Save Yourself Some $ on Special Occasions!

     Hi all! It's been awhile since my last post...today I want to talk about cheap cakes that look as amazing as store-bought cakes. I created this cake with Yellow Duncan Hines Cake Mix and Chocolate Frosting by Betty Crocker. The cake is a 9x13in, single layer, so the perfect size for a small family get together. I applied the chocolate frosting with a knife. A helpful hack is to wet the knife after every application. This helps create one smooth layer of frosting across the cake and decreases the amount of imperfections visible. 

     I'd also like to point out that this was my very first time piping flowers on a cake. I learned the best way to pipe roses from a video by Global Sugar Art on YouTube. (Link to video is on the bottom of this post.) It is easier to pipe flowers with a Buttercream frosting, but as this cake shows, it is do-able with store-bought frosting as well. After I piped the rose onto a wax paper square with my Wilton Tip #104, I put it in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden it up. By doing this, I was able to peel the rose off of the wax paper and just place it on the cake with my hands. I proceeded to create leaves on the side of the rose with tip #352. I completed the writing on the cake with tip #2 as well as the rosebuds. The shell border on the sides of the cake was created with tip # 105. All colors of frosting were created with the Wilton Color Right kit. This cake shows how a gorgeous birthday cake can be created very inexpensively. I paid a total of $5.60 for the ingredients I used in this cake. Of course a cake like this takes a lot of time, but it will save you money in the long run!

Link to Piping a Rose

Hi Everyone! Today I'll be sharing a special birthday cake that I made just a few months ago. I made this cake for my boyfriend, Mike because he is a very avid hunter and loves nature. This cake took me about six hours total. There are many small details that went into it. This cake is perfect for any outdoorsman(or outdoorswoman!) First, I made two 9x13in cakes using camouflage cake mix...you can purchase it here: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Duff-Goldman-Camouflage-Premium-Cake-Mix-18.25-oz/35679938 Using this type of cake mix is optional, but it definitely adds something extra to the cake. After baking the cakes according to the instructions on the box, let them cool completely. Next, start making the crusting buttercream. I used this recipe here: http://iambaker.net/the-perfect-crusting-buttercream/  I would personally double this recipe. It does make a lot of frosting, but if you have frosting leftover, it does keep well. After making the crusting buttercream, apply a white crumb coat to the cakes, after stacking them on top of one another. Applying a crumb coat makes the final decorative application of colored frosting look immensely neater. Next, you'll want to create the colors used for the camouflage on the sides of the cake. The Wilton Color Right Performance System. You can get it here:  http://www.walmart.com/ip/45453879?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227032949560&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=66579638432&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=130447662032&veh=sem
   In my opinion, this was the most challenging part of the project. A good video that will help you greatly in this step is here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/405535141424910578/ The foam roller is also an optional step, but it does give the frosting a fondant-like appearance. After this step has been completed, I would recommend doing the pond first. The pond is frosted using a bent icing knife to give it a wavy texture. Your pond can vary in size, if desired. Next, I'd recommend frosting the meadow of grass. I used Wilton tip 234.  http://www.wilton.com/no-234-multi-opening-decorating-tip/402-234.html#q=grass+tip&prefn1=contentType&prefv1=shop&start=1 Next, I did the decorative brown borders around the cake. As you can see, the top is darker than the light, you can make them match if you'd like. I used Wilton tip no. 35. http://www.wilton.com/no-35-closed-star-decorating-tip/402-35.html#q=shell+tip&prefn1=contentType&prefv1=shop&start=27 After completing this, you'll want to add the trees next. The "trees" are made of sugar cones. I took a regular sized sugar cone and carefully sawed it down to make it "fun sized". Then, I made an evergreen colored frosting and applied that to the sugar cone using tip 35. You'll also note the hunting decorations I used for the cake. I ordered these from Amazon for approximately $11. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058TVK52?keywords=hunting%20cake%20toppers&qid=1456506481&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 And there you have it! I hope you found this decorating idea interesting and hopefully you'll even try it if someone in your family is into hunting. Happy creating!

~Em

Hey Everyone! I'm going to share with you one of my greatest baking feats, Disney Princess cupcakes! Many girls absolutely love and idolize the Disney Princesses, so this decorating idea is a win-win for everyone! This decorating idea will definitely take some time, but the end result is worth it. So first, what you will need to do is make your cupcakes, color doesn't matter. While your cupcakes are baking, you can go online to: https://www.google.com/search?q=disney+princess+cupcake+toppers&biw=1920&bih=985&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiPjOOwjJHLAhUKFT4KHc8XBH4Q_AUIBygC#imgrc=pog5iiNyps0bvM%3A This should take you to an image with images of the princesses from the waist up. If it doesn't work, Pinterest has many other ways to obtain this image. Or, if you are proactive, you probably already ordered the cupcake toppers from Party City or something, but it is fun to attempt them yourself. After printing out the images, you'll want to cut them out, leaving a place to attach the toothpick. After this is done, you can laminate them, and cut them out again. This is time-consuming, but the toppers would be re-usable and there is no way the ink would run, if wet. Next, you'll want to attach toothpick to the toppers (I just used scotch tape because I was in a pinch, and it worked great). After the cupcakes have cooled, you'll want to start your frosting. For those in a time crunch, Pillsbury Whipped Vanilla canned frosting works great, that is what I used. For those with a little time on your hands, I would suggest a stiff buttercream frosting that would help hold the topper in place. Depending on which princesses you're doing, you'll have to color the frosting accordingly. For perfect color match, I would highly suggest using Wilton Color Right Performance System. You can get it here:  http://www.walmart.com/ip/45453879?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227032949560&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=66579638432&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=130447662032&veh=sem
 I've had great luck with it so far. After creating the color desired, pipe the frosting using Wilton decorating tip: 2D http://www.wilton.com/no-2d-drop-flower-decorating-tip/418-2004.html#q=decorating+tips&prefn1=contentType&prefv1=shop&start=17 
After you've done that, insert the toppers and decorate as desired (I used edible flowers for Rapunzel's dress and a tiny bit of colored sugar for a little contrast on the dresses). I hope you found this idea inspiring and creative! Give it a shot! Let me know how it goes!

~Em

Hi! My name is Emily Pawelski. I'm a college student, studying Forensic Accounting who relieves her stress by creating awesome baked goods! Baking has always been a way for me to explore my creative abilities as well as being a way to reduce stress in my busy life. It is vitally important that we find ways to channel our emotions through creativity because in today's world, everything is like a pressing matter, or needs to be done right away, and we often feel like we have no time for ourselves. So my blog is dedicated to creating unique baked goods that will hopefully tap into your reserves of creativity and reduce your stress as much as possible! Here's to self-expression and creativity!

~Em