I used to wonder where I got such a passion for food from. It consumes my daily thoughts, and when I am upset, food is the source of comfort I go straight to. But lately, I’ve realized it’s obvious where my obsession stems from: Mother Cookie. Like mother, like daughter, right?
You see, last week was a stressful one here in the Smart Cookie household. When Mother Cookie was having a particularly rough day, she slouched over to me and asked,
“Can I have some of your Almond Joy Poke Cake, or were you saving it for something?”
I looked up and replied,
“Have as much as you want.”
“I’m going to stick my whole freakin’ face in it,” she declared and trotted off.
That’s my mom!
Mother Cookie knows the healing powers of food, and after a hard day, she wasn’t afraid to embrace a big old pan of my Almond Joy Poke Cake. Considering that cake has “joy” in its name, it should come as no surprise that it has unparalleled mood-lifting powers in every heavenly bite.
A while back, I crafted what I consider to be heaven’s nectar: Milky Way Ganache. It was beautiful in its simplicity: my favorite candy bar melted together with heavy cream to create a satiny, rich sauce like no other. After I shamefully ate way too many sinful spoonfuls, and the chocolate-caramel bliss was gone, I never could get it out of my mind. I needed an excuse to make it again.
Since I am head-over-heels in love with ooey-gooey Milky Ways, I was more than happy to dream up another treat that featured them. What I have for you today is every Milky Way lover’s dream, the ultimate goo-rific chocolate experience that will satisfy every Milky Way-loving bone in your body.
If you use the term “dulce de leche” with a non-foodie, they’ll probably think you’re exceptionally fancy and cultured. Look at you, using foreign words! But in all reality, dulce de leche is just a pretty name for thick caramel-like sauce. If you like caramel at all, there’s a good chance you will love the socks off of dulce de leche, caramel’s richer, more viscous cousin.
Every time I take my periodical trips to Wegmans, I make it a point stock up on jars of dulce de leche. You can make this stuff at home too, but I’m lazy, and the dulce de leche I buy is top-quality and tastes like a caramely dream. I keep a few on hand because it’s so wonderful to bake with (or eat with a spoon like the glutton I am). And when I found myself looking for a new frosting recipe idea, I couldn’t have been happier to see this sweet edible gold awaiting me in the pantry. Continue reading →
Do you want to know why these Two-Bite Red Velvet Candy Cakes exist? Because I can be an absent-minded idiot sometimes. Let’s not sugarcoat it; you’ve got to be a fool to do some of the things I do. You see, I went to make my Chewy Red Velvet Bars with Whipped Cream Frosting the other day, and I knew exactly how to make them: ignore the boxed directions; beat in a stick of butter and two eggs instead. So what did I do? I completely ejected that from my mind and poured the cup or so of water called for in the box directions onto my cake batter.
Bars = ruined.
So my marvelous Mother Cookie was kind enough to go buy me another box of red velvet cake mix for the bars, but I still had that whole bowl of ruined battered that I didn’t want to waste. So I followed through with what I started and baked it into a cake instead.
Of course, then I needed something to actually do with the cake. Given the ingredients I had on hand, these Two-Bite Red Velvet Hearts were an easy solution. I can’t begin to tell you how incredibly addicting these red velvet devils are, and the fact that they’re bite-sized makes it so easy to inhale a hundred of ‘em. They are even better than a box of chocolate, and that means a lot coming from me.
Even with a boxed cake mix, you get a super moist and decadent red velvet cake center that’s perfectly complimented by a smooth white chocolate shell. They remind me of the snack cakes you buy at the grocery store, like the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes I loved so much as a kid. Of course, these are even better because they’re homemade. And you only need a few ingredients to make ‘em.
Don’t disappoint your Valentine this year with boring chocolates when you can give them these candy-cake hybrids instead. They’re really easy to make, but your sweetheart will think you slaved over them. One thing he or she can be sure of is that they were made with love.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Although I’d normally scold you for using boxed mix, it’s totally okay here because we’re doctoring it up.
This idea would work for any holiday, with any cake flavor, and any shaped cookie cutter. Get creative!
If you don’t freeze the cake before dipping, you’re going to have a crumbly mess. Trust the recipe, my friends.
Two-Bite Red Velvet Candy Cakes By The Smart Cookie Cook
Yield – about 2 dozen hearts
Ingredients:
1 9×13 red velvet cake , use your favorite recipe or a boxed mix
3 cups white chocolate chips
3 tbsp. vegetable shortening
Red & pink sprinkles
*The cake will be moist and fragile, so freezing it will make it hold up better to the chocolate.
Directions:
Use a large bread knife to slice off just the domed top of the cake. Discard or snack on the scraps. Next, slice the cake lengthwise into two even layers, like you’re making it into a sandwich. Carefully separate the two layers. Freeze the cakes until firm, about 1 hour.
Set up your work station: Place one layer of cake on a cutting board and line a baking sheet or cooling rack with wax paper or parchment paper. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, no bigger than 2-inches in diameter, to cut hearts out of the two cake layers. Be gentle.
Place the chocolate and shortening in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring well in between. This should only take about 4 intervals to be able to stir it smooth as long as you stir in between each interval.
Gently dip the red velvet hearts into the chocolate, letting it coat the sides. Let excess drip off and transfer to the prepared baking sheet or rack. If you don’t get all the sides completely coated during the dip, just use a spoon to drizzle more chocolate on. Immediately sprinkle on sprinkles after dipping each one, before the chocolate has a chance to set. Repeat with remaining hearts.
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge and allow to set completely.
The other day, I discovered what looked like multiple bloody gashes on my hands, arms, and elbows. You would’ve though I just took a tumble onto hard pavement and scraped myself up. But then came the awkward moment when I realized it was just dried red velvet batter, which I had been elbow-deep in all day.
That’s Food Blogging Problems 101 right there.
I guess it’s never really a problem to be working with delicious red velvet batter though. Unless of course you’re like me and a) can’t keep it in the bowl and b) can’t stop eating it raw and putting yourself at risk for salmonella. But let’s not get hung up on the negatives here. Red velvet flavored anything is about feeling good. It evokes pleasure, creating a romantic moment between you and your food. Maybe that’s why it’s such a popular flavor around Valentine’s Day.
On Monday, I’m going to be churning out one lovey-dovey post filled with my best Valentine’s recipes to get you ready for the big day, but I had to slip in a few more V-Day recipes before the big round-up. So here you go, fellow red velvet lovers: Chewy Red Velvet Bars with Whipped Cream Frosting.
These are similar to my Strawberry Sweetheart Bars because we start with a boxed cake mix. Then, you just need to add two ingredients to turn it into a moist and chewy bar with a texture teetering between cake and cookie. You’ve only got to dirty one bowl, and they bake up pretty quick, so you could say these 3-ingredient bars are one of the easiest, tastiest treats on the planet. Who doesn’t love the ease semi-homemade?
The only thing that could make these bars better is so creamy, cloud-like Whipped Cream Frosting. It’s sweet and smooth with a hint of vanilla flavor. But what makes this whipped cream better than most? It’s stabilized, which means it won’t separate and get runny like regular whipped cream does, so these bars last for days!
If you’re looking for something that will impress but requires minimal effort, then this is the recipe you want. The bars are indulgent yet light at the same time, with the perfect amount of sweetness. Share ‘em with your sweetheart or enjoy ‘em all yourself. I won’t tell!
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Not over-baking is the key to a nice and chewy texture. These guys go from done to dry fairly quickly, so pull them just before you actually think they’re done.
I would imagine this recipe works with any brand of cake mix, but because I’ve only done this with Betty Crocker Super Moist, I cannot guarantee they’ll come out the same. I know they’ll work; your texture just might be slightly more brownie-like, or you may have to adjust cooking time.
People who haven’t made whipped cream are scared by the idea of it, but it’s actually super easy to make; in fact it’s easier than any other kind of frosting, I think. All you have to do is beat the crap out of it until it forms stiff peaks. How much easier could it get?
Red Velvet Bars with Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting By The Smart Cookie Cook
Ingredients:
For the bars
1 box red velvet cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist)
½ cup (1 stick), butter, softened
2 eggs
For the whipped cream frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. cornstarch
Directions:
Place a large mixing bowl in the fridge to chill. You will use this to make the whipped cream later. The cooler the bowl is, the faster the cream will whip.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the cake mix, butter, and eggs on low speed just until well-combined.
Transfer batter to the prepared pan and press down into an even layer. It will probably be sticky, so you may want to spray your hands with nonstick spray when spreading out the batter.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Let cool completely.
Make the frosting: Place all the frosting ingredients EXCEPT for the cornstarch into the chilled mixing bowl. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Add cornstarch and continue beating until stiff peaks form. When you pull the beater away, the whipped cream should follow and hold its shape.
Spread frosting onto cooled bars in an even layer. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.
Being a vegetarian, I don’t get to eat turkey on Thanksgiving. I’m okay with that because I was never a huge turkey fanatic to begin with. There is, however, one kind of turkey I do enjoy around this time. No, it’s no Tofurkey.
It’s cake, Roasted Turkey Cake, to be exact!
This adorable cake looks just like the golden brown roasted turkey that takes center stage on your Thanksgiving table each year. It’s so realistic, you can almost hear it gobble-gobbling.
Bring this baby to the table for dessert, and your guests will think you’re serving them a second course of dinner instead. But slice through the turkey’s exterior, and you’ll see it’s not made of fowl, but cake!
Let’s be honest; it’s easy to get sick of the same ol’ pumpkin pie. This festive cake disguised as poultry is the perfect alternative. Not only is it pretty to look at, but it’s filled with moist vanilla cake and a luscious Cinnamon Buttercream. Now that’s something to be thankful for!
Check out my video ASAP, and see just how doable this fancy cake actually is to make. As a bonus, enjoy dancing drumsticks and me gobbling like a turkey.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
The best way to understand how to make this cake is to watch the video.
If fondant scares you, don’t be afraid. It’s just edible clay essentially. Roll it out, lay it down, BAM.
But if you’re still not convinced, cover the cake with chocolate ganache instead!
You’ll have extra frosting. Do with it as you please! My suggestion: I made a full batch of rice krispie treats instead of the halved version below and topped them with the extra frosting.
Chocolate cake would be fantastic too.
Large marshmallows work better than minis for making the Rice Krispie treats.
Roasted Turkey Cake By The Smart Cookie Cook
Ingredients:
1 batch vanilla cake batter, homemade or boxed mix (I used this recipe)
Special Equipment: 1.5-quart oven proof bowl like Pyrex
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare vanilla cake batter according to box/recipe instructions. Butter & flour 1.5-quart oven proof bowl then pour in batter until 2/3 full. Bake for 45-55 minutes, checking after 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a bit of crumb. Because the bowl is so deep, the outside & top of cake may brown before the middle is done. Don’t panic. Place aluminum foil around the edges and/or over the top to keep it from browning more. Once the cake is cool, you will saw off the top anyway.
Let cake cool for 20 minutes then use a knife to saw off the round domed top so that it’s flat. Slide a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen. Invert onto a plate and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the drumsticks. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly, until completely melted. Mix in the Rice Krispies until evenly distributed. Poor onto working surface lined with wax paper or parchment paper.
Once the Rice Krispie have cooled and set just enough to work with, spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray and grab a small chunk and shape into a tiny log that widens at the end. Add an egg-shaped piece on top, and you’ve got yourself a drumstick. Repeat to make another drumstick and enjoy any leftover Rice Krispie treats!
In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chunks on high for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted. Dip each drumstick in the chocolate, leaving the very end of the “bone” exposed and the fat part covered. Set on wax paper.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat 1 cup of sugar into the butter until completely incorporated. Start at a low speed then increase as it starts to incorporate to avoid a powdered sugar dust storm. Continue mixing in one cup at a time, scraping down sides from time to time. Beat in heavy cream, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt on high until light and fluffy.
Frost cooled cake with a smooth, even, and THICK layer of frosting. Roll out the fondant as thin as it will go without tearing then lay gently over top the frosted cake. Smooth out gently and cut off excess with a pizza cutter. Tuck ends in so the cake is neat and smooth.
Use leftover fondant to cut out two wings. It’s like a check mark shape. Stick one to each side of the turkey body towards the front.
Attach the two drumsticks, on each side, to one end of the cake towards the back. You can either use a bit of frosting or a toothpick.
Use the green frosting with the leaf tip to draw greenery around the turkey. Use the red with the round tip to make little cherry tomatoes. Finally, use the orange with the round tip to make little carrots.
I post a lot of extravagant, Smart Cookie-fied recipes on here like Nacho Mac & Cheese or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Topped Brownies. That’s because I love to bring you a Smart Cookie twist, to give you something a little different and even more delicious. But there are certain occasions whenI just want a pure, unaltered classic in all its simplistic glory. It doesn’t need fancy fixings or crazy twists, because it’s that good on its own. This Classic Buttery Pound Cake is tried-and-true tastiness at its best. It’s about as simple as it gets, but dear lord in heaven, is it amazing.
Pound cake is such an underrated dessert. Nowadays, everyone wants 7-layer cakes in every flavor imaginable, topped with indulgent frostings or stuffed with cookies and whole pies. But sometimes you need to put aside that slice of Oreo-stuffed brown butter red velvet cake with lavender-brownie batter-cream cheese frosting in favor of a plain old slice of good pound cake. You don’t need a damn thing to go with it. All by itself, it’s just as delicious, if not better, than any other frosting-adorned cake out there.
This particular recipe is sublime, so moist and rich you’ll want to slap somebody. Just look at that gorgeous crumb! Its buttery flavor is so darn good, and that tender texture is something only heaven’s bakers could produce. I can’t get enough of it.
Is it good for you? Of course not; this is pound cake. I don’t want to hear any fussing about how there are two sticks of butter and “Eww vegetable shortening I don’t use THAT.” Shut your pie hole. It’s one cake, one amazing, delicious, and rich cake; you can indulge just this once. Stop complaining about silly things, and just enjoy the utterly moist and buttery goodness. You know what gives it that great texture and taste? All the stuff you complain about. Just for once, don’t worry about it. This is down-home goodness, and you can thank Paula Deen for that.
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
You’ve got to keep your eye on this baby towards the end of the cooking time because it goes from perfectly done to overbaked in the blink of an eye, and making sure you don’t overbake is essential to producing a moist cake. 90% of cakes that come out dry were baked too long.
As incredible as this cake is on its own, there are a million things to do with it. Toast it and slather with butter or jam, top with chocolate ganache or caramel sauce, serve with ice cream, eat with your coffee, cover in a glaze, cube it up to put in a trifle or dunk in fondue, and so on!
This recipe is easily cut in half to yield a 1 lb. loaf pan. I’ve done that in the past.
Perfect Pound Cake Recipe adapted from Paula Deen of Food Network
Yield: 1 6-cup bundt cake or cut in half to make a 1lb. loaf pan
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened, plus more for pan
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 6-cup bundt pan or tube pan. Set aside.
With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a little crumb. Check cake after 50 minutes to ensure it doesn’t overbake. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it with foil.
Let cool completely before inverting pan and removing cake. Slice & enjoy. Store in an air-tight container.
This Wednesday marked the 19th year since your Smart Cookie Cook was born. I promised you photos, and those you shall get. But first, we must review all of the delectable dishes from this week. I wouldn’t want you to miss a single bite!
Now that you’re well fed, we’re ready to proceed to the birthday party! I had a wonderful (and delicious) birthday, complete with my two favorite things in the world: family and food. I really couldn’t have asked for a better day, except perhaps to have been able to share it with all of you. Even though you couldn’t literally join me for a slice of cake, I figured I might as well bring the cake to you!
Wait…not that cake.
There we go!
It’s marble cake with whipped cream filling and the most incredible fudge frosting. I died at the first bite. The only thing wrong with it is that it existed, and it stared at me from its place in the fridge saying, “Eat me, Colleen. It’s your birthday week; you deserve it. Just a bite…” So, I’d like to thank Holland Farms Bakery for making this amazing cake, and also for adding several pounds to my waistline. If you’ve never tried Holland Farms in Yorkville, NY, then you are missing out. Everything they churn out is fresh, homemade, and delicious. Don’t liver nearby? Don’t worry! They ship their half-moon cookies all across the country. And if you’re unfamiliar, the half-moon cookie, also known as a black and white cookie, is the most amazing cookie ever. Period.
Okay, so now that we’ve had our cake, we can have dinner. Wait, is that backwards? Doesn’t matter; it’s my birthday, and I’ll do what I want! I had a delicious, calorific meal at the Cheesecake Factory, which is one of my favorite chain-restaurants. I’ll have a full review for you coming next week!
Now, I know you’re dying to hear about my presents. I got a smorgasbord of culinary goodies like a pizza stone, a new Fall-themed apron, a Snow White spatula, and these adorable owl measuring cups!
Before I go, allow me to give you a taste of what’s coming next week. We’ve got a brand new video plus a copycat recipe for Olive Garden’s to-die-for Fettuccine Alfredo. Although, I wouldn’t call this a copy-cat, because it’s not exactly like the original. It’s better!
Guess who turned 19 today? Your very own Smart Cookie Cook! It’s a bittersweet age because I’ve come to the realization that this is my last year as a teen. Next year, I’ll be…(lord, can I even say it?)…20 years-old. That’s just unfathomable. Let’s all forget about that for today.
On the brighter side of the spectrum, every year that goes by is another 365 days of cooking and baking experience under my belt. This past year has been one of particular growth and garnered knowledge for me. It was only a little over a year ago that I started Smart Cookie, and since then, I have pushed myself to the top of all kinds of towering culinary mountains. The climb, however, is one that never ends. I will be ascending until the day I die.
Naturally, I’ll be celebrating today with the thing I love most: food. I’ve got a fantastic cake with my name on it (literally): marble cake + whipped cream filling + fudge frosting. I’m concerned no one else in my family will get a slice before I inhale that entire frosting-blanketed behemoth myself.
But you know what they say:
It’s my party, and I’ll eat that whole damn cake if I want to.
The only downside to these festivities is that I cannot share them with all of you. Of course, you can expect pictures and what not, but you can’t join me for dinner and cake in person (not that there’s any guarantee I’d share anyway). So, to make up for that, I’ve compiled The Ultimate Birthday Bash Round-Up, complete with my best party-ready recipes so you can have the best, most delicious birthday ever.
Look at me, giving out presents on my own birthday!
Birthday Breakfast:
Waffle Brownies
It’s your birthday…therefore, you have every right to consume brownies at breakfast. They’re made in a waffle maker, which technically makes them waffles, which makes them perfectly acceptable as breakfast food.
Mac & Cheese Pizza
This is party food perfection: everyone’s favorites in one delicious place. Who wouldn’t want this for their birthday?
Best Eggplant Parmigiana
If you really want to give the birthday girl/guy something special and show-stopping, this is it.
Take the Cake:
Fun – Candy Bar Cake
Everybody knows that candy is an essential food at a birthday party, second only to the cake. So why not have them both in one place?
Elegant- Dulce de Leche-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Sometimes, one big cake won’t do the job; you need personal-sized, handheld cupcakes. These caramel stuffed cuties are the ultimate sugar fix.
Classic – Homemade Funfetti Cake
The birthday classic; a tried and true favorite, only this version is much better than from a box.
Kid-Approved – Turtle Cake
For the kids (or the kid in you): a cake that’s almost too cute to eat.
Deconstructed – Confetti Cake Blizzard
If chunks of frosted vanilla cupcake swirled into vanilla soft-serve doesn’t say “Happy Birthday,” then nothing does.
One thing I love about food is its unparallelled ability to make me smile. Keep your alcohol and keep your drugs; I just want a towering slice of cake. Say the word “deep-fried,” and watch me turn into a gleeful five year-old. Offer me some french fries, and see me jump for joy. Give me chocolate, and I’ll be your best friend.
There’s no quicker path to happiness than food. Sure, drugs and alcohol might give you a sense of bliss, but that stuff is going to take some time to set in. Food, on the other hand, will slap a smile on your face in a millisecond.
Case and point: this Turtle Cake. His smile is infectious (and edible). Just about everyone loves turtles, and just about everyone loves cake, which makes this turtle treat a double threat. One of those things is bound to appeal to you. And if you happen to not like turtles and/or cake, then I don’t think you have a soul, and we probably shouldn’t be friends.
Cake shaped like a turtle is enough to make anyone grin, but I’ll give you one more reason: you can make this. Yes, you can. It doesn’t matter if you’re a pastry chef or a boxed mix baker; this impressive and adorable cake is easy and on your level. All you need to do is bake the body in an oven-proof bowl, bake the feet & head in cupcake tins, frost, and decorate! There’s no complicated carving or fancy techniques necessary. And if you’re frightened by fondant, never fear. Just use store-bought and roll it out; it’s that easy! But if you’re still shaking in your pants, check out my alternative options in the tips below.
If all else fails and this little turtle isn’t enough to make you smile, then perhaps you’ll get a kick out of my epic fail at the end of my video. Check it out!
A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:
Make sure you catch the video above! The visual makes it much easier to understand how to put this cake together.
You can use a boxed cake mix if you promise to make homemade frosting. Store-bought is disgusting in comparison.
Butter & flour the heck out of your pans to be sure your cake comes out clean.
Don’t try to take your cakes out of the pans before they’re entirely cool or they’ll break into a million pieces. Trust me; I learned the hard way…
Work with the fondant quickly so it doesn’t dry out.
Afraid of fondant? As I mentioned above, you have a couple of alternatives:
You can use blue sprinkles on the shell portion to contrast the green.
You can frost the feet & head green, then frost the shell with chocolate frosting.
You can use food gel to draw on the shell tiles.
Turtle Cake By The Smart Cookie Cook
Ingredients:
1 batch of your favorite cake batter, boxed mix or homemade (I used my Funfetti recipe)
1 batch Vanilla Buttercream, recipe follows
Green food dye
Red food gel
2 candy eyes OR white + black food gel OR 2 M&M’s (for the eyes)
Brown fondant, or alternative (see tips above)
Special equipment: toothpicks, 1 1.5-quart oven-proof bowl like Pyrex, cupcake tin, pizza cutter
Directions:
Butter & flour the 1.5-quart bowl and 5 cupcake tins (or use liners for the cupcake tins). Prepare cake batter according to recipe directions. Fill bowl 2/3 then distribute remaining batter between the 5 cupcake tins, adding a bit more batter to one tin (this will be the head). Bake the bowl for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (the top may overbrown before the center cooks. Don’t worry; you can carve this off). Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire racks. Once the cakes are completely cooled, run a knife around the edges of the pans and flip the cakes out. If either the cake or cupcakes have round, domed tops, carve them off so they have a flat surface to sit on.
While the cakes cool, make the frosting: Vanilla Buttercream
Ingredients:
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar, a little at a time, mixing on low speed. Mix until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another minute. Add vanilla, almond extract, cream, and several drops of green food dye and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more. Add more cream or powdered sugar if necessary to reach desired consistency, and add more green if you would like a more vibrant color.
Place the shell cake on whatever surface you plan to serve it on. Frost the round shell cake, smoothing out the frosting evenly.
Roll out the fondant as thin as possible. Use the pizza cutter to cut out large rectangles, then round the corners. Place the rectangles around the shell, making sure they adhere to the frosting.
Use two toothpicks to attach the head cupcake to the front of the body. Then use two toothpicks per cupcake to attach the feet. Place them evenly around the radius of the shell cake. Frost the head and feet as cleanly as possible, using a small knife like a butter knife. If you like, use a slightly damp paper towel to clean up where you got frosting on the fondant.
Use remaining fondant to cut out toes for the feet. Use a knife or the pizza cutter to cut. They should be shaped like ovals with flat bottoms.
Attach two candy eyes to the front of the head cupcake, or use the white and black food gel to draw eyes on. Use the red food gel to draw on a mouth.
Serve or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
This Wednesday marked the 19th year since your Smart Cookie Cook was born. I promised you photos, and those you shall get. But first, we must review all of the delectable dishes from this week. I wouldn’t want you to miss a single bite!
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