Birthday Cakes - As Beautiful As the Celebrations

Birthday Cakes, We cannot imagine a birthday celebration without a cake. No matter how small or big the celebration, there has to be a cake to mark the completion of another glorious year on earth. A cake is also cut to welcome many fruitful years ahead.

Today, people are preferring birthday cakes with a theme over simple, ordinary ones. Theme cakes are specially designed cakes that are made to portray something related to the theme of the birthday party. Even if you do not have any particular theme for the birthday party, you can still go for birthday cakes with themes and set the right mood.

A birthday cake with a theme also makes the birthday girl/ boy feel special. You can opt for a cake designed in a particular shape that looks like some object or something that the person likes or loves. For instance, if the birthday girl is a music aficionado, you can get a guitar shaped birthday cake. Or if he follows a certain sports passionately, you can gift him the whole field along with the right equipments designed in the cake.

With the help of the Internet and web based suppliers, now you can also get cakes of your choice ordered online. There are some really good sites and online cake vendors who can prepare for you designer cakes. You can place customised orders with some of them and they deliver something that you are looking for.

It is very simple to place the order and pay for the cakes. You can choose from the varied options that they provide in designer cakes. Or you can simply tell them if you have any special demand, and they would prepare the birthday cake according to your requirements. The online option is particularly helpful as it provides the customer the facility of choice as well as the much-appreciated expediency.


By Daniel Hudson

Check Out the Related Article : Birthday Cakes

Finding The Right Style For Your Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is one of the most beautiful accessories at a wedding. It is an elegant representation of wedded bliss in an edible form. It is a work of art that is enjoyed by the bride and groom together.

It can get a bit overwhelming to choose a cake nowadays, which is why wedding planners suggest getting this item settled at least four months before. If you go with tradition, you get a wedding cake that is white, layered and has a "bride and groom" figurine on top. It is always nice to have options though. Nowadays, cakes may now come in any number of colors, usually matching the theme of the wedding.

Instead of the figurines, a bouquet of flowers may be used to top and decorate the cake. While fresh flowers are pretty, candy flowers are a more common sight on the cake. A really talented cake designer can even create some that match the flowers that the bride is carrying.

Not only can it now match the theme, it no longer needs to be in layers. Are you worried that the flower girl and ring bearer will be using their fingers on the cake? Then make the icing a fondant. It coats the cake like cloth and can't be swept off by a kid with a sweet tooth.

In quite a number of weddings, the cake isn't served to the guests. Knowing this, you might want to be practical and opt for an ornamental cake. This is a cake with fake layers except for the bottom one. The newly weds still get their beautiful looking centerpiece at less cost.

Of course, no matter what style you choose for the look of the cake, the most important thing to remember about it is the taste. Remember that you and the groom will be having a slice, so it's best to have a flavor that you both love.

By Lesley-Ann Graham


Do you want to know more information about Cake such as A Strawberry Short Cake Recipe - Enjoy Those Fresh Berries, if yes so you can check the link below.

A Strawberry Short Cake Recipe - Enjoy Those Fresh Berries


Check Out the Related Article : Birthday Cakes

Fruit Cake

The fruit cake with all its fruits and nuts has been around for centuries. Making a rich fruit cake is a very laborious process. They are made well in advance and stored in a cool dry place in order to preserve its traditional great taste and flavor.

The procedure for making a fruit cake takes a few days. First, the fruits and nuts need to be prepared. They are soaked for 2 or 3 days in alcohol, preferably brandy or rum. If you don't want to use alcohol, fruit juice can be substituted. The cake recipe should be followed strictly to obtain the desired result of a wonderful tasty cake. For those who do not like a particular fruit or nut, they can be substituted according to individual tastes. The only thing to remember is that the weight specified in the recipe for the fruits and nuts should be maintained.

After the fruits and nuts are prepared, the batter is made. All the fruits and nuts are mixed in the batter and baked. Fruit cakes are baked at a low temperature for a long time until they are done. It should be tested with a cake tester to see if it is fully done. One point to remember when baking these cakes is to keep a container of water in the oven. This prevents the cake from becoming dry. They should be cooled before taking out from the container.

All the effort put in to making fruitcakes is worth it, as they make an excellent, great tasting treat any time of the day.

Fruit provides detailed information on Fruit, Tropical Fruit, Organic Fruit, Dried Fruit and more. Fruit is affiliated with Gourmet Fruit Gift Baskets.


By Richard Romando


Check Out the Related Article : Birthday Cakes

Crab Cake Recipes - The Perfect Crab Cake

Crab cakes are a classic dish served for brunch, lunch, or dinner. To some they are a comfort food ordered at fine restaurants, while others experiment at home in their kitchens to find the perfect recipe. This culinary delight is enjoyed around the world, with delicious variations at every location, or with every chef or home cook.

You should start with the finest crabmeat you can acquire. Whether its fresh or frozen, local or seasonal, king, dungeness or Maryland blue, the better the crabmeat, the better the final result. Jumbo lump or backfin are great choices. Folded in gently to the crab cake mixture, these two types of crabmeat will retain shape and texture and deliver a delicious and beautiful crab cake.

Fresh ingredients are another key to preparing incredible crab cakes. For example using fresh eggs, fresh herbs instead of dried, fresh lemon or lime juice instead of bottled will all lead to a producing a superior result. Fresh ingredients will lead to fewer inconsistencies each time you prepare them. If you are using breadcrumbs as a binder, fresh homemade, or fresh store bought will always produce the best results.

The crabmeat is generally folded into the mixture last, so the crabmeat stays in large lumps and flakes. The mixture is delicately shaped into patties to retain textures, and the individual patties are covered and refrigerated for at least an hour so flavors can combine and the patties set up. Chilling the patties lessens the chance of the crab cakes falling apart when cooked. The patties can be sauteed, broiled, baked, and deep fried, or grilled. Every method delivers distinct flavors and textures and can enhance the overall taste and presentation. No one method is preferred, although some would argue that crab cakes should only be prepared in a certain way.

Crab cakes can be prepared with very few ingredients allowing the flavor and texture of the crabmeat to take center stage. Some recipes build off this classic recipe by adding a touch of hot, sweet or spice to the cakes. Seafood seasonings are often added to crab cakes to add a distinct seafood flavor. Crab cake sauces are often served on the side, and there are as many recipes for sauces as there are for the cakes themselves.

Crab cakes can be enjoyed year round in the comfort of your own home. When armed with the best recipes, prepared with care and fine ingredients, you can present a perfect appetizer or main dish and truly wow your dining audience.


By Tom Lingle

Check out the Related Article : Cake Recipes

Fondant Cake Decorations - 7 Tips For That Perfect Wedding Cake

Whether you make it yourself or buy it from your local supermarket, rolled fondant icing is the icing of choice choice for wedding cakes and for other "special occasion" cakes. Drying to a smooth matt porcelain finish, it is suitable for cakes of all shapes and provides the ideal base for the most intricate or simplest of decoration.

Fondant icing is a soft sugar-based icing that is generally rolled out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch, layed over the cake and smoothed and pressed into place before being trimmed for a perfect fit.

Despite the fact that fondant cake decorations are ideal for a wedding cake, fondant icing is not always easy to work with so here are a few tips to help you get that perfect result.

Tip 1. Fondant icing should be stored in a plastic bag (or covered in a non-permeable plastic wrap such as Sara wrap) and placed in a tightly sealed container to prevent it from drying out. Fondant icing should also be kept at room temperature and should not be put in the refrigerator. If the icing dries out and harden it can often be revived by popping it into a microwave oven for a few seconds and then kneading it back to life.

Tip 2. Fondant icing dries out very fast and should be applied to the cake quickly (within no more than 5 minutes) after it has been rolled out. Once fondant icing is applied, the cake can be stored without problem for several days at room temperature.

Tip 3. In the case of cakes with a number of tiers, each tier should be iced individually before assembling the cake. It is also advisable, when the final design allows, to store the tiers separately and to assemble them when the cake is needed.

Tip 4. For that truly professional looking finish, and to cover any rough edges, make a decorative border to go around the cake and, particularly, to cover the join between adjoining tiers.

Tip 5. Fondant icing should always be used at room temperature.

Tip 6. For a smooth and flawless result, ensure the working surface, rolling pin and hands are both clean and lint free. jewelry on your fingers or wrists, long hair, long fingernails and fluffy clothing could all cause problems.

Tip 7. A "crumb coat" (a thin layer of icing) should be applied to the cake before the fondant is added. This produces a tacky surface for the fondant icing to stick to.

When contemplating the quantity of fondant icing involved try to allow for having too much icing rather than too little, as leftover icing can be stored and used at a later date.

As a guide, for 3 1/2 inch high cake layers a 12 inch diameter round cake will need about 3 pounds of icing, while a 8 inch diameter square cake will need about 2 1/2 pounds of icing.

For some people fondant cake decorations, in spite of their marvellous appearance, are somewhat bland and this can be solved by adding flavoring, often accompanied with coloring. There are many flavorings available and typically to flavor one pound of icing you can add 1/2 cup of dried, shredded and sweetened coconut, 3 to 5 drops of oil of peppermint or 1/3 cup of hazelnut or peanut butter.


By Donald Saunders

Check out the Related Article : Cake Recipes

A Strawberry Short Cake Recipe - Enjoy Those Fresh Berries

There are two distinct camps on strawberry shortcake. The original strawberry shortcakes were made with a biscuit dough. The berries were sweetened and spread between layers of biscuit, then topped with plain or sweetened whipped cream.

Another way to make the shortcake is to use a sponge cake as a base for the shortcake. The berries are sweetened and served in the same way as the biscuit version. I prefer the sponge cake version, or sometimes I make it with pound cake.

When choosing berries for this recipe, look for ripe berries without soft spots or blemishes. Store them in a cool dry place, without washing. When ready to prepare them, wash them gently by dipping them into a large bowl of water briefly. Remove the berries from the water, leaving the dirt and sand at the bottom. Do not hold under running water, the force of the water can bruise the berries.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

3 cups strawberries

confectioners sugar

6 biscuits or servings of sponge cake

whipping cream

Crush the strawberries lightly with a fork or slice them. Add sugar to taste and set aside to macerate for 2-3 hours at room temperature.

Prepare the biscuits or the sponge cake. When baked split the biscuits or slice the cake thinly. Layer the strawberries between the layers of biscuit or cake, then top with more berries.

Whip the cream with just enough sugar to sweeten until soft peaks form. Dollop the whipped cream on top and serve garnished with a whole berry or a sprig of mint if desired.



By Diane Watkins


Check out the Related Article : Cake Recipes

Try These Creative Baby Shower Cake Sayings

Everyone loves a baby shower! It's a very special occasion to celebrate the coming arrival of a new bundle a joy with your loved ones. And, of course, the baby shower cake is one of the most important things to have at a baby shower. People always look forward to seeing what kind of ideas you decided to use and what sort of adorable baby shower cake sayings you came up with.

One of the most popular 'cakes' these days is the diaper cakes. If you've never seen one before, it's where the hostess decides to skip the cake decorations, frosting, and calories in favor of a cake made entirely from diapers. It's decorated with things Mom and Dad will need to take care of their new little pride and joy.

However, many people assume that if you use one of these cakes, you can't have those baby shower cake sayings we love. That's not true, though. I went to an adorable baby shower recently where they had a diaper cake, and they used a beautiful card to print a saying on, and taped it right to the cake.

There are lots of different ones you can use. Here are a few examples.

"This cake will never make you fat, And it won't make you thin. It just provides some extra padding To place your little one in."

And here is another really fun one:

"The best cake that you can get Contains not one calorie However, it's filled with goodies For your brand spanking new baby."


By Coreen Christobel


Check Out the Related Article : Types of Wedding Cakes

A Guide to Choosing Your Wedding Cake & Cake Maker

When should you order your Wedding Cake?

You should try and order your wedding cake approximately six months in advance, especially if you are getting married during popular wedding months such as March, April, May, August and September.

Look for Cake ideas

Turn to bridal magazines and websites to find wedding cakes and styles that suit your taste. Think of other wedding factors that may influence your cake choice, such as, number of people attending your wedding, the theme or colours of the wedding and even the time of the reception or ceremony. Ask friends for referrals of cake makers. Once you have an idea of the cake you would like, contact cake makers for quotes.

Budget

Remember that large cakes with a lot of detail can be extremely expensive but this doesn't mean that you can't have an affordable stylish cake. It come down to detail - to create intricate flowers out of marzipan takes time and will be costly but decorating the cake with real flowers, inbetween each tier for example can look just as nice but for half the price. A polka dot marzipan pattern which is quick and easy to make, will be much cheaper than intricate flowers or weaves. The size of the cake will also come into play - typically the larger the cake the more expensive, but you can request the caterer to make one or two "dummy" tiers with polystyrene - this gives the extravagant look without the extravagant price!

Also bear in mind flavours and shapes. A cake with one flavour will be cheaper to make than one with two or three different flavours. In terms of shape - Round cakes will not serve as many people as square cakes (of the same dimensions).

Determine Numbers

Finalise your guest list before meeting with the caterer because he/she will need this to determine the minimum size of the cake and the cost.

Make an appointment with the cake maker or caterer

Speak to the caterer in person and ask to see photos of previous wedding cakes before deciding on using their service. Ask what their speciality is and whether they have any ideas or recommendations for your wedding cake - they are the experts so you want their creativity and advice as well. Butter icing, for example, is not a good choice for a hot summers day wedding because it will melt. This is the type of advice you need take heed of. If you have a particular cake design that you like, ask the caterer if they have experience in making that type of cake.

Taste test

Not all caterers do this but it is something that you should definitely request to avoid disappointment! You want your cake to taste just as good as it looks. If the caterer is not willing to do a taste test, then consider looking for someone else.

Toss tradition

There is nothing wrong with opting for something non-traditional like cupcakes, mini-cheesecakes or creme brulés. You an stack these on tiered trays or serve them pre-plated.


By Louise Webster


Check Out the Related Article : Types of Wedding Cakes

Halloween Cakes

Delicious Halloween cakes are easy to make. In fact, you will find many different recipes for Halloween cake that taste great and look scary.

You can turn a simple cake into a Halloween cake by decorating it in a special way, usually with yellow and black frosting. You will find many great Halloween decorating ideas online and offline in recipe books and guidelines.

One of the most popular Halloween cakes is the "Spider Web cake." You just bake and frost your favorite cupcakes and put them on a plate. Weave a spider web with frosting by using black licorice and your Halloween cupcakes are ready to be served.

Similarly, you can prepare "Vampire" or "Frankenstein" cakes. There are several web sites that provide information about preparing "creepy" cakes.

One should remember that Halloween cakes are relished not merely for their taste but for how they look. This look should be unique. There is no single rule that needs to be followed. One can be innovative and give a unique look to a Halloween cake, but the tradition is that the cake must look creepy. Some fun ideas for Halloween cake decorations are gumdrops lined up like worms, marshmallows with black licorice in the centers to look like spooky eyes and goofy eyes made with marshmallows with raisins for eyeballs.

There are several companies that offer readymade Halloween cakes. Some help you in choose the creepiest cake by providing you with certain images that can be "drawn" on the cake after you purchase it. These cakes can also be ordered online.


By Jason Gluckman


Check Out the Related Article : Types of Wedding Cakes