Whirlwinds & Giveaways

Wow.

That's all I have to say about these past few weeks.

I'm a married lady now!!

                                                              ...just a little sneak peak...
A little recap of what's been going on since I last left you: we moved out of our storage unit the Monday before the wedding, moved things into the new house throughout the rest of week (to include the DAY OF the wedding), baked 3 cakes, 80 cupcakes and 2 batches of sugar cookies for MY wedding and decorated said cakes/cupcakes/cookies, spent time with out of town guests, had the day/best night of my life, went on the most relaxing/amazing honeymoon, started the new job, unpacked the house and decorated 2 more cakes.

I know what you're thinking... wow. There's nothing else you can say really.

But enough about me.. how have you all been?


I hope you all have been having a good October so far- maybe not as busy as mine, but good nonetheless.

Did you also know that October is National Cookie Month? I came back just in time!

To get back in the swing of things I decided not only to make you all some of my favorite Fall time cookies, but also host a giveaway!

The wonderful folks at Tate's Bake Shop let me taste some of the their latest creations and are giving me the opportunity to not only share cookies with you, but giveaway a signed copy of Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook as well.

Their newest cookie is the award winning Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie... and let me tell you, these 3 bags were on my parents kitchen counter for a whopping 20 minutes before they were all completely gone. Crumbs- that's what was left. They were delicious.

So how can you win 3 bags of these wonderful cookies AND a cookbook?* Simply let me know what your favorite fall inspired cookie is! And make sure you leave me an email address so I can get in touch with you.  *giveaway only open to US residents*
Even if you don't win, you can still recieve a 15% discount if you order cookies online by using the code: COOKIE. You won't disappointed with these cookies!

Using a random number generator, I'll be picking a winner on Halloween so get your cookies in now- Kathleen King's cookies are delicious and her cookbook is one I use often in my own kitchen.

And later on this week I'll be back with one of my favorite Fall treats.

                                                                        Happy Baking!

Live from the East Coast

Lots of exciting things have been going on since we last chatted (which is why I've been MIA) and there are plenty more to follow in the coming weeks (can you say wedding fever??) so unfortunately I'll be flying under the radar again soon.

I did, however, want to take this time to keep you updated on a few significant life events:

1- My Dad and I made it to the east coast in one piece. Once we got out of Texas we hit rain almost the entire way forcing us to stop more than we would have liked, but it did allow us to go by each of our alma maters and pick up new sweatshirts (it's the little things that make road trips great). We chatted about everything under the sun, from military to politics, religion and family matters.. it was a great couple of days.

2- In the past couple of weeks I've managed to make not 1, but 2 wedding cakes.. check these little beauties out...

Danielle and Ricky wanted something simple with pearl accents and fresh flowers. They went with a small strawberry cake for display and cutting and served guests with a couple of large sheet cakes.. Shortly after dropping this off I picked my Dad up from the airport and we began our trek to VA.

I've been friends with Eric and Steph since high school so making their wedding cake was extra special. They went with alternating tiers of Chocolate Guinness Cake w/ Baileys Buttercream and Wedding White w/ Vanilla Buttercream. I literally started preparing this cake the day after our roadtrip and transporting their cake was quite an adventure, but I was so happy to be a part of their special day.

3- It's go time. The wedding countdown has begun and I have a lot to do in the next 13 days (insert stressful thoughts here) Thankfully I haven't started my new job yet, so I'll be running around all over the place getting things done...I can't wait!!

I'm going to try and get another post in before the wedding, but I can't make any promises.. I've got a "guest book" to make (can't wait to show you the finished project) and lots of other goodies to take care of so I may be MIA for another few weeks. 

Oh, and did I mention that I have to start baking MY wedding cake this weekend??

Happy Baking!

Traveling Wedding Cake- Take 2

I apologize for being a little flaky last week, but one of my best friends got married this past weekend.

That's a good excuse, right? Did I mention I also made the cake??

And not just any cake.. a traveling wedding cake.

Of course, as with all the weddings we've gone to thus far, we were required to travel quite a bit.

Not only did I travel with the pre-baked, un-frosted, cakes from Texas, decorate it in my mother's kitchen using the various tools and tubs of buttercream I managed to smuggle onto the plane, we then had to drive another 2 hours with the finished cake in tow.

 But it doesn't matter, because all that being said, I'll do anything for my wonderful girlfriends!

When Shannon asked me to make a little cake for her and her hubby's ceremonial cut, I was honored- it didn't matter how many airplanes and automobiles it had to travel on.

All of my friends have been so great about giving me artistic freedom with their cakes and Shannon was no exception. She gave me just a few things she wanted and sent me on my marry way: chocolate cake, yellow decorations, and a flower.

This was my first attempt at a large gumpaste flower, but I really wanted to recreate the flower that was on her dress..

You're not going to believe this, but with all the hustle and bustle surrounding the wedding and trying to set up the cake before meeting friends for lunch, I forgot to take a photo of the cake after I set it up originally. The best shot I got was during the reception when the lights were dimmed and things were all over the table (they had the small cake sitting on their table with them).

 

I'm really hoping the photographer got a good one before everyone got into the reception and the lights were dimmed. No matter the quality of the picture, Shannon loved it and the hubby couldn't believe the flower was edible.

Another successful wedding cake for the books! And many more to come!

Happy Baking!

*And if you would- I have a new facebook page for all my cake creations- I'd love for you to "like" me :) I'll be posting pictures of cakes and possibly some tutorials along the way!

A Marble Falls Wedding

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time can pass.

It seems like just yesterday Mountain Man came home and let me know he'd try to get me a wedding cake gig with a girl he met on his way home from a business trip.

Shortly after that, I was contacted by Diana and the wedding cake planning began. She went non-traditional, which I loved! She wanted just a small cake for the cutting, a cake for the groom and cupcakes for the guests.

We discussed flavors, fillings, frostings and numbers, the couple came for a tasting and just when we thought we had everything figured out a few last minute changes occurred.

For starters, we were originally going to use this delicious Mango Curd as a filling for the wedding cake, but about a month before the wedding the couple decided to switch it up and requested a Red Velvet Cake instead (no biggie). And as the number of guests increased, so did the number of cupcakes.

Red Velvet Wedding Cake

With 2 cakes, 90 cupcakes (3 flavors) and 30 mini banana creme pies to make, time management was key.

Needless to say, my kitchen became an assembly line of batters and frostings, but I got it all done.

Strawberry Cupcakes

 Va-Va Vanilla Cupcakes

Luscious Lemon Cupcakes

All packed up and ready to go!

I always get so nervous when transporting cakes and cupcakes. I don't know how Duff and his gang do it on the streets of Baltimore! Every bump and turn make me cringe, praying that nothing is happening to the sweets carefully tucked away in their boxes.

Thankfully we all got to the venue in one piece and I was able to set up the goods on the fabulously sweet dessert table. Along with my cakes and cupcakes, guests had a plethora of goodies to feast on throughout the evening.

 

Another wedding down and hopefully many more to come!

Don't forget to check out my new cake site: sweetsbye.weebly.com 

...serving the Central Texas area one sweet at a time!

Brown Butter Blueberry Crumb Cake

Mountain Man and I recently embarked on a new adventure: marriage counseling. For the next few weeks, every Sunday afternoon we meet with about 7 other couples to talk about all things marriage.

Speaking of marriage.. want to see some of those engagement photos I traded for??

we couldn't resist.. this tree was so cool!

Normally I spend my Saturday mornings baking up something delicious for breakfast, but I wanted to make sure we had something good to eat before class.

I know I just got done talking about how I wanted to use more of my cookbooks and not get sucked into the wonderful recipes found all over the blogsphere, but I just couldn't resist!

In addition to my enormous collection of cookbooks, I also have 3 folders worth of printed recipes, not to mention a bookmarked folder of recipes on my computer.

This recipe for instance was printed out by yours truly in July and only now am I just getting around to making it! It's getting ridiculous..

When I woke up, I had a huge hankering for coffee cake.. it might have had something to do with the delicious looking Blueberry Crumb Cake that Lindsey of Gingerbread Bagels (really pretty much everything she makes looks delicious) had recently made, but whatever the reason I knew something needed to be done about it.

I started looking through all my recipes and there it was: Joy the Baker's Browned Butter Fresh Blueberry Muffins- I LOVE brown butter- but because coffee cake was still on the mind I opted to pour all the batter into a baking dish. Then it dawned on me.. the crumb that Lindsey had going on?! Fabulous. The perfect addition.

 Look at that crumb! 

Thank you Lindsey for introducing me to the best crumb out there..

Brown Butter Blueberry Crumb Cake
Cake from Joy the Baker
Crumb from Lindsey at Gingerbread Bagels
Makes one 8x8 baking dish
Oven: 350 Bake time: 30 minutes

7 TBS unsalted butter
2/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup AP flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh blueberries

Crumb
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/3 cup AP flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keeping an eye on the butter, melt and cook down until little brown bits appear in the pan- the crackling will subside and the butter will begin to brown fairly quickly. Remove from heat.
Whisk milk, egg, yolk, vanilla, until combined. Add browned butter and stir to combine.
In a medium bow, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add milk and butter mixture all at once and stir to combine.
Fold in blueberries.
Pour batter into baking dish.
Make crumb topping by mixing all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Sprinkle mixture generously over batter.

Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Happy Baking! 

Monster Cookies

Normally when the word monster comes up in conversation negative things are to follow, but that is not the case with these cookies.

It's quite the contrary actually. When you hear monster cookies in conversation only positive things are to follow.

I think monsters get bad raps really...they're just misunderstood if you ask me.

Take Cookie Monster for instance- does his passion and love for all things cookie make him a monster?

If that's the case then I'm a Baking Monster and more recently a Wedding Monster (not to be confused with Bridezilla- she is nasty).

When I say wedding monster I mean to say that I now find myself consumed by everything and anything wedding. The Knot, Wedding Channel and WeddingWire have become my new best friends... I find myself browsing Martha Stewart Weddings for ideas, stalking facebook wedding albums for inspiration and scouring the internet for the perfect dress at all times of the day.

I've also thought long and hard and finally decided that I am going to make my own wedding cake- it just seems right. Am I crazy for doing this? Maybe, but let's hope not...

But enough about the wedding monster...I'm sure she'll be making an appearance or two in the coming months.

Lets make some cookies!

Monster Cookies
A Paula Deen recipe
Oven: 350 Bake time: 8-10 minutes
Yields 2-3 dozen cookies (depending on size)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
12 oz peanut butter
4 1/2 cups Quick Oats
1/2 cup m&ms
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins* optional

Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars.
Add eggs, salt, vanilla and peanut butter.
Stir in quick oats, baking soda, m&ms, chocolate chips and raisins*- mix well.
For Monster-sized cookies, use an ice cream scoop to get a heaping spoonful of dough or just use a small scoop for regular sized cookies.
Place on parchment paper a few inches a part from each other.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until just browned.
Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely before eating.

What kind of monster are you??

Happy Baking!

Have Wedding Cake, Will Travel

That's right folks, another traveling wedding cake!

Is it nerve racking you ask? A little bit..but it's also very exciting, especially when the bride and groom have no idea what is in store for them.

And how do I get myself into these things you ask? Well, it's quite easy when you like to make cakes and all of your good friends still live on the east coast.

Case in point, this little number I traveled to Savannah with this past weekend for two of our very good friends.

This cake was very special to me because the couple I made it for is also very special. Andrea and I were roommates for two years during grad school and upon meeting, immediately became fast friends. T.Ray and A.Way (as she used to be called) met around the same time Mountain Man and I did at a local gym that Taylor actually co-owned. As the roommate, I got to watch as her and Taylor's relationship grew and couldn't have been more excited when they asked me to make their wedding cake. In just a few short weeks after their first date, the two became inseparable- doing all sorts of things together, to include working out (Taylor is into the whole weight lifting thing if you can't tell), which is what inspired the custom cake topper I made for them out of clay.

I kept the decorations a secret from the bride and groom and I'm so glad I did.. they were absolutely ecstatic about the topper.. I think Taylor literally gave me 3 bear hugs after seeing it, laughing the entire time.

Perfect (ok semi-perfect) little clay replicas of the couple in all their wedding glory.. we even got them to try the pose out in real life too!

Andrea and Taylor couldn't have asked for better weather for an outdoor wedding. The ceremony took place in one of the many squares adorning the city and the reception was held in one of the most haunted homes in Savannah- the Kehoe House. We laughed, we cried, we ate cake and danced the afternoon away all in a perfect Savannah Fall day.

For those of you wondering how I made this travel happen here's a quick recap:
Fortunately (for me), their wedding was small, which meant we didn't need a large cake. I actually baked, decorated and covered the cakes in fondant in Texas and then did the rest once we arrived in Savannah. The night before we left I boxed up the cakes, covered them in saran wrap and then wrapped them in bubble wrap so that they couldn't move much. MM and I hand carried the cakes throughout the rest of the trip as our carry-ons and boy did we have to answer a lot of questions along the way. The flight attendants were awesome about it though and even let us keep the cakes on the plane during our layover (one of them actually hung out in our seats so the cakes weren't disturbed by the cleaning people). Saturday morning I set up the cake before the wedding, added the ribbon, the topper and the rest was history.

Oh and don't worry, I've got another one in September :)

Italian Wedding Cookies

Italian Wedding Cookies for an Italian wedding just seemed to make sense...

One of my roommates from college got married this weekend- the first one to take the leap. The wedding was on Long Island, so of course being in Texas now this meant another weekend spent traveling, but what's a little traveling when I get to spend the weekend with some of my favorite girls??

reunited and it feels so gooood

 

My girlfriends and I in college, were well... we were your typical college girls, who just happened to be a part of a fabulous looking sorority and always looking to have a good time. Most of the time 15 girls split between 3 town houses = Trouble (with a captial T) and some this weekend proved that some things never change! Even though we can't make a toweled run for it between houses to borrow an outfit, eat late night munchies every weekend together, have late night dance parties, and study breaks that included Dance Dance Revolution, we still manage to have a good time whenever the chance arises.

The wedding was gorgeous and Dani made an absolutely beautiful bride (we expected nothing less). But spending the weekend catching up, laughing, reminiscing, dancing and celebrating made being extremely exhausted on this fine Monday morning totally worth it!

Italian Wedding Cookies
also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies, 
Almond Butter Cookies and Viennese Crescents
Oven: 300 Bake Time: 30 minutes
Yields at least 3 dozen

1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups AP flour
1 cup Almond Meal
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 300. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla.
Whisk flour and almond meal- add to butter/sugar mixture.
Mix well until combined.
Roll cookie dough into small balls (a spoonful) or crescents and place on prepared baking sheets.

Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes.
After baking transfer to cooling rack for at least 20 minutes (you don't want the sugar to melt when rolling).
Place 1 cup of powdered sugar into small bowl and roll cooled cookies til coated.

Once coated these little guys are ready to eat.

Delizioso!

Happy Baking!!

True Life: I'm traveling 1063 miles with a Wedding Cake

You're probably going through the 5 W's right about now..
Who would travel that far with a cake?
What is she thinking?
When is this happening?
Where is she going?
How is she doing it?

Well my friends, I've got your answers for all these questions and then some.

This is the Ultimate Traveling Sweet.. A Wedding Cake.

It all started when my good friend met the girl of his dreams. A few months later there was already talk of rings and the next thing I know I'm having a phone conversation in my Texas office with a boy in Georgia who is about to ask the most important question of his life to the love of his life. Just before we hung up, I jokingly (but totally serious) remarked that I would love to be the one to make their wedding cake... little did I know what would come next..

the happy couple strolling in Savannah..

Of course I had no idea that a few weeks later I would find myself having another conversation about how they wanted to take me up on the offer -they wanted to have friends involved in the wedding and the wedding cake was a perfect start. I was completely flattered, so excited and so completely caught off guard because, well the truth of the matter is.. I've never made a wedding cake! But that didn't stop me from saying yes! Decorating wedding cakes is a dream of mine and what better way to start than with friends?

Oh, did I mention that the wedding would be in Georgia? I live in Texas.

So now you're probably thinking, well how the heck does she plan on pulling this off? Good question.

After a few more conversations with the bride-to-be and her mother, decorations, flavors and size were determined.. my plan was/is to bake all the cakes ahead of time, freeze them and then fly with them as my carry on... I can't wait to see what the security people have to say when they see two large duffle bags of cake going through the x-ray...

Our poor freezer...we couldn't even make ice all week!

This past weekend was spent in the kitchen baking cakes..big ones, little ones.. oh, and before I forget, I'm also making the groom's cake and cupcakes. So for those of you still following, thats 2 14-inch cakes, 2 10-inch cakes, 2 6-inch cakes, 3 9-inch cakes and 50 cupcakes (which there are no room for in the freezer). Thankfully MM will be with me, so we're heading out on Thursday night, cakes in tow, and I'll be spending all day in the kitchen on Friday assembling the cakes and decorating- I'm making all the icing in Georgia.

Test run.. just to make sure they would all fit!

Did I get in over my head? Maybe. Am I having a great time so far? Absolutely... Talk to me again Friday afternoon..

Now I love a good adventure and if this doesn't qualify as an adventure then I don't know what does..

Say a prayer for me, rub your lucky rabbits foot, pick up a penny, keep a horse shoe handy.. I'll take anything!