cake week: homemade fondant

It's cake week again! Another birthday was celebrated in our house, and another funny fantastic cake was had! I've got some great tips and some funky, yet droolworthy, cake coming up! Today we start with the fondant.

The last time I made cakes I bought pre-made fondant to decorate it. I wanted to try making my own and after a bit of research decided on marshmallow fondant. It was super simple, and following a few basic fondant rules, made for great decorations.

The recipes I found called for 1 pound of mini marshmallows, and since I already had a bag of full size ones, I cut them into 3 pieces each. I melted the marshmallow in the microwave with 3 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, in 30 second spurts on half power. In the mixing bowl I put a 2 pound bag of powdered sugar, mixed on low for a minute or two just to get the lumps out, then added the melted mallow mixture. Mixing on low (with the dough hook) until it was incorporated, I then turned the mixer to medium and ran it for about 3 to 4 minutes. I did have to stop and scrape the sides down once or twice, and I also added a splash of milk to help it absorb the last of the powdered sugar.

Mixing until it was all incorporated and no longer sticky, I plopped it onto the counter (dusted with equal parts corn starch and powdered sugar) to knead it into a loaf. Tightly wrapped in plastic, I let it cool for an hour or two before using it. The secret to keeping your fondant pliable is to keep it well wrapped in plastic wrap, and then in a ziplock bag. Store it in the fridge for long term use. When I am working with a chunk I keep most of it under a moist towel and just pull off bits as I need them.

This was very simple to make, and I estimate I made this for about $3.50. To buy the same size at the store would have been about $17, so it was worth a bit of my time. It made much more than I needed, but I have another cake to make in a few weeks, so it will be a good test to see how it stores in the fridge.

Enjoy!

garden at last...

You may laugh at my yard. This is what it looked like in April. Overrun with weeds and blackberry bushes, and basically the final resting place for anything they didn't know what to do with. I say "they" because it was before my time. Unfortunately I was the lucky one who got to clear it. Underneath those buckets (the white and orange ones) and brush is a truck top, I kid you not. So we set aside a weekend, and spent about eight hours on Saturday and another six or seven on Sunday to get it weeded and free of blackberry bushes.

This is the end of day 2. We still have a ways to go, but it is so much better. If you are wondering why the blackberries needed to be banished, there is good reason. Blackberry bushes tend to overrun everything in their path. They grow fast and furiously and they multiply in spades. In addition to that if you walk by one it will probably reach out and grab you. I know this from experience! There is a lot of effort here in Oregon to rid our neighborhoods of these plants, and unfortunately they grow EVERYWHERE!

It took us a few weeks to get the roto-tiller from K's dad, but he made quick work of it, and we were tilled! YAY!!

We spaced out the yard, and decided on our box sizes. We started with one 6-ft by 4-ft box and two 4-foot squares. One square (pictured above, upside down as we measure and space) is dedicated to artichokes. The second square is now growing tomatillos, potatoes, and squash, In the fall it will be planted with rhubarb as its permanent resident.

It was a long day, and the sun was hot. Fortunately we remembered the sun block, but the dog was just pooped from all the hard work! Stay tuned for the planting, and progress. I think it's going to be a good harvest this year!

Enjoy!

a lazy breakfast...

For my birthday in 2008 we went to Cannon Beach for the weekend, and one of the restaurants that was recommended to us was The Lazy Susan Cafe. For breakfast you can't go wrong, as they have some great choices on the menu. This time we decided to go again because the gingerbread waffles we had the first time were so good we had to have them again. Unfortunately the gingerbread waffles were not on the menu this time (they are often the waffle of the day), but we still had a great meal.

I had Eggs Benedict, one of my favorite breakfast choices, and it was really good, served with fresh fruit, and country potatoes. The eggs were perfectly poached which, in my opinion, makes Eggs Benedict the truly luscious meal that it is!

K had the oatmeal waffles, served with organic (plain) yogurt and fresh fruit. This is one I am going to make at home, because they are just that good! After our last visit I experimented with gingerbread waffles, but I haven't quite perfected it yet. Overall we like this place. The service is friendly, the food is good, and although the restaurant is housed in this little tower of a place and filled with antiques, it's got it's own personality and is worth the short wait for a table.

If you ever find yourself at the Oregon Coast, make sure The Lazy Susan Cafe is on your list of places to eat.

Enjoy!