Hooker's Cooker: 2011

Friday, June 17, 2011

Surgical Stomach Cake

I don't really know what to say about this cake. Perhaps nursing school has altered the natural line between "graphic" and "food." Proceed with caution.

This is baking, Dexter-style.

I made homemade fondant using a marshmallow base. I didn't use an exact recipe, but instead went by consistency. I used marshmallows, vanilla extract, Grand Marnier, vegetable shortening and powdered sugar. If you color the fondant I recommend adding the coloring before the powdered sugar; it mixes more evenly and avoids scary rainbow hands.

I didn't have time to photograph step-by-step, but I made a basic yellow sheet cake, covered the top with fresh strawberries and poured tinted cream-cheese frosting over the top. The color is meant to represent a surgical drape :)

I filled the fondant stomach with macerated strawberries... Creepy.

I brushed the scalpels with extra silver dust to create a glisten.

Now we get creative.
Channel your inner psychopath.

I know.

I'm sorry.

I may have gotten a bit carried away with this project.

I created a laceration to release gastric/strawberry goodness.

Anyone hungry?

Monday, May 30, 2011

His and Hers Engagement Cakes

This September, my brother is taking the ultimate plunge and tying the knot. Congratulations, Ben and Megan! I couldn't be happier to welcome Megan into our family.

To celebrate, I wanted to bring them a cake... but I couldn't decide which type to make. The idea of a Bananas Foster cake had long been in the back of my mind, but I also had an enormous bowl of apples begging to be baked.

Growing up, my dad always said "if you have one cow, you may as well have a herd." You already have the equipment ready and have to care and feed daily, so why not have several for slightly more work?

This is how I feel about baking; hence, Ben and Megan received two cakes.

The bride-to-be would have a "princess" apple-walnut cake with cream cheese frosting, and the groom would receive a bananas foster cake with brown sugar frosting. Yum :)

Get some bananas...

... and foster the crap out of 'em. Butter, brown sugar, bananas, banana liqueur and dark rum.

I used the completed bananas foster in the cake batter as well as between the baked layers.

For the frosting, I added some of the bananas foster (without the banana), Godiva Caramel liquer and extra brown sugar to a basic buttercream. The concentrated mixture served as the decoration.

I used the Magnolia Bakery recipe for apple cake. It was just okay... since making these cakes I have created a much better recipe, which I will post later.

Make some cream cheese frosting...

I find that adding a little extra frosting to the center layers helps when covering the sides.

Make sure the layers are even and apply a crumb coat.

Congratulations again, and enjoy your "BM" cakes! (hehe)

Sunday, May 29, 2011

First Birthday Cake and Big Sister Cake

I decided to make my niece a special cake for her first birthday earlier this year. I wanted something that she could have all to herself to destroy- a giant cupcake seemed perfect for her baby birthday wreckage.

I used a basic yellow cake recipe with a simple cream cheese frosting.

I baked several mini cakes in souffle dishes and carved them into a basic cupcake shape, adhering the layers with frosting.

An upside-down cupcake on the top provided stability for the frosting. Don't forget to apply a thin crumb coat before decorating!

Of course, big sister needed a special cake as well! Being a big sister is hard work and deserves special recognition :)

I wanted the "big sister" cake to be grown up, so I made it like a tiny personal replica of large round cakes. For a special twist, I wanted the inside of the cake to look like a heart when cut. I added food coloring to an extra cake before baking...