Hanae's Birthday Cake

Hanae's birthday cake

To make you'll need either the Wilton Wonder Bowl or the Pampered Chief bowl (not certain which one but I'll find out & post it.)

All I can say is follow the directions on the insert. I know, this is a cooking blog so please give the directions. Can't do it. Sorry. No way. Ah, who am I kidding? Actually I've already put the pan away & it's up pretty high in the pantry. It's also kinda late tonight & I have no one to climb up & get it! See I'm afraid of heights. Even getting onto a step stool can do me in. Sad, isn't it.

I do remember that it took 1 & 1/2 prepared cake mixes to fill the wonder bowl. I used the remainder to make a 10" round that I stuck under the dress mold. Just follow the pictures & I'll explain as best I can.

Below is the box & part of the directions.

This is the baked product in the bowl. It comes in a few pieces that you have to put together. Basically you have to screw the base into the bowl.

Eureka! A baked product that didn't fall apart & that was done in the center. Yes, I did use the heating rod the first time but it still wasn't done. That's what makes the hole in the top. The heating rod.
Just a different view of the cake after I had put the 10" round under the dress. @ this point though I wrapped the whole thing up w/ lots of plastic wrap & threw it in the freezer. Okay, I didn't "throw" it in but I was tempted. Not kidding.

This is what Hanae wanted. This is not what she got. No, she didn't want the dolly w/ the black hair. She wanted the blonde dolly, which she got. Actually it was the dress style that she wanted only she also wanted pink & white dots on the dress. I can tell you right now that it didn't happen cause her momma hadn't decorated a cake for over a year! Sad, isn't it.
I did my best which was sad enough & I have vowed to start practicing. I've told Hubby that he'd darn well better make friends in the breakroom since he's gonna be taking cakes in!

I was trying to be fancy & I shouldn't have. I just haven't practiced enough in the last year. I know, I already told you that I haven't done any @ all!

Basically I smoothed the dress the best I could which is to say I made stripes w/ the spatula in the icing down it. Then I put ruffles on the bottom & up the side a bit. After that I started in w/ the smallest star tip I have (16 I think) & went around the skirt & all over the front & the bodice. I was trying to make her shirt more of a blouse but well, I didn't. Then I was going to wipe the bodice & start over but my daughter didn't make it onto the school bus. This meant that I had to go get her. Not enough time. So she got her doll the way she got her. Period.


Whew! I'm glad that one's over. Ready for the bad news? My son wants this one for his birthday next year! Guess I really need to start practicing!

Ocean cupcakes

Hanae's ocean cupcakes

Ingredients -

1 batch prepared cupcakes any flavor
1 recipe buttercream icing (see recipe below) colored blu
blue colored sugar sprinkles
Goldfish crackers or other substitute

They were studying oceans & sea life during her birthday so she wanted a water theme. I think I saw these in a Family Circle magazine once & decided to make my own version.

I iced the cupcakes w/ a crumb coat as they were very moist. Then I went back & put more icing on smoothing it in a circular direction. Next I took the back of a spoon & touched it to the the iced cupcake & pulling it away in a smooth motion to create a wavelike look.

Pour some blue colored sugar sprinkles on a plate & gently roll the edges in the sugar. Top off w/ Goldfish crackers or even swedish fish depending on who it's for & what they prefer.

My Fav Buttercream Icing

I won't lie. It's been quite awhile but finally I have some new posts! No photos of the first recipe but a few of the others.

My Favorite Buttercream Icing

1/2 C solid white veg shortening (don't use the butter flavor, ick!)

1/2 C butter (I use salted but can use unsalted. If using unsalted add a pinch of salt to icing while mixing)

1 tsp Flavoring (I prefer butter but can use almond or vanilla. Also I like to buy them from Wilton or online)

2 T canned milk (this is regular canned milk NOT sweetened condensed milk)

4 C (1 lb) pure cane confectioners sugar

1 T Meringue powder (buy in hobby stores in the Wilton aisle - store in fridge & will last almost forever!)

Cream shortening, flavorings & milk. Add dry ingredients & mix on med speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Now mix on low speed for 10 min. This will make icing light & fluffy. Once recipe will ice a double 8" round cake.


To thin icing I add a little milk or lite corn syrup. Only add about a tablespoon @ a time until desired consistency is reached. To make it thin enough to ice a cake add about 2 tablespoons of liquid. The recipe as made is wonderful for making flowers & borders etc... on the cake.

Can make this using a hand mixer however a stand mixer works best as the icing is quite stiff.

Fresh Parsley

This might be totally shocking but I had no idea for years that you could buy fresh parsley, wash it, chop it & freeze it. When I found out I was in heaven. Yes, I'm really not that great of a cook. There I admitted it. But I do love the idea of having fresher herbs than the dead ones in my cupboard. So now I chop them up & throw them in the freezer. Great idea, yes? I also do this w/ onions & red, green & yellow pepers because sometimes it's nice to have the work done plus there's times when peppers are so very expensive. I typically keep them for about 2 - 3 months after which it is all gone & time to cut more.

Here's how I cut parsley.

New addition

My sister has recently been given a large box full of my paternal Grandmother's recipes. Trust me when I tell you that just hearing about those darn things makes my mouth water to the point where I want to drool! I can still taste Grandma's rolls & pies. They are/were amazing! Mmmmmmmm.

Anyway the going will be slow as my sister has to transcribe them after work & well, Grandma wrote everything in pencil! Aghh!!! Don't write recipes out in pencil! Too hard to read after many years have gone by!

You are welcome to stop by & visit anytime you might be looking for something fun. No idea when the roll recipe will be up but I'm sure it will @ some point!

Grandma's recipe box