head are endless!

I just wanted to share with you the woman who gave me this recipe...look at how cute she is!  Thanks  Aunt Shelly for the recipe.

cumbly goodness

My husband and I are quite the loyal fans of Starbucks' Reduced Fat Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake...we're hooked!  But honestly, it cost too much!  We treat ourselves every now and then to come coffee cake goodness but still it's hard to fathom how much annually we spend.  So, being the creative and thrifty wife I am I went to looking online for a recipe!
I found this recipe online and decided to give it a whirl!  I followed the directions given on the site and it was actually very easy.  However, when I made my topping, I accidentally melted the butter rather than getting it to room temperature.  It wound up making a pasty mixture rather than a crumbly one.  So, when I finished with the cake recipe i just mixed in the 'topping' mixture, it gave a swirl effect to the cake.  I then topped the cake with brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon.  I had to cook the cake 45 minutes to get it done.  The recipe said only 30 minutes, but that wasn't working for me!
This recipe was simple to follow and used such common ingredients.  Both my husband and I love the cake...and Starbucks will be feeling the loss soon enough!