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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Baby Shower Desserts

Baby Shower Desserts



I had the distinct honor of co-hosting the baby shower of my grade-school friend Pam.  She is expecting baby Aria in May.  I, of course, volunteered to make several desserts!

Stats:
  • 8" round doctored cake
    • cooked flour filling and icing
    • covered in fondant
    • decorated with modeling chocolate blossoms
  • "No Fail Sugar Cookies"
    • covered with fondant and modeling chocolate
    • decorated with texture sheets
  • macarons
    • filled with dark chocolate peanut butter spread
  • dark chocolate fudge cupcakes (box mix)
    • iced with mixed swirl of chocolate and peanut butter icing
  • failed petit fours (not in photographs)
    • cream cheese pound cake
    • filled with pate a bombe icing and strawberry jam
    • failed to cover with chocolate almond bark
I must have been in some sort of cakers' hell this weekend.  Since the baby shower was 3 hours away, I decided to do some of the work at my house, then pack everything up and do the rest at my parents' house (near the shower).  What I didn't account for was that my parents were in the middle of packing up the house getting ready to sell and retire.  They were out of the country at the moment, so I couldn't ask them where anything was!

This was my first time to use some brand of almond bark that I got at Walmart.  When I went to dip my petit fours, it clumped badly and my parents didn't have any shortening to help smooth it out.  I gave up on them and figured I'd move on to baking cupcakes.  I look under the kitchen cabinet for their KitchenAid mixer and it's not there!  NOTHING is there!  Not even the other ancient standing mixer.  I look in the pantry and there's no hand mixer!  Ack.  I called my girlfriend who was hosting the party at her house and informed her it wasn't going well.  I asked her if she had a mixer and she said she did.  I packed everything up and went over there.  Her standing mixer was not awesome ... it was barely adequate.  I mean this from a caker's perspective, so I am exaggerating, but I was pressed for time and missed my KitchenAid badly!  I managed to make and plate everything else in time (barely).  I was piping the frosting on the last cupcakes as guests were walking in.






We had so much food.  The guests hardly made a dent in my desserts, and I'm sure the chocolate fountain and its accessories had a hand in that.  I'm still working on perfecting macarons. They were a bit chewier than I'd like.  I forgot the baking powder in the sugar cookies, but couldn't even tell.  The cupcakes were very yummy and chocolate + peanut butter icing was a great combo.  I didn't get a slice of cake though :(  The grandmother-to-be showered me with compliments, so it was very rewarding.

5 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness that looks absolutely wonderful, all those goodies in one place!

    ReplyDelete
  2. very delicious! yummy, yummy!

    you can also check my blog for decorated cakes!

    www.cakesensation.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've selected you to win the Stylish Blogger Award.
    You can find out more details on my blog.

    http://www.inspiredbyhimcakes.blogspot.com

    Michele

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is great to read some of the information and feedback, here. I hope to read more ideas in the future!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. All are awesome specially that t shirt type cookies though cupcakes are also nice.

    ReplyDelete

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