Monday, January 25, 2010

I'LL TAKE IT!


The weather, I mean. It is amazingly pretty out, with
blue skies, mild temperatures and NO SNOW. Good
for me, bad for the people here in town that make
a living plowing snow.

When I look at the rest of the U.S. weather I am
blown away that pretty much everybody has more
winter than we do. My mother in law has 6 degrees
and frozen solid over in Poland and it doesn't look
like that is going to change anytime soon. She
sounds like she is enjoying it though, so that's O.K.


We took a snack break out on the deck this
weekend. T shirts in January? Amazing.


It is definitely Sailor's Delight around here because it
is Red Skies at Night! This picture is not enhanced in
any way, this is exactly how it came out of my camera.
the whole inside of our house was glowing red.

It was a busy weekend for desserts, we were delivering
an order at 6:30 last night and on the way to church in
the morning. I was too busy to get pictures of all of
them, but here are a couple of highlights:

I think this is my new all-time favorite dessert!
I call it Jelly Roll Banana Split Cake. Not only is it
quite pretty for display, but it is delicious without
being overly heavy because of the sponge cake
jelly roll with fruit filling. The one I made last
night was half chocolate, half vanilla pudding.

Now I want to make another one.

Just for us.


I got this recipe from a cake forum I belong to online.
The recipe is 100 years old from Kentucky. It is called
Old Fashioned Jam Cake and the frosting and filling
are a cooked caramel. The cake itself has blackberry
jam and buttermilk in the batter and the cake layers
are drizzled with caramel coffee flavoring. I didn't get
to taste this, but I let it sit for a day and a half like
the recipe said to let the flavors blend. I know it
sure smelled delicious in the box--waves of buttery
caramel mixed with spice--wow!


Another dessert cake...this one was chocolate with
raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream. The butterfly
is made from rice paper and edible, just like the
marshmallow flowers.


This was a wedding cake from last week that
I did. It was fun, with pearlized snowflakes
all over, white cake and lemon buttercream
filling. The groom is a fisherman and the
boat on top had his new wife's name on it.
They cut a slab from a tree stump for the
cake to sit on and the reception was
beautifully decorated with local greenery
instead of flowers and there were sparkly
white lights and burgundy tablecloths
on the reception tables. I think the best
part was the back wall covered with a
fishing net and they hung halibut hooks
all over it with pictures of the bride and
groom's family's wedding pictures in
black and white hanging on the hooks.

It was so creative and looked really nice.
I wouldn't have thought of that in a
million years! Since it was a winter
wedding they had red felt mittens with
a snowman on them for each guest and
there was a chocolate bar inside that
was made by the local chocolate factory.
They were just full of great ideas.


I took this picture this morning--see the
Coast Guard busily working? These guys fly
in anything! In the worst storms with wind
howling and snow gusting we see them out
there practicing and training so they can be
of help to someone in danger. I am so glad
they are always around!


3 comments:

Debbie in CA : ) said...

I love coming for a peek at your pretties: weather, sunsets, and calorie-free PICTURES of some of the best-looking goodies I have EVER seen through a bakery shoppe window (virtual, though it is).

My stomach's growling for a snack. Do you think it will settle for a finn crisp and tea after your visual feast? (I sure hope the eye and brain have not sent pictures to the tummy yet! I'm off before I have a buttercream mutiny on my hands!)

XO ~~ Debbie

Karen Deborah said...

WOW gorgeous cakes!! I am not just whistling Dixie either. You are so talented. Just how do you make money cooking out of the house anyway?
I don't think I priced my bread high enough, $5 a loaf. I saw your comment about laws. While I am baking small time I think I will just leave well enuf alone, a new kitchen however would be just wonderful!

Caution/Lisa said...

Your art is a feast for my eyes!! Some day I'm going to come visit you and order a jelly roll banana split cake. That might just be the most perfect cake ever.