CAKES Tips, Recipe and Guide

Halloween Fun: Make a Flaming Spooky Ghost Cake

2009-05-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

If you are planning to throw a Halloween party this year, consider making this spectacular cake. Before presenting the cake, use a match or lighter to light up the eyes of the ghost. Your guests will be thrilled!

Bake a simple sheet cake of any flavor, or purchase one from your local bakery. Frost the cake with chocolate frosting. Make a ghost shape on the cake with white frosting. (Purchased frosting in tubs can be used to save time.) Outline the ghost shape with black string licorice. Break a fresh egg in half, making two small cups. Clean the empty eggshells thoroughly and allow them to dry. When the eggshells are completely dry, place them where the ghost's eyes should be. Apply slight pressure when placing the shells to be sure they stay put, but not so much pressure that the shells crack. Meanwhile, soak a couple of sugar cubes in a small bowl of lemon extract. When the sugar cubes are soaked through, place one cube into each empty eggshell. Before serving the cake, carefully light the sugar cubes with a match or a lighter. The lemon extract will ignite into small flames, a sure way to light up your Halloween party. Make sure to turn off the lights!

By Treva Bedinghaus

Strawberry Cake Recipes

2009-03-31T08:04:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an excellent dessert recipe and love southern cooking, this is the recipe for you. This strawberry cake recipe is one of the favorites among the southern states and is perfect for any kind of occasion. This strawberry cake recipe can be made with either white or yellow cake mix and can also be used with any from scratch cake recipe.

Ingredients for Strawberry cake recipe:

• 1 package of white cake mix
• 1 package of strawberry flavored gelatin powder - 3 ounces
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup of water
• 3/4 cup of mashed strawberries
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 pound of confection sugar
• 1/4 cup of mashed strawberries

Directions for Strawberry Cake Recipe:

• Combine the cake mix and gelatin powder in a large bowl
• Beat in oil, eggs, water and strawberries
• Pour into two 9 inch round and greased cake pans
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes
• Cool and frost with strawberry icing
• For the icing, beat the butter and confection sugar until smooth
• Add the strawberries
• Spread between the layers of cakes
• Frost the top and sides

If you would like to try a variety of the strawberry cake recipe, try this pecan strawberry cake recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of white or yellow cake mix
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup of flaked coconut
• 1 package of strawberry flavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 cup mashed fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 package of cream cheese, 8 ounces at room temperature
• 1/2 stick of margarine, 2 ounces at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup of strawberries mashed
• 5 to 6 cups of sifted powder sugar

Directions:

• Mix cake mix with the strawberry flavored gelatin
• Add the oil, eggs, coconut, gelatin and milk
• Beat until well blended
• Stir in one cup mashed strawberries and one cup of pecans
• Drizzle the cooled layers with reserved juice
• Spread with a layer of icing
• Ice the sides and top
• Store the cake and refrigerate

You can serve these delicious options of the strawberry cake recipe for any occasion. You can add in other ingredients such as rhubarb to add an extra tart flavor. You can also top with whipped cream or any other fruit topping you would like. Serve the cake right away or store in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.

By Katie Appleby

Check out the related article : Adult Birthday Cake Ideas

5 Ways To Put Flowers On Your Wedding Cake

2009-03-22T03:31:00.000-07:00

A great way to coordinate your wedding cake with the rest of the wedding theme is by using flowers on your cake.

Here are 5 very easy and highly effective ways of placing flowers onto a wedding cake.

1. Flower topper - This is when you or your florist arrange a small group of flowers that are the same colour and type as used in the bouquets. This can be done very quickly by arranging them into a small piece of oasis with a plastic base.

2. Rose sandwich - When roses are placed in-between each tier of the cake. The wedding cake is constructed on thin pillars and tiered with a gap of approximately 1 ¼ inches between each tier. Your florist or yourself can then easily place roses cut and taped to about 2 inches in length into the gap. You must ensure that the roses are tightly packed and lay flush with the cake so that you don't have any gaps showing.

3. Flower trail - A flowing line of flowers that trail down the cake. This method is best suited to cakes that are tiered directly on top of each other. You start by individually wiring your chosen flower heads. Group several heads together, tape and secure on the top of the cake by gently pushing the taped wire stems into the cake. Then work your way down the cake pushing flower heads in at regular intervals. To create a strong band place the flower heads closely together.

4. Linked flower toppers - If you have a gap in-between your cake tiers and a flower arrangement on each tier you can easily link them together. Simply take a few stems of steelgrass and use it to link each of the flower arrangements to each other.

5. Scattered petals or flower heads - If you have no room to place flowers onto your cake or if you are having individual cupcakes. Scattering rose petals around the base of the wedding cake is a wonderful way to link in your colour theme. Individual flower heads look very pretty when placed in-between cupcakes on a tiered cake stand.

Don't forget some flowers and foliages are not suitable to use on cakes as they are poisonous. Ivy is one of those. If you're in doubt ask for advice from your florist or cake maker.

By Ruby Carter

Check Out the Related Article : Adult Birthday Cake Ideas

5 Fantastic Ideas For Kids' Birthday Cake

2009-03-12T01:22:00.000-07:00

The most vital birthday cake idea for your kid is choosing a party cake concept that will fit with the party theme he or she likes to have. For starters, have a sheet cake that is simply topped and decorated all over with your kids' most beloved figures or toys.

You need not settle for the standard circular, rectangular or square cake. You can hide any small disasters in the cake form you produced by piecing it together to form something totally unique. You can shape it up like your kid's favorite animal, cartoon character or action figure.

Some example of fantastic kids' birthday cake ideas:

1. Construction birthday party cake

Is your child a lover of construction vehicles and motor vehicles then this cake idea will be a big hit. You can top it with several tiny toys shaped like bulldozers and dump trucks shoving mountains of chocolate chips or candies. You can also have the cake itself to look like a frosted dump truck loaded with candies and chocolates.

2. Train birthday party cake

Your kid cannot go over with anything connected with trains? Then it would be terrific idea to present him with a birthday cake topped with a miniature train with candy trimmings and running on tracks made of licorice. You can also make a big enough train made from several frosted and brightly colored loaf cakes. Line up these loaf cakes to form train cars. Adorn with candies and chocolate bars for windows.

3. Luau party cake

Is your kid a lover of all things Hawaiian? Then you can present her with a totally luau kid birthday cake made of a simple sheet or round cake festooned with silk flowers for leis. You can also have several cupcakes decorated with frosted flowers and stringed together with long brightly colored marshmallows or licorice. The product would appear like a "cupcake lei."

4. Doll birthday cake

As a base, bake your cake placed in a glass bowl that's oven safe or a special 3D pan shaped like a sports ball. This will make your cake turn out a perfectly round ball shape. You can top it up with your kids' favorite doll.

5. A fabulous castle cake is also a spectacular idea of a kid's birthday cake fit for a princess.

By Albert Lee

Check Out the Related Article : Adult Birthday Cake Ideas

Chocolate Cake

2009-02-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

Chocolate - the drink of the Gods, has forever been man’s sinful indulgence. Chocolate comes in many shapes and sizes, and it’s used for many recipes, but none surpasses the chocolate cake – first place in popularity.

A chocolate cake can be made from any type of chocolate. It can be made from plain, dark chocolate or “bitter” chocolate that contains little or no added sugar. Cakes can be made from white chocolate, which tastes sweet and is very rich and smooth, almost with a melt-in-your-mouth quality. Cakes made with organic chocolate win hands down for they contain a very high percentage of cocoa solids. However, this type of chocolate is very expensive.

Innovation is the buzzword in chocolate circles now and along with chocolate you will find varied other ingredients added to the cake to woo your taste buds. There is the chocolate and orange angel cake, the tangy cinnamon cake, the hot spicy chocolate ginger crunch cake made with ginger syrup and chocolate cake topped with a mildly tempering Banana Sauce to name a few. In fact, it seems that almost everything that is palatable in the kitchen can be used as a flavoring in chocolate cakes. Hazelnut is great in chocolate cake and is beetroot (used in chocolate layer cakes), redcurrant torte chocolate cake is fabulous and baked chocoate and rasin cheese cake.

Chocolate cakes come with vast array of toppings and decorations. Since chocolate cake by nature has a rich taste, the toppings are deliberately kept light. You can have dates, almonds, honey toppings, fruit sauces or you can have decorations made with chocolate. You can peel off chocolate curls, scoop off chocolate balls or create designs with contrasting colored melted chocolate. When it comes to decorating with chocolate, the “Covertures” type chocolate with a glossy finish is the choice of many. There are plenty of options when it comes to decorating with chocolate. Anything made with chocolate is sinfully delicious.

By Jason Gluckman

Check Out the Related Article : Cake Decorating - A Fabulous Mixture of Cookery and Art

Related Website

2009-02-22T03:40:00.001-08:00

Still Available for Your Website's Link

Click Here to Know How you can Link Exchange with Me

Link Exchange Rules

2009-02-22T03:38:00.000-08:00

Look at the Sidebar on the Right Page, You can see the menu Related Website.

In the menu Related Website, I provide maximum 50 link website and description and absolutely I will make your link Do Follow and it's mean that search enggine will increase your website SEO link quality easily.

How the Way :

If you want to link exchange with my website, so the first time you have to do is only adding my link "http://cake-world.blogspot.com/" on your blogroll/link widget or if you want to add my link as a part of your article post so you have to add my link "http://cake-world.blogspot.com/" including the description below :

"Get Top Tips and Complete Information about Cake on www.cake-world.blogspot.com"

for example.

http://cake-world.blogspot.com

Get Top Tips and Complete Information about Cake on www.cake-world.blogspot.com

After you add my link to your website, so you can send me an email on "g4m4food@gmail.com" with subject "Cake link exchange". On the email you must tell me where you put my website link on your website "tell me the URL address" and don't forget to tell me your website link and your website description, after I review your website and My Website link on your website, I will add your link to my sidebar menu, and I will confirm you as soon as possible by email.

That is really simple, isn't it ??

Ok, That is my explanation, and I hope we can to be Good partner.

Thank you

www.cake-world.blogspot.com Administrator

Buying a Wedding Cake

2009-02-16T16:41:00.000-08:00

A wedding cake is a traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception. It is usually a large cake with multiple tiers and heavily decorated with marzipan and icing. It is also common to add flowers which match the bride’s bouquet along with gold rings, doves and horseshoes, which signify luck.

It is general tradition that the bride and groom take the first cut of the cake. In some traditions the bride and groom then feed the first bites of the cake to each other. It is then that other guests may have a portion of the cake with the champagne and speeches and a toast. Old tradition says that if a bridesmaid sleeps with a piece of cake under her pillow, then she may dream of her future husband.

It is tradition in some parts of the world that the top tier of the cake or a portion of cake be stored away for the bride and groom’s first wedding anniversary or the christening of their first child. A wedding cake is usually a fruit cake which can be stored for a considerable amount of time or the cake may be frozen.

It is not necessary, of course, to have a multiple tier wedding cake. A single layer cake is sufficient. However you choose to have your wedding cake, it will reflect your personality in it, from only a single ornament or flower, to intricate icing. Remember that even the simplest wedding cake can look effective when sitting at centre stage.

Some people choose not to have a wedding cake made of fruit. It is not to everyone’s liking. Some couples choose to have a plain sponge cake or chocolate cake covered in the traditional marzipan and icing, or take a different approach and have a butter-cream icing, topped with the decoration of their choice.

Many things need to be taken into consideration when choosing a wedding cake. Listed below are some things to remember.
Choosing a wedding cake isn’t just about the design and flavour, it is something that will reflect your personality and ultimately match the rest of your wedding decorations, for example, wedding dress, flowers, colors etc.

A unique and well made wedding cake doesn’t come cheap. Choosing a sponge cake rather than fruit would make it cheaper. And also having one layer instead of multiple layers would also keep the cost down. You could even opt to have one fruit layer and one sponge layer, which will also satisfy the different tastes of your guests.
It is also important to know how many guests will be attending your wedding in order to be able to judge the size of the cake.

And the most important factor that most people tend to forget is the allergy factor. If you have guests that have nut or gluten allergies, then you could ask your cake maker to adapt to these allergies when making your wedding cake.
The final piece of crucial advice is that you order your wedding cake at least six months prior to your wedding day, especially if you are ordering a fruit cake, in order to give it time to mature and, of course, cake decorations take time to prepare.

By Yolanda Nash

Check Out the related article : Cake Decorating - A Fabulous Mixture of Cookery and Art

Fruit Cake

2009-01-20T23:49:00.000-08:00

Are you the fruit cake in your family? Before you raise your eyebrow, I would suggest you read on to know what I mean.

The fruit cake has tantalized the world for centuries. When you take a lip smacking bite, you will experience the taste of culture and valued traditions. The fruit cake which I would love to offer you will be an ideal one, with a high content of fruits and nuts in proportion to the batter. You will taste the rich content of French cherries, almonds, California nuts, pineapple, orange peel and lemon. To make it more mouthwatering how about a dash of brand and liquor added to it…hmmm, expensive and irresistible, isn’t it?

If you want to go for a stronger aroma and sharper flavor, then relish the darker version of the fruit cake. The dark fruit cake contains prunes, dates, cherries, walnuts, brown sugar and molasses.

If you love the subtle taste, then you can go for the light fruit cake. The delicate taste is attributed to the presence of granulated sugar, golden raisins, pineapple, apricots and light corn syrup.

When you go for your treks and campaigns, tuck in a pack of fruit cakes. Your friends will love you for this. The best thing about the fruit cake is that it has a tendency to last for months and still retain its intrinsic flavor. You will be pleased to know that the fruit cake has a tendency to freeze very well. However it is ideal to have a time gap of a month before freezing.

Enough of preaching about it. Now let me treat you with a fruit cake.

Whoever said ‘take your own sweet time’ must have said it with reference to the fruit cake. First I will prepare the nuts and fruits. Then I will pour the liquor to be used over them. Let me keep the mixture well covered for two or three days. Sorry to keep you waiting, but then if you want it sweet and nice; you will have to kill time. Okay then, I will prepare the batter and bake your cake. I need to remember that the fruit cake should be baked at a low temperature. I will coat the pan with waxed paper so that the sides of the cake do not get burned. You see the fruit cake involves long baking time. When I am done, you can take the cake tester and insert it in the center of the cake. If you see that it is moist and not doughy, then you are ready to pop a piece into your mouth.

You may think of the fruit cake as a typical Christmas dish. But as I told you before, the fruit cake has a centuries old tradition behind it. Did you know that during the 13th century, dried fruit began to arrive to England from Portugal and the east Mediterranean? During the later half of 1700s, England distributed fruit cake slices to women who sang Christmas carols. The fruit cakes were frequently used in celebrations from the turn of the 18th century. It remains a custom in England for unmarried wedding guests to put a slice of dark fruitcake under their pillow at night so they could dream of the person they will marry.

If you want to know the oldest fruit cake company in the United States, then I would suggest you visit the Collin Street Bakery, Corsicana, Texas. It was set up in the year 1896. So much has been the impact of the fruit cake through out the years, that the oldest family in the household is called the fruit cake.

So now you decide, who is the lovable and respected fruit cake in your home?

By Nina Romanov

Check Out the Related Article : Cake Decorating - A Fabulous Mixture of Cookery and Art

Birthday Cakes - As Beautiful As the Celebrations

2008-12-24T02:57:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-21T18:56:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-17T23:10:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-16T23:16:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-16T00:13:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-10T05:48:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-01T07:59:00.000-08:00

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

Birthday Cake Ideas For The Lady

2008-11-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

What's a birthday party without a birthday cake? More often than not, the birthday cake is the centerpiece of the buffet table. And when it is time to blow the candles, the cake takes the spotlight. That is why it is important to choose the perfect birthday cake design, most especially if the celebrant is a lady. So what birthday cake ideas for ladies are available for her?

There are hundreds of designs to choose from. But before you find the perfect birthday cake, there are some factors that you must first consider before deciding, such as the age and personality of the birthday girl.

For little girls, there are countless designs that spell "sugar spice and everything nice." A miniature dollhouse may be perfect for your little sweetheart. You can also use Disney characters or other characters like the Power Puff girls, Bratz and Barbie, to name a few.

Another suggestion is to make cupcakes instead of one big cake. Arrange the pieces in two or more layers, giving the appearance of a big cake but making it easier to serve especially in a children's party. You can use multi-colored frosting for a colorful rainbow effect. Or use edible flower trimmings to make the cake look like a big bouquet.

As the celebrant gets older, there are fewer designs available. The good thing is there are more shops now that make customized cakes, making it possible to make cakes of any design that you can imagine.

If she is the more outgoing or adventurous type, choose fun, uncommon designs to reflect her personality. For example, if she likes to collect handbags, you can use her favorite bag as blueprint for the cake design. For the book lover, a cake that resembles a pile of books can be made. Some bakers can actually write on the cake a short quote or poem that she likes.

You can also pick designs from her hobbies or interests. A round cake with skating rink design and ice skater cake topper is perfect for an ice skating enthusiast. If she goes to the beach a lot, a cake with bikini design would suit her. If she is a pianist, you can choose a long cake with piano keys design.

Lady birthday cake ideas are limitless. In the end, it would all have to depend on what the lady celebrant would probably like. Whatever the design, the cake must be something that she would really like and remember even after several birthdays have passed.

Check Out the Related Article : Cake Recipes

Christmas Cake Decoration

2008-11-27T00:18:00.000-08:00

"I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month." - says, Harlan Miller. Perhaps it is the reason why Christmas cakes are prepared in a fine way that each day during the nice eve? The sight of a decorated, yummy cakes, can make any person happy.

All edible cake decorations are traditionally hand crafted and made from marzipan. The word "marzipan" means that they can be eaten as well as used for decorative purposes. The marzipan paste is the chief ingredient of most Christmas cakes. Since, this special cake decoration is individually hand shaped, moulded and sculpted, generally no two cake decorations are ever going to be exactly alike. Evidence suggests that this cake decorations were introduced in Ancient Egypt. In later years, edible cake decorations were designed to enhance cakes in order to impress the participants of any special event. Cake decorations have changed through the ages but their purpose of preparing still remains the same. In fact, it has gained more importance in the recent years owing the economic development and living styles of people across the globe. The design of the nice cake decorations are made according to the age of the children and are also specifically made for typical boys and girls. A bright, beautiful and yummy cake certainly deserves a place in every household during this great season.

Preparing a yummy cake tops every Christian's list of preparations for Christmas celebration. Well, preparing a perfect cake is not an easy task. The most difficult and integral part in preparing a such cake remains to decorate the cake in an impressive manner. So, it is always advisable to give equal importance to this cake decorations while making preparations for a tasty cake. The decorations should be such that they can easily add a touch of elegance and prettiness to the cake. Secondly the cake decorations should be in accordance with the theme of the cake. The importance of the this special cake decorations has increased to such an extent that nowadays many of the Christmas party planners also give a lot of their time on thinking about some different and impressive ways of decorating such cakes. One should try to choose the cake decorations as per the theme of the Christmas cake. This would help one in making plenty and judicious use of one's creative ideas.

There are various kinds of cakes where in beautiful decorations can be done as both adults and children just love to see and eat them. For example, banana cake decorations, orange cake decorations, apple cake decorations, lemon cake decorations, strawberry cake decorations, carrot cake decorations, pumpkin cake decorations, seashell cake decorations, cheese cake decorations, dragon cake decorations, flower cake decorations and many more. Some of them popular Christmas cakes that are decorated include: chocolate Christmas cake, chocolate and almond cake, whipping cream pound cake, mocha pudding cake, chocolate espresso torte, japanese fruit cake and plum cake to name a few. Some more exciting decoration ideas include: reindeer, santas, snowmen, puddings, Christmas trees, marzipan penguins, blue angels, pink angels, marzipan santas hats, holly leaves burgandy, white chocolate, flowers, etc.

By Ilango Chokalingam

Check Out the Related Article : Cake Recipes

Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe - Homemade Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake

2008-11-24T23:54:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you, but I love chocolate fudge cake. One look at this scrumptious layer cake makes my mouth water. Chocolate lovers will scoop this up pretty quick so make sure you grab a piece before it’s all gone.

2 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 squares unsweetened chocolate

2/3 cup water

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk

Chocolate fudge filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

Tear off a big sheet of wax paper and set on kitchen counter. Using a sifter, sift the flour baking powder, baking soda onto the wax paper.

In a saucepan or double boiler, combine the chocolate, water and 1/4 cup of sugar; cook over low heat while stirring constantly. When chocolate is thick and smooth, transfer to another bowl. Chill chocolate in a pan of ice water; stir occasionally. Add vanilla to chocolate.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until nice and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the chilled chocolate.

Add in the sifted flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk – beat batter thoroughly after each addition, until nice and smooth. Pour the cake batter into cake pans.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until center of cake springs back when pressed lightly. Cool on wire rack. When cake is cool, split each round in half and fill with the Chocolate Fudge Filling. Use same filling to frost the whole cake.

Chocolate Fudge Filling

6 squares semisweet chocolate

3 tablespoons butter

7 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

In a small saucepan, add the chocolate squares and butter. Cook over low heat until melted.

In a bowl, add the melted chocolate, milk, vanilla and stir until well blended. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix until filling is smooth and easily spreadable.

=> Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe: Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake

This recipe is a great alternative to a layer cake. This chocolate fudge cake is ready for picnics, potlucks and parties. Better save this recipe because you’ll be asked to make it again and again.
2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter

1 cup water

3 heaping tablespoons cocoa

2 eggs

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Using a sifter, sift the flour into a bowl. Add in the sugar and salt. Resift a second time into the bowl.

In a saucepan, mix together the butter, water and cocoa; bring to a boil. Add warm chocolate mixture to the flour and stir thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to chocolate batter and mix completely until batter is smooth. Pour into cake pan.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Frost cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1 stick butter

6 to 8 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 box confectioners’ sugar

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan, cook the butter, cocoa and milk over low heat (do not boil). Remove pan from heat and stir in the sugar, nuts and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until frosting is smooth.

Pour warm frosting over cake and spread with a knife.

By Brandy Summers

Check Out the Related Article : Cake Recipes

Amazing Kid Birthday Cakes

2008-11-23T00:02:00.000-08:00

Castle cake, train cake or a xylophone cake are just of few of the amazing kid birthday cakes you can create to really wow your birthday child and all their party guests.

Your imagination is the only limit when it comes to creating a cake for your child's birthday.

Just spend a few minutes thinking about what your birthday child enjoys. A favorite movie, TV show, book, game or sport. Is your child a budding young artist, or does your child really enjoy music, skateboarding or fashion?

Kid Birthday Cakes

To help you get started, here are some absolutely amazing cake ideas.

Artist's Palette Cake

Bowling Lane Cake

Bowling Ball Cake

Castle Cake

Pizza Birthday Cake

Xylophone Cake

Fish Bowl Birthday Cake

Skateboard Cake

Train Cake

Mommy Cat and Kitten Cake

Little Deuce Coupe Cake

Race Track Cake

Lady Bug Cake

Butterfly Birthday Cake

Kid Birthday Cakes

Every one of the ideas I listed above has actually been made into an amazing birthday cake.

At the end of this article I'll show you where you can find more amazing birthday cakes and recipes.

Here's what you'll need to put together one of these amazing cakes or a creative cake idea of your own.

Recipe For Amazing Kid Birthday Cakes
# Your creativity
# An ounce of enthusiasm
# A half pound of excitement
# No fear of failure (it's only a cake)
# A heart full of desire to wow your birthday child
# Now lovingly blend everything together in a medium size bowl
# Take just a little of your time
# Bake until done
# Serve and watch the fun

When your special, one-of-a-kind birthday cake makes it's debut at your child's birthday party, everyone is going to be impressed. And of course your cake will taste absolutely delicious.

Remember, there really are no limits to the kind of birthday cake you can create. And with just a little effort and imagination, you'll be creating amazing kid birthday cakes that everyone will be talking about.

By Mike Dougherty

Check Out the Related Article : How to Find Good Recipe For Wedding Cake

Choosing Wedding Cakes

2008-11-21T01:03:00.000-08:00

When choosing your cake it naturally occurs to brides to think flowers, colours, patterns and before long they are creating the dream cake-without first reminding themselves
that its ultimately destined to be eaten by their reception guests!

I encourage my brides and grooms to first think what their guest list consists of in terms of population cross section;
Older folk do prefer fruit cake in general, whilst younger people seem to go more for sponge. The point being, the choice here dictates the size of the cake; you need roughly twice the sponge to fruit. It also affects which basic design you will have available, as many designers of wedding cakes, myself included, have reservations about stacking sponge cakes.

These issues include the suitability of sponge to 'carry' a cake above as required in the stack design, and the question of freshness; ideally when icing a cake a good designer will have in mind a number of days which they will want the cake iced before adding final touch decorations, and with sponge this is critical to the cakes freshness. When stacking we like to have the icing a little harder as this compensates for the problems of accessibility given by stacking.

Feel free to ask any questions about this or other matters relating to your wedding cakes at my web site 'Wedding cakes by Franziska'.

Happy wedding!

Regards

Franziska

Check Out the Related Article : How to Find Good Recipe For Wedding Cake

A Guide to Choosing The Perfect Wedding Cake

2008-11-18T23:11:00.000-08:00

Aside from the dress, the cake is probably the most admired element of the wedding. There's a reason why it's placed at the center of the reception hall, so everybody who enters can admire it. The perfect wedding cake should not only reflect the personalities of the bride and groom, but also blend into the theme of the wedding seamlessly.

Decide on a design for the cake much before the actual date of the wedding. As D-day draws nearer, you might find yourself tied down with a million things to do, and not have time to look into the details of the cake.

The first thing you'll look into is the design of the cake. Gone are the days of a single three tiered cake as the only choice for a wedding. Nowadays, cakes come studded with crystals, have roses falling all over the sides, can resemble Christmas trees, and a myriad other possibilities.

Choose a design that stands out from the rest, and blends with your personality. An elegant couple will probably do well to choose an equally elegant and traditional white three tiered vanilla cake. A whimsical eclectic couple on the other hand, will have more room for innovation. A cupcake wedding confection that consists of a number of cupcakes of different flavors all arranged to make one large tiered cake is another off beat idea that allows guests to sample different flavors of cake at a single wedding.

Make sure you pay attention to the details; rest assured guests will want to spend time looking over the cake, and appreciating its finer details. Pale green or pink ribbons of frosting draped on a white cake can make it seem extra special, while cascades of red roses all over the cake spell glamour. Look around, before you make a choice. Your cake designer will show you a catalog of various styles, but you don't have to be restricted to those. Scour the internet for one of a kind imaginative designs until you find one that appeals to you. If your favorite celebrity's wedding cake had you swooning at the design, hunt for a picture of the cake (you'll easily find it online), and show your designer exactly what you want your cake to look like.

Remember, a perfect wedding cake is one that people remember for long after your wedding is over, and they've left for home!

By Caroline Miller

Check Out the Related Article : How to Find Good Recipe For Wedding Cake

Adult Birthday Cake Ideas

2008-11-18T02:15:00.000-08:00

Cakes are always part of celebrations be it a holiday and of course, a birthday! These occasions would traditionally be incomplete without the presence of a cake. The birthday cake is suited to any age of the celebrant. The variations come in the design.

Of course the adult birthday cake ideas would be entirely different from that of the kid's birthday cake. You cannot employ cartoon character figurines like that of Spiderman, Batman, Snow White, and the likes. The design for an adult birthday cake idea should also be synchronized with the celebrant's interest, personality, and age, so to speak.

When you are ordering for an adult birthday cake, you need to ensure that the cake designer is capable of meeting your specifications. The birthday cake is not only all about icing and sugar. Aside from the taste, the decorations must all as well be pleasing.

The physical look often basically suggests whether or not the taste of the cake is truly acceptable and delicious. The designer must be a master of his own craft. Hence, you've got to screen which designer could do justice to the adult birthday cake idea that you've conceptualized.

Here are the steps that you must take into consideration when deciding on an adult birthday cake idea of your choice:

1. Come up with a theme for the adult birthday cake. Take note of the likes, interests, and hobbies of the birthday celebrant. If he or she is into any kind of sport, you may highlight that factor in the adult birthday cake idea. You may as well match the theme with the celebrant's profession.

2. Get cake toppers that would mix and match with the theme of the adult birthday cake idea. They are in a wide variety and they would surely bring about some excitement to the cake itself.

3. Have a look at the draft design before the concept is actually created so that any necessary changes would be incorporated as early as possible.

4. Order the adult birthday cake in advance. Do not go for the last minute or else it may look haggard.

Furthermore, to complement the thought you would like to express along with the adult birthday cake idea, you need to ensure that the design would coordinate with your intentions.

By Albert Lee

Check Out the Related Article : Birthday Cake

Cake Decorating - A Fabulous Mixture of Cookery and Art

2008-11-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

Cake decorating is a fabulous mixture of cookery and art, with a sprinkling of inspiration, precise care and reckless use of the imagination thrown in for good measure. Cake decorating is my hobby and, as such, is hugely satisfying. The popularity of cake decorating is undeniably intense. I'm going to show you that cake decorating is fun for everyone.

Cake

Cakes are a unique food product because cakes can be cooked, molded, shaped, and decorated to look like just about anything imaginable. While the history of cake dates back to ancient Egyptian times when cakes were more bread-like, the art of cake decorating has a relatively short history that dates back to the mid-17th century when cake pans made their debut in kitchens across Europe. During the 1840s, the advent of temperature-controlled ovens and the production of baking soda and baking powder made baking cakes much easier.

Cake decorating is probably one of the most fun and creative hobbies you can get yourself into. Cake Decorating is not an impossible art to learn, but it does take practice and patience. Decorating a cake usually involves covering a cake with some form of icing and then using decorative sugars, candies, chocolate or icing decorations to embellish the cake. Cake decorating Equipment ? When you are decorating for birthdays and the holidays, you don't need every cake decorating tool out there, but you do need a few basics. Cake decorating is made easy these days as there are cake decorating kits easily available in the market.

Icing

Cake decorating is one of the sugar arts that uses icing and other edible decorative elements to make otherwise plain cakes more visually interesting. But it can also be as simple as sprinkling a fine coat of icing sugar or drizzling a glossy blanket of glaze over the top of a cake. Icing decorations can be made by either piping icing flowers and decorative borders or by molding gum paste, fondant, or marzipan flowers and figures. Icing should stand to 3-4 inch peak on spatula knife, if icing begins to fall slightly after lengthy use, simply rewhip. Icing is the finishing touch on cakes, cookies, and cupcakes.

Conclusion

Cake decorating is not as difficult as it seems. The aim of cake decorating is to enhance the appearance of the cake. Successful cake decorating is all about preparation. The enjoyment of cake decorating is that there are no two cakes alike.

By Kath Ibbetson

Check Out the Related Article : Birthday Cake

Birthday Cakes

2008-11-11T05:51:00.000-08:00

If you are planning a birthday party, it is important that you pay extra attention to the birthday cake. Next to the birthday celebrator, the cake gets the most attention. It shares the spotlight with the celebrator when singing “Happy Birthday,” followed by a wish and blowing out the candles.

Themed birthday cakes are gaining popularity for the extra excitement and surprise they create. Aside from the colorful icing and little sugar flowers, a lot of other decorations can be incorporated on the cake. Depending on the creativity of the pastry chef, your birthday cake may come in a fantasy-inspired theme, complete with magical woodlands and faeries, miniature roller coasters or decked with super heroes- perfect for kids parties. It’s not true that only wedding cakes have the right to be multi-tiered. Birthday cakes can be as lavish and decadent too.

Birthday cakes aren’t just for children. Adults have the right to make wishes too. A good treat is to have a full color photo of the celebrator printed on the icing of the cake. If the birthday celebrator is a big sports fan, you can have a cake shaped like a basketball player about to dunk or a soccer player kicking a ball. You can also have a sports car-shaped cake. Or if the celebrator is a doctor, you can have one resembling a physician complete with a lab coat and a stethoscope. Imagine the delight of everyone at that! And these cakes are not just decorous. Not only are these cakes fun to look at, many are delicious eating as well. If you want to have great, fun party, be as creative with your cake design as you want. You can be sure that people will talk about it for days.

By Josh Riverside

Check Out the Related Article : Birthday Cake

Cake Recipes

2008-11-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

When deciding on what cake recipe you would like to create you must keep in mind that there are two types of cake – butter and foam. Butter cakes are made with butter or shortening and foam cakes are made with eggs or egg whites. These two categories are just the general, umbrella, or catch-all terms. There are actually dozens or even hundreds of variations on cakes that you can learn about and enjoy.

Butter cakes are light and fine textured, while foam cakes are fluffy. Foam cakes can be angel food, chiffon or sponge, depending on your preference. Both form the basis for most cake recipes with variations and special touches adding to the taste and presentation.

There are hundreds and hundreds of cake recipes. All time favorites include white cake with chocolate frosting, chocolate cake with white frosting and carrot cake. A basic cake recipe calls for butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour and baking powder. Frosting should always be created to the right consistency that is smooth and soft enough spread. Glazes should be thinner, but not drippy. Food coloring can be used to tint frosting and garnished with goodies like chocolate or multi-colored sprinkles, animal crackers, nuts, raisins, coconut, jelly beans, fresh or dried fruit, etc.

Wonderful cake recipes can be found in most cookbooks and on the web. Family shared recipes are the best, so ask your favorite grandma or aunt for their “special” cake ingredients. If you're brave, you can even try your own hand at creating the next big thing in cake recipes.

By Jason Gluckman

Check Out the Related Article : 3 Great Thanksgiving Cake Ideas

Types of Wedding Cakes

2008-11-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

Wedding is considered to be the dream of every person. Most of the couples would just have a fair and normal wedding with some nice wedding apparels and a classic wedding cake as wedding cakes are considered to be the essential element of every wedding. There are varieties of cute, tasty and beautiful available in the market but every person dreamt to have unique cake at their wedding.

There are dozens of ways all together, to be distinctive in the wedding and one has really only got an option of a different dress or a unique wedding cake, and a lot of couples choose showing their variety through having a very stupendous and delightful wedding cake.

The history of wedding cake

The traditional wedding cake calls for a multi-layered and just vanilla-flavored simple cake. This cake would have some edible flowers that adorn the sides. These flowers again have some bride and groom figurine on their tops. It has its own value in traditionally performed weddings.

However, as the change of time, a lot of things change and revolution came with no field being exception including the wedding cakes. Tradition will have to allow ways to the new traditions and fashions and styles. Incidentally, the wedding cake tradition has also been impressed by the changes in times and hence, nowadays, wedding cake, not being only restricted to vanilla flavor, comes in numerous flavors and colors with whatever the shape you demand and wish.

Effective element

If anyone truly wants the wedding cake to label as something different and really wants to have something at the wedding that the guests got to talk about the same for the years to come, they should consider some of the stupefying wedding cakes for inspiration.

One might have noticed some very alone "box" type wedding cakes. However, it is not meant that such cake was just shaped like a box; one of such wedding cakes would be a three layered cake and also each of those layers would be decorated like some different and completed with bows. Another cake that could be shaped and detailed decorated as an open hatbox that has some flowers spilling out of the cake.

By Dr John Anne

Check Out the Related Article : 3 Great Thanksgiving Cake Ideas

Cake Recipes

2008-11-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

How to Find Good Recipe For Wedding Cake

2008-11-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

You may find it exciting that the wedding cake was thrown to bride instead of eating in the past. The wedding cake slice was thrown by bride and groom on each other at the same time in formal marriages, to mean the beginning of their life as a union of husband and wife. It was thought as a sign of fertility for the couples in the tradition. It is one of the events most eagerly included in each marriage. The rice and wheat grains are also a sign of wealth and there were showed to groom and bride. Some marriages always follow these habits. Wedding cake is a part of the ceremony.

How to find out good recipe for wedding cake?

You should find the correct wedding cake recipe, a flavor that both bride and groom should enjoy. There is no need to have expensive cake but a cake which will be appreciated by everyone.

There are many areas to find out wedding cake recipe. You can ask your friends to know the details about their marriages. You can find from the internet and refer the local stores or recipe books. You should select several cakes that you want to test, based on the ingredients then you can know how your real wedding cake would resemble and what would be the recipe of your wedding cake.

How to select your recipe for wedding cake?

The chocoholic is a soft cake with the rich cocoa filling or with the normal flavor of fruits or candy. If you are going to ask a baker to make your wedding cake, bring several various kinds of recipes to him and ask for the cake piece models which are similar to the recipe that you've found. It is one of the best experiments of shopping for some of the wedding preparations and find out the recipe of your wedding cake. Pottery decorations in their cake or breads can create a very stylish look. Decorate the cake with a heritage lace and modern ribbons for a stylish wedding cake.

By James Nardel

Check Out the Related Article : All About Wedding Cakes

Birthday Cake

2008-10-31T14:23:00.000-07:00

It’s nice that people remember the day you were born. After all, it is a very special day. For most of us, there is always someone ready to throw a birthday party. Whether it be Mom and Dad, or darling husband or wife, or anyone else, one of the best treats on anyone’s birthday is a birthday cake with candles. Because what would a birthday be without a cake and candles for making a birthday wish?

Birthday cakes come in all shapes and sizes – round, square, layered, tiered, upside-down, and many, many more. They also come in some very unique shapes like trucks, babies, guitars, shoes, and so on. Birthday cakes can be just fun and simple or quite elegant and complex. They can be chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mocha, a mix of all of the above, or other flavors.

Theme cakes are very popular for children’s birthdays. Harry Potter’s, Hogwarts Castle, Barbie’s, Pegasus, and Sponge Bob and Patrick are in high demand at most parties these days. Chocolate cake seems to be the favorite, followed by the classic chiffon cake. Of course, any good host will top off the birthday cake with a heaping spoon of ice cream and sprinkles and lots of love and best wishes.

Even with all the streamers, the balloons, the presents, and so on, birthday cakes remain the centerpiece. More than anything else, the birthday cake with delightfully burning candles all round it and your name in icing on the top, remains the most enduring symbol of a birthday celebration.

Cake provides detailed information on Baby Shower Cake, Birthday Cake, Cake, Cake Decorating and more. Cake is affiliated with Birthday Cards.

By Jason Gluckman

Check Out the Related Article : All About Wedding Cakes

3 Great Thanksgiving Cake Ideas

2008-10-30T00:43:00.000-07:00

Traditionally pies have been the dessert of choice for a Thanksgiving meal with the pumpkin pie being the gold standard for any meal. However there are several types of cakes that will go well with a Thanksgiving meal, many that incorporate the flavors and ingredients of similar pies.

Here are 3 great Thanksgiving cake ideas that will please your guests and your palate this holiday.

Four Layer Pumpkin Cake - This cake will be the centerpiece of your dessert table and can serve as a replacement for the pumpkin pie. This cake is semi-homemade as it does take the time saving step of using a packaged mix and other ingredients readily available.

This cake uses a yellow cake batter with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices added as well as a cream cheese/whipped topping frosting. Using 2 9" rounds, each cake layer is baked in a 350 degree oven 28-30 minutes, then cooled. After cooling, the layers are cut in two lengthwise then each layer is iced with the cream cheese filling with a generous sprinkling of pecans on each layer. Easy to prepare and not as time consuming as making a pie from scratch, this cake will be a crowd-pleaser for sure.

Orange Cranberry Upside Down Cake - This cake takes the cranberry to a whole new level. Forget the cranberry sauce this year and serve this cake! This cake is a spin on the pineapple upside down cake with cranberries and oranges taking the place of the pineapple.

A yellow cake batter, made from scratch, is baked over a layer of the fruit that is combined with brown sugar and butter (375 degrees for 35-40 minutes). This cake does call for fresh whole cranberries to be halved and this can be time consuming during the preparation of the ingredients but is well worth the effort when you taste this treat.

Sweet Potato Cake - this cake takes your "yams" to higher ground. Common in the South, Sweet Potato Cake is typically a yellow cake with sweet potatoes added in the batter as well as the appropriate spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon. This cake is always served with a coconut pecan icing that is a great addition to the overall flavor of this cake. Easy to bake (25-30 minutes, 350 degrees in 2 8" rounds) and prepare, this will be another prize in your dessert arsenal.

There are many more variations on the traditional desserts and flavors of Thanksgiving but these Thanksgiving cake ideas will take your ho-hum desserts and turn them into a new sensation with all your guests asking for the recipes. The main thing is not to be afraid to get away from the mundane and try one of these variations on classic desserts.

By Leefe Poche

Check Out the Related Article : All About Wedding Cakes

All About Wedding Cakes

2008-10-28T14:29:00.000-07:00

Buying wedding cakes will require several strategic decisions. The first thing that you will need to decide on is what type of cake you want to use. There are dozens of cake choices that you can select from. Traditionally wedding cake has been a delicately flavored cake, however, in recent years chocolate wedding cakes have become more popular. In addition to chocolate and vanilla wedding cake, you can also select from gourmet flavors like raspberry cream or mocha cream.

After selecting the type of cake that you want to use, your next decision will be what cake shape you want. Wedding cakes come in just about any shape that you can imagine. The two most commonly used wedding cake shapes are round wedding cakes and square wedding cakes. If you aren’t sure what wedding cake shape you want you may want to visit a bakery that offers wedding cakes and look through their portfolio of wedding cake designs.

After you have decided on a wedding cake shape your next step will be to select how many tiers you want your wedding cake to have. The size of your cake and the number of tiers that it will have will need to reflect how many people the cake needs to serve, as well as your budget. In addition to deciding on the number of tiers that your wedding cake will have you will also need to decide if the tiers will be stacked directly on top of one another, or if you want to use wedding cake stands. Again refer to photographs of wedding cakes that utilize both of these stacking options to help you make a decision on which method you would like to use.

Next you will want to select a wedding cake topper. Wedding cake toppers come in a variety of sizes and designs. Your wedding cake topper shouldn’t overpower your wedding cake, and it should also not be overpowered by your wedding cake. To find a cake topper that best fits your wedding cake look for one that has the design features that best reflects your wedding’s theme and design, as well as the one that best fits the overall design of your cake.

Your final decision regarding your wedding cake will be what wedding cake serving set you want to use. You have several options for cake serving sets. You can register for a wedding cake serving set along with your wedding china, you can buy a silver engraved wedding cake serving set, or you can buy a novelty wedding cake serving set that has a handle theme that matches the theme of your wedding.

By Sarah Freeland