Wish Granted: Cake Pops

Hello friends!

With the addition of a few new followers (Welcome :) also comes the request for


The Cake Pop How-To.

Ask and you shall receive!

Bakerella is The.Queen.of.Cake.Pops.

She is the master cake popper herself and her site is where I find a lot of my baking inspiration. 

Her cake pop madness can be found by clicking on Don't lick, bite. 

You'll be happy you did.

I've dabbled with the recipe quite a few times now

and so

I think it only neighborly to give you a few of the pointers I learned along the way...

You know--- trial and error.

Cake Pop Tid Bits:

*If using a light cake mix, such as white or golden-- I find trimming off the browned edges of the cake once baked and cooled help keep the inside of the pop look tasty, avoiding unsightly brown clumps from appearing once bitten.

*Her recipe states to mix the cake with one whole tub of frosting, however....

I've found just over one half a tub is best.

The balls form easiest this way, it's less messy and they're less likely to fall off the stick.

*MAKE SURE you don't even attempt making your pops without having a styrofoam block.

The pops are quite top-heavy and styrofoam seems to be the thing to keep 'em upright.

Also, you'll want to make sure you have an extra block for when the dipping begins.

*I make sure to freeze my pops for a few ours at least before dipping.

And once the dipping begins, I take the pops out of the freezer one at a time.

If they thaw even slightly you run the risk of having them fall right off the stick mid-dip........

......And no one likes a mid-dip ball bail.

Note: It takes a fair amount of maturity to communicate 'dip my balls' without snickering.

Good luck with that.....

*I like to dress my pops up with some colored sugar.

Wilton's, that is.

I have the sugar ready in a bowl and immediatly once the pop is covered in chocolate, dab the top for some added pizazz.


*My favorite combos so far: Swiss Chocolate Cake with Lavender Chocolate and Rainbow Bit Cake with Rose Chocolate.  

And now....

A walk down Cake Pop memory lane.

Hello Gorgeous....

Where have you been all my life?

WARNING:

Cake Pop creating can become highly addictive and one may develop an obsession.

I knew I had a problem when my husband delivered me this ultimatum:

'It's me or the cake pops.'

Hush, Hush

Knowing just how much you'd love my Banana Cupcakes enrobed in Cream Cheese frosting dusted with a smattering of Cinnamon.....

I thought I'd do the chivalrous thing and share with you my TOP SECRET recipe.

 Emphasis on the 'TOP SECRET'.

Generous.

I know.

Now, these are not your typical banana bread muffin with a dollop of icing on top, 'Let's pretend we're a cupcake.' kinda cupcakes....

No.

They're more of a glorious fluffy white cake teased with a hint of banana charm.

And so, with all that said, typed, whatever:

The Ingredients.

*Note- I usually use White cake mix but, for today, Golden was the choice at hand.  Either will do.* 

Missing in photo:

1-2 Bananas.

I like to use 2.

Mash up the banana.

Add your eggs to the mashed banana and mix well.

Like-a-so.

I prefer yellow liners.

As bananas.are.yellow.

.......

Continue to follow the instructions as directed adding your water, oil and dry mix.

Oven temp. and baking time included.

Spray muffin liners lightly.

Fill each liner 3/4 full with batter.

Bake.

Pour a glass of wine....

Make sure to let your cakes cool completely before even thinking about applying frosting.

Speaking of frosting......

Betty Crocker Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.

One tub'll do ya.

Aaaand lastly, sprinkle with cinnamon.

Now that is one good lookin', scrumptious tasting cupcake.

For You....

a cupcake Haiku:

Fluffy dream sweet treat

Banana-liscious love-y

Smile spread cheek to cheek

Thank you and good night.

Fantastic news everyone....

I'm on mommy holidays.

Right- no kids.

Mon-Wed.

Sleepover at Grampy's.

How did I get so lucky?!

Poor James still has to work.....

But even so, last evening we were able to go out for dinner just the two of us.

 And before bed, the only teeth we were brushing and flossing were our own.

Sweet freedom.

That day was gloriously spent with my sister, Kirsten, doing lunch

(I receive way too much enjoyment from the phrase 'Let's do lunch!'.  It's unhealthy really....)

and shopping.

Unfortunately, I still received a scolding from her for only purchasing clothing for my kids and none for myself.

Bad Habit, I suppose.

(Even on holidays, they're still forever and always on my mind.)

I can handle that.

And if that day wasn't one for the books already....

Today, my granny and me traipsed around the Fringe Festival.

Lunched at The New York Bagel Cafe.

Enjoyed TWO  fancy coffees (each!) and sipped berry tea.

Met with Kirsten on her break from the parlour.

Treated myself and Kirst to cupcakes at Flirt Cupcakes (Granny's not into cupcakes.
Bizarre, I know......)

Mine: Lemon Buttercream & Coconut frosting and Vanilla cake.

Hers: Peppermint Buttercream frosting and Chocolate cake.

We both agreed, were it available, we'd rather just do frosting shots.

Who needs cake?

And here now I sit.

Typing away the days events.

In utter and total silence.

Feels good.

Feeling refreshed :)

granny's garden

In my grandma's garden, you're

likely to stumble upon some of this action:

And maybe even a little of this:

Nude dudes and nekid ladies.

Or art, rather.

My grandma is an artist and sculpturist and in my day we were

 accustomed to seeing bosom and whatnot,

sculpturely speaking of

course,

whether it be in the living room, bookshelf, or... garden.

On occassion, we've even attempted optical illusions with them and

pretended they were our friends.

Like so:

Easter 2008

Aaron offered the suggestion today that maybe the garden

statues were there to frighten the slugs away.

Like scarecrows with birds.

Interesting thought.

Of course, he came up with this conclusion after grandma sent us

on the prowl for slugs....

$1 a slug.

Admittedly--

we did not look very hard.

Regardless,

someday I hope to have my own garden museum of free spirited art work.

After all, the human body is a beautiful thing...

As my grandma has nurtured me to believe, no matter what the perkiness or size.

One last thing. 

Granny's Morning Glories were truly looking glorious this morning.

See.

Gramma's 51st Birthday Party

Not a dull moment.

Oh, and Happy Anniversary to these two love birds:

Dave & Kimmy

Still keeping the flame a blazin' five years later :)

Two S#@Ts

Recap: Aaron's beloved DS all of 4 months new old; bites the dust after being dropped.

Splintered screen.

Long story.

This past Tuesday:

Aaron: 'Hey Dad.  If I score a goal today at

 hockey, do ya think you could buy me a new

DS?'

James: 'Well, Aaron......'

(Me: Throwing James the hairy eyeball)

'If you score three goals, I'll buy you a new

DS.'

James: Feeling particularly confident as Aaron is on a 7 month long no-goal slump.

Me: Shaking my head.....

Early that evening:

(Aaron, yellow pinny, playing centre & taking the face-off......)

This being Aaron's second goal of the night, hence the

profanity escaping James' mouth. 

Yep.

Lesson learned.

Bribery is effective.

Also this past Tuesday:

Whilst merrily driving down my neighborhood street, minding my business....

Me: 'Oooh, lightening!'

2 seconds later/after brain fart....

'Aww, S#IT!!'


Photo Radar.

I'll be expecting my portrait in the mail.