Cakes and Desserts

Getting ready for Easter weekend was like working in a bakery for me! Flour was flying, my stove top was in overdrive and I was busier than a bed bug, but WOW did my treats turn out good!

I made a 16th bday cake for my daughter, Petit Fours, Baklava, Raspberry Lemon Bars, and Mini Cheesecakes, then I packed them all into the car and took them for a 4 hour ride to WI....they made it in one piece and were a hit!

My daughter loves to take food photos, so I baked, she photographed, what do you think?

On Saturday, before Easter, I decided to bake some chocolate chip cookies with my sweet little 2yo niece, she had a blast playing with the dough, so she made her very own cookie!  Here she is:

Cake Pops...I'm addicted!

Yesterday was our monthly 4H meeting and it was our turn to bring snacks. I just can't take the easy way out and buy a pre-made snack, it just isn't me. So I had the brilliant idea to make Cake Pops, you see, Bakerella has my daughter and I inspired!

I began the process on Sunday evening, baking the cake and forming the balls. I made a strawberry cake and a vanilla cake, thinking the kids would love the strawberry.

Monday, I dipped the balls in white chocolate and good old milk chocolate! This was quite the process, I learned quickly though, you need to keep your balls on the smaller size!

My snacks were a hit, the strawberry cake balls dipped in milk chocolate almost taste like a truffle, and the vanilla cake dipped in white chocolate is much better than dipped in the milk chocolate! My two cakes made a total of 84 balls and I used 3 bags of chocolate wafers! Unbelievably...and I didn't even try...but each cake made the exact same number of balls!

These are so good...I can't keep my hands off of them, and it was so fun to see people's eyes light up when they bit into them last night!  Time consuming but worth it.

Thanks Bakerella for a great idea!

Strawberry Pie!

Last week I picked 15 pounds of strawberries, so of course I had to save some from the freezer and make a strawberry pie...doesn't it look good?

Instead of just tempting you with the looks, I'll give you the recipe as well! Enjoy!

Strawberry Glace Pie

1 baked 9 inch pie crust

1 pkg cream cheese
6 cups of strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 T corn starch
1/2 c water

Mix the cream cheese until soft and spread on the bottom of your baked crust.
Mash enough strawberries to equal one cup.
Put the remaining berries over your cream cheese.
Place the cornstarch and sugar in a pan, slowly add the water and the mashed berries, stir constantly and bring to a boil, boil for 1 minute and pour over the berries in your crust!

Cool for about 3 hrs or until set, then enjoy!