It’s not often that I make large cakes with fondant.  It’s time consuming, challenging, and I’m not particularly crazy about the taste of fondant.  But, it is fun to work with so every now and then, I do enjoy a good cake decorating project.

This cake was made using two heart shaped cakes. One layer is chocolate and the other is vanilla.  Between the two cakes lies a generous layer of my clean eating chocolate buttercream.

1/2 cup Earth Balance buttery vegan sticks or 7 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon erythritol, powdered, OR 1/4 cup xylitol, powdered
5-6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Almond, Soy, or Coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Good-tasting pure stevia extract, to taste

Preparation:
Cream the butter in a small bowl until fluffy. Powder erythritol or xylitol in a coffee grinder or Magic Bullet for a minute or two, until extremely fine in texture (reminiscent of powdered sugar). Let sweetener settle in grinder before opening the top. Stir powdered sweetener into butter with a spatula, then beat until smooth. Slowly blend in the cocoa powder (unless you want to redecorate your kitchen), vanilla, and sea salt. Beat in the half and half and egg yolk, if using. Add stevia, starting with 1/16 teaspoon. You’ll probably use less than 1/4 teaspoon. Just keep tasting and adjust sweetness to your liking.

The cake looks much better in this swimsuit than I do.

In my previous post which is here, I wrote about bread starter.  There are so many things you can make with it and leftover starter can be frozen or given away to a friend.

Most muffins I find are dry and dense and sometimes even rubbery in texture.  What I like about these muffins are that the top  is crusty but the inside is very moist. Even the next day they were still moist.

A prerequisite to making these muffins is good bread starter.  I have a vegetarian recipe at the above link and it only takes two to three days to make as compared to some of the others which take 10 days to two weeks.

To make approximately 12 muffins you will need the following ingredients:

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter (see link above for my recipe.)
2/3 cup melted Earth Balance buttery spread or canola oil (you can substitute any oil you like.)
1/2 cup maple syrup (honey can be substituted if you aren’t a fan of maple)
1 tablespoon stevia  (Yes, you can use sugar but remember to adjust the measurements.  Stevia is 3 times sweeter than sugar and does not measure cup for cup or tablespoon for tablespoon.)
3 eggs (I used real eggs because I’m not vegan but if you are try Ener G egg replacer.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (If you use whole wheat flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour your result might be a drier, more dense muffin.)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

OPTIONAL:  raisins, dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.

Maple syrup to drizzle on top

Whisk together flour, stevia, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Add in the remaining  ingredients except the optional add ins.  Your batter will be springy because of the yeast in the bread starter.  Mix in optional ingredients.

In a tin lined muffin pan, pour batter about 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool on a cooling rack.  Drizzle maple syrup on top

A bread starter is a leavening process that takes a few days to a few weeks to make.  They are commonly used in sourdough and Amish friendship bread and can be a tricky to make.  With a little practice you can vary the ingredients and come up with your own starter.

Starters can be use not only in breads but also in cookies, brownies, biscotti, cakes, and much more.

The recipe I used is below and vegan.  I’m not  vegan but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving milk on the counter at room temperature for days.  If you Google bread starters you will find so many other recipes that I’m sure are very good as well.  So feel free to experiment until you find the one that suits your needs and taste.

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar (I used agave syrup instead of sugar.  You could also use Splenda, honey/ maple syrup, or any other natural sweetener.  Remember to adjust the measurements if the sweetener you are using doesn’t measure cup for cup to sugar.)
1 cup flour (Any flour can be used.  I used whole wheat pastry flour.)
1 tablespoon yeast

Mix the ingredients together with a wooden or plastic spoon in a non-metallic bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for two days.  After two days stir it adding in 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar or other sweetener.)  Let sit another 12 hours and it’s ready to use.

I’m going to use mine in an Amish Friendship bread.

Deco Rolls, also known as Swiss Roll, are fun to make.  The sponge cake can be made in chocolate or vanilla.  To decorate, you will need a pattern or if you have a knack for free form drawing then you can be as creative as you want.   While there aren’t that many ingredients to gather, this cake takes a bit of time.

As always, I recommend measuring out your ingredients and preparing the pan ahead of time.  Before starting, decide what your decoration will be and what filling you will be using.  This cake is very good with just about any filling you have on hand.  I used leftover coconut cream that were in the freezer.  But you can use jam, whipped cream with strawberries, dulce de leche, or just about anything.

This recipe is enough to make a 17 x 11 inch sheet pan.  Once you determine the pan, cut two sheets of parchment paper to fit the size.  On the pan, underneath the parchment paper, place your template.  The template doesn’t have to be the full size of your pan.  For the 17 x 11 size, place the template closer to the top of the pan leaving and inch at the end.  As you roll the cake, the undecorated portions will be rolled under and not visible anyway.

I placed a few pieces of tape so the parchment paper wouldn’t roll up or move.  If you do that, remember to remove it before baking.  Tape doesn’t hold up well in the oven.

For the pattern you will need:

1 egg white
30g granulated sugar (or sugar substitute of choice.  Remember not all sugar substitutes measure one for one so you will have to adjust the measurements.  I don’t recommend using liquid sweeteners for this recipe since they will change the texture.)
40g whole wheat pastry flour. If making chocolate pattern substitute 20g for cocoa powder.
20g butter- room temperature
Food coloring (gel or paste, not liquid)

Mix the above ingredients together in a small bowl until well incorporated.  Add desired food color and mix in well.  Fill a pastry bag with a small tip.  I used a Wilton tip no. 2.  Trace over the pattern with the batter.

When finished, place pan in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.  In the mean time, make the cake batter.

4 eggs, separated (you will need both yolks and whites)
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp sugar (or sugar substitute of choice.  Remember not all sugar substitutes measure one for one so you will have to adjust the measurements.  I don’t recommend using liquid sweeteners for this recipe since they will change the texture.)
1/4 tsp vanilla or almond extract
60g butter – melted (approximately 1/2 stick + 1 tbsp)
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder (if making plain rolled cake substitute this for whole wheat pastry flour)

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Combine flour and cocoa powder in a small bowl.  Attach a mixer with the beater attachment.  Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy but not stiff.  Add half of the sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form making sure not to overbeat. The peaks should be shiny.

In another bowl with a wire whisk, whisk together egg yolks, vanilla or almond extract, and the remaining sugar.  Fold egg whites into the egg yolks just until blended.  Fold in half of the melted butter.  Add in half of the flour and continue folding.  Then add in the remaining butter, fold in, then the remaining flour and fold just until well blended.

Take pan out of the freezer and remove the template underneath the parchment paper.  If you used tape, don’t forget to remove that as well.  Pour the cake batter over the frozen pattern and spread evenly with a spatula.  Work quickly so the pattern doesn’t defrost.

Bake for 5-7 minutes, until it’s done.

Sprinkle confectionery sugar on the second piece of parchment paper.  Flip the cake on top of the second parchment paper.  Gently peel back the first piece of parchment paper.  Your pattern should be facing on top.  If the edges are hard or uneven, trim them with a sharp knife.  Flip the cake back over so the pattern is facing the bottom.  With a spatula, spread filling on top leaving an inch around the perimeter filling free.

Using the parchment paper as a guide, carefully roll your cake.

Next time you walk through the grocery store take note of how many different flours are on the shelves.  Not all flours are the same.  The differences vary from how much protein is in the flour, which type of wheat was used, and how it was milled.

Sometimes flours can be used interchangeably in recipes.  All-purpose flour can be replaced with other  flours but high protein flours such as cake or pastry flour should never be replaced with all-purpose or whole wheat.

Lately, I’ve been using whole wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose more times than not.    Whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour are NOT the same. 

Whole wheat flour is milled using the entire grain (bran, germ, and endosperm).  Nothing is lost.  Not even the fiber and nutrients that are stripped from white all-purpose flour which is refined.  White refined flours only contain the endosperm which is only bulk.  Whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor to  baked goods but they will also make them dense, heavy, and chewy.   It’s a great substitution for white flour in breads and muffins but not such a good idea if you want a light and fluffy cake.  Whole wheat flour also has pieces

Whole wheat pastry  flour is milled exclusively from white winter wheat and is finely ground.  It can be used for pastries, cookies, cakes, breads and many other baked goods.   It’s not as widely available as whole wheat but can be found in health food stores.

If a recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour then use whole wheat pastry flour and NOT whole wheat flour.

It’s April already and in keeping with the April in Paris theme these Can Can Girl cupcakes are adorable.  These chocolate cupcakes have legs made from gumpaste and sugar sanded shoes.   I can’t take the credit for this idea though.  It was something I found on Pinterest that was repinned multiple times and to be honest, I have no idea who originally came up with it.

Brigadeiros are very popular in Brazil. And they are one of the best kept secrets too because they are so good and yet most Americans I speak to, have never heard of them let alone tasted one. I would describe them as a combination of truffles and fudge but creamier. It only takes 4 ingredients and not a whole lot of time to make. This recipe yields about 15-20 tablespoon size balls. If you want to stretch out the chocolate to make more of them use smaller size balls.

What you’ll need is:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (can use either regular or Dutch processed. I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder)
1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk (DO NOT use the fat-free version as the brigadeiros won’t thicken)
Toppings – Can use jimmies/sprinkles, non-pareils, coconut, nuts, cocoa powder, mini chocolate chips,etc.

Over medium heat, melt butter in a saucepan. Add milk and cocoa powder and stir very well with a wooden spoon until blended. This is the hardest part. Stir mixture constantly until it thickens about 15-20 minutes. You must keep stirring the mixture so it won’t burn. Be sure to scrape down the sides too. You’ll know when it is thick enough when you cut a line down the chocolate and it slowly comes back together.

If it doesn’t take a few seconds to come back together, it’s not thick enough and it must be this thick to form balls.

Once done, pour chocolate into bowl and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to thicken some more. This mixture is very sticky so before rolling the balls, either butter your hands or spray them with cooking spray. Scoop out approximately 1 tablespoon and roll into a ball. Then roll into your topping and place into a candy cup. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

There you have it. Enjoy

In the decorating process I used silver and gold disco dust.  The Japanese characters I actually did free hand.  I first wrote the characters on the cookies with a red edible marker and piped over.  They’re not perfect but to someone who doesn’t know Japanese, they look good enough.

These are not your ordinary Rice Krispie treats.  They are really good and easy to pack up and take them along with you no matter where you go.

Here’s what you’ll need:

3 tablespoons butter (If using unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the melted mixture)
216 grams marshmallows (4 cups mini marshmallows or about 40 large ones)
145 grams (5 cups) Rice Krispies cereal
60 grams (1 cup) coarsely chopped graham crackers
100 grams (1/2 cup) mini chocolate chips

8 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate
10 graham crackers broken in half (might need more or less)
20 marshmallows cut in half

Spray a 9 X13 inch pan with cooking spray.

In a large pot melt butter and 216 grams mini marshmallows until completely melted.  Stir frequently.  Add Rice Krispies and chopped graham crackers.  This works well if you use a silicone spatula sprayed with cooking spray.  Add chocolate chips and stir well.  Pour into prepared pan pressing firmly, especially around the edges.

While the treats are cooling, melt the 8 ounces of baking chocolate in a double boiler.  When melted poured on top of the Rice Krispie treats and spread evenly with a spatula being sure to cover the edges and corners.  While still warm place graham crackers on top leaving a tiny space in between them

Chill the treats in the refrigerator for freezer until chocolate is hard, approximately 20 minutes.  Cut squares with a knife using the lines between graham crackers as a guide.  Place cut marshmallows on top of each square.  You will get 4 halves on each square.

Place the treats in the broiler for approximately 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted.  Keep an eye on them while broiling as they toast very quickly.

Cool and enjoy.  Wrap well in plastic and they can be stored for a few days.

I’ve always loved scraping the raw cookie dough from the bowl and spoon but with the raw egg scare and an increase in dangerous bacteria found in raw eggs, it’s probably not a good idea to eat cookie dough made with unpasteurized eggs raw.

In baking, eggs are a binding agent in cookies and brownies.  If you aren’t going to bake cookies or brownies, the eggs can be left out and therefore can be consumed.  Anytime you have a fix for raw cookie dough or brownie dip (as I like to call raw brownies dough because it’s thin and creamy), just leave out the eggs.

Here’s a quick recipe you can whip up for a healthy cookie dough.  The honey really adds to the flavor but to make these vegan, replace the honey with agave syrup.

Yields: 6 to 8 cookie dough balls

2/3 cup (64 grams) almond flour
1/3 cup (30 grams) old fashioned oats (NOT instant)
2 tablespoons honey (replace with agave syrup for a vegan version)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
raw cacao nibs
chocolate chips
raisins
cocoa powder
shaved chocolate
coconut shreds

Blend almond flour and oats.

Add the honey, maple syrup, and vanilla.  Blend until it starts to look like dough and it sticks together.  If you are adding chocolate chips, raisins, or cacao nibs, add and blend well.  Roll cookie dough into small balls.  You can roll cookie balls into cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, or coconut shreds.

I rolled mine in shredded chocolate and topped with a few chocolate chips.