Red Delicious

As I have previously admitted, I'm a cake kinda girl.  I know I already featured red velvet in a post a while back, but those were cupcakes, and this is cake, and I love red velvet.  So that's a good enough reason for me!

I think red velvet cake is a very southern desert, and not being from the South, it wasn't really that common where I grew up.  But about 3 years ago, I decided to try it, and I knew I had found the one.  The slight hint of cocoa, the rich cream cheese frosting (which is the best part anyways, right?), and it's just the perfect balance and combination.  Just scoop on some vanilla ice cream and it doesn't get any better than that!

I made this red velvet cake for my roommate's birthday (who to my delight also loves red velvet!).  Unfortunately I didn't get a very good picture of it once we cut it, but you get the idea.  I warned you when I started with this blog that photography wasn't exactly my strong point, so you'll just have to deal with it this time! : )

Blessings-
LC

The Big Day

Well, the whole reason I started this blog was to advertise my services in the hopes of having a little baking side business.  And the event that started it all, was my roommate's wedding this past summer.  I had always wanted to make a wedding cake, but thought it was an unachievable dream.  But when my roommate asked me if I'd make her cake, I jumped at the chance - what a great opportunity!  I also made around 100 cupcakes for her wedding, but those are less exciting to look at. : )

So today I present to you the first ever wedding cake I made.  I didn't have some of the proper tools or techniques for decorating, so that's something I am going to work on.  I got a bunch of great decorating tools from Santa this Christmas, and am looking at taking some professional decorating classes in the near future.  Making my roommate's wedding cake was very stressful, because it was my first one.  But I must admit, that once it was finished, it was one of the proudest moments of my life.  I don't think I want to be a full-time maker of wedding cakes, but they are fun and challenging and such a special thing to be able to do for others.

Blessings-
LC

Christmas Morning

Everybody has their own special Christmas traditions.  For me, I have many... and I may or may not get really into it.  Home Alone, buckeyes, anything Santa, the list could go on and on.  But one thing that is very special to me - every year on Christmas morning, we always have monkey bread.  I've seen monkey bread made many different ways over the years, but I happen to think my family has perfected it - not that I'm biased. : )

My monkey bread is made in a bundt pan, so you never end up with gooey undone pieces in the center.  It's essentially little nuggets of dough, tossed in cinnamon and sugar, and then doused with a sweet cinnamon sauce.  It's heavenly!  And because Christmas morning is the only time we ever have it, it's extra special to me.

Blessings-
LC

Ginger Goodies

If Christmas morning had a smell... it would smell like these cookies.  They are a chewy ginger cookie, and when they're baking... they smell like spicy molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and clove.  If that doesn't say Merry Christmas, I don't know what does!  Plus, before I bake them I roll them in some sparkly raw sugar, so they are just so pretty and festive.  Definitely one of my favorites around the holidays.

Blessings-
LC

Christmas Candy

Everyone has their own Christmas traditions... I happen to have several!  But one that I do every year, and only at Christmas, is make buckeyes.  Now, if you're not from the Midwest, you might not know what those are.  I've heard people call them peanut butter balls, peanut butter bon bons, and other such variations.  But just look at them - they're obviously buckeyes because they look just like the nut that falls from the tree (which we happen to have a lot of back where I'm from).  They're kind of like a homemade Reese's, exact way tastier and much cuter.

I've already made three batches of buckeyes this Christmas season, and I'm anticipating making at least one more.  Those who know me are aware of my Christmas buckeye tradition, so I've been getting many requests for them... and a few lucky folks received little baggies of them from Santa. HoHoHo!

Blessings-
LC

Pun-kin Pie

As promised, here's the pumpkin pie I made for Thanksgiving this year.  Admittedly, it's not the prettiest looking crust I've ever made, but I must say, I think it's the best-TASTING pumpkin pie I've had.  Not to brag of course : ) but it was smooth, and creamy, and had just the right amount of fall spice.  Plus, it's pumpkin, which I've already admitted I love in any form - even though I'm not a pie kinda gal.

Blessings-
LC

Who doesn't love cookie dough?

I have a confession - I LOVE cookie dough.  Like a lot.  I would even dare say I love the raw dough more than the baked cookie in almost every circumstance.  So when I got the idea to make a cookie dough "truffle" I was particularly excited out of my mind.  These have no egg in them, so those of you who are more germ conscious than I am have nothing to fear.  It's a chocolate chip cookie dough base that I put mini chocolate chips in, and then dipped in chocolate.  What could be better?  Not much - that's what I say.  I just had to bite into one so you could see what the inside of one looks like.  It's a tough job, but somebody had to do it, and that's just the kinda gal I am.

Blessings-
LC