This year McCormick introduced lavender into America's spice rack even though some people have probably been cooking with it long before. I found this culinary lavender below at Draeger's and couldn't wait to use it. It's important to make sure the lavender you use is food grade and doesn't have pesticides or other non-food grade chemicals.
This was my first baking experience with lavender and I didn't want it to taste like perfume, which can happen if you use too much. I also wanted to make a mini-layer cake with my new pans. To see the lavender cake recipe I used, click here. It gave a light lavender flavor without being overwhelmingly floral. I made a butter and powdered sugar frosting with a touch of vanilla.
Lately, I have been a bit obsessed with the candy melts which I know aren't really made with quality ingredients, but they are really fun to play with and they are easy to use. I wanted to make flowers based on these sketches.
So I melted the purple candy melts, piped the design onto waxed paper and sprinkled them with purple sanding sugar. You can put the design in the fridge to harden immediately or leave it out to harden.
I also piped two colors into each other and spread them and sugared them as well.
and it resulted in my favorite design.
I also used nonpareils which looked nice. They bounce like crazy when you shake them off, however.
Layering two flower designs...
One other option using edible pearls...
Finally I made the mini-cake which was a disappointment. The pans are significantly tapered so the layers don't stack properly. The cakes were very domed-shaped and I chose to level one layer but leave the top dome. It looked like a beehive!! Actually that would be a cute cake with little candy melt bees! I carefully adhered the sugared flowers all over the cake and I quite liked the effect. So despite the funky shaped cake, I did like the decorations.
One last confession and request for suggestions...I am not a very good cake leveler (see the checkerboard cake post). Does anyone have any suggestions beyond using toothpicks to mark out the cake. Is there a gadget to help me do a better job? Is there such a thing as a cake level? If not, I might have to make one.
Lately, I have been a bit obsessed with the candy melts which I know aren't really made with quality ingredients, but they are really fun to play with and they are easy to use. I wanted to make flowers based on these sketches.
So I melted the purple candy melts, piped the design onto waxed paper and sprinkled them with purple sanding sugar. You can put the design in the fridge to harden immediately or leave it out to harden.
I also piped two colors into each other and spread them and sugared them as well.
and it resulted in my favorite design.
I also used nonpareils which looked nice. They bounce like crazy when you shake them off, however.
Layering two flower designs...
One other option using edible pearls...
Finally I made the mini-cake which was a disappointment. The pans are significantly tapered so the layers don't stack properly. The cakes were very domed-shaped and I chose to level one layer but leave the top dome. It looked like a beehive!! Actually that would be a cute cake with little candy melt bees! I carefully adhered the sugared flowers all over the cake and I quite liked the effect. So despite the funky shaped cake, I did like the decorations.
One last confession and request for suggestions...I am not a very good cake leveler (see the checkerboard cake post). Does anyone have any suggestions beyond using toothpicks to mark out the cake. Is there a gadget to help me do a better job? Is there such a thing as a cake level? If not, I might have to make one.
3 comments:
I saw Alton Brown level his cakes using two pieces of wood and a saw blade from a hardware store. Lay a piece of wood on each side of the cake, keep the saw blade flush against the wood and the cake should be level. Find a stainless steel blade and throw it in the dishwasher first (maybe a hacksaw blade). You can also wrap the pieces of wood in plastic wrap to have a more "sanitary" work surface. Or maybe you can find plastic pieces of varying heights.
Good luck,
Tim Tomczyk
A couple of options:
1. Wilton makes a cake top cutter - you can get it at most Micheals/Joanns. It seems like it would work ok
2. Dental floss - you can mark around the edges of the cake w/ toothpicks and then string the floss up/down around the toothpicks. Once all the way around you can pull the floss in opposite direction and cut through the cake
3. Magi-cake strips.
http://magi-cake.com/
These are my personal favorite. Wilton makes a knock-off and they do not work as well, I highly endorse the Magi-cake brand. You soak the strips in water and wrap them around your cake pan. They keep the sides from cooking faster than the middle so the cake come out flat. I use these and also drop my oven temp by 25oF and my cakes come out completely level - a necessity when you're doing layered cakes. Hope that helps
Hi Lauren! I found your blog through Brandy's. I love reading about your baking and decorating experimentation! With a 10 month old, I just don't have time do that fun stuff anymore! I am planning to make some sugar cookies that I want to use to decorate my daughter's first birthday cake. Do you have a recipe that you are willing to share? Can you also tell me more about the icing that you use to decorate them?
Thanks!
Rebecca Weber
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