Five Things
The weekend is suppose to be filled with thundershowers so I will be spending my time inside working on some projects that I need to accomplish before my trip next week. Any suggestions for must see items, shopping and/or dining in Washington, DC? Here are five things that kept me inspired this week, what kept you inspired?
DIY Floral Cake
• 50 mums(approximately)
• 60 spray roses (approximately)
• Brick of wet floral foam
• Candle(s)
• Cake pedestal
1. Cut the brick of floral foam in half. Using a steak knife cut the foam into a cylinder. I cut off all four corners first and then shaved off the “pyramid” shaped edges to create a cylinder. You can also use a lid that is as wide as the floral foam, as a guide for cutting. Helpful Tip: This might look small, but after adding flowers you will have a 9 inch cake
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3. Real cakes have a piped on boarder on the top and bottom. To create this look cut the spray roses, leaving about an inch of the steam, and insert the stem into the foam, pushing the flower until it can’t go any further. Repeat around the entire bottom of the cake. Helpful Hint: Be sure that you are placing the flowers in straight.
4. After completing the bottom row, you will now be using the mums; cut them the same way you did the spray roses. Place the mums on top of the first layer, repeat around the cake and then repeat for a second row of mums. Helpful Hint: Be sure to keep your flowers close to give it a fluffy frosting feel
5. When the third layer of flowers is in place, insert a fourth row, that will be the spray roses (piping) at the top of the cake. This completes the sides.
6. Now let’s decorate the top. Start by inserting flowers at the outer circumference and work inward. Continue to add flowers until you have filled the empty space. Here is your opportunity to add a candle(s) to the center, and you are done….piece of cake.
Hummingbird Celebration Cake
Hummingbird Celebration Cake
1 1/2 (3 sticks) cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups over ripe mashed bananas
2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 or 2 (8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple, drained well
Confetti Sprinkles
One recipe Pecan Spice Cream Cheese Frosting (below)
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) cake pans. * I used two nine inch cake pans and made cupcakes with the remaining batter.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and vanilla beating at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add this mixture to your butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Be sure to begin and end with the flour mixture. Gently stir in the banana, pineapple and pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans for 11 minutes, remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Once cooled spread the Pecan Spice Cream Cheese Frosting between layers, top and sides of the cake.
6. Add confetti sprinkles to the boarder of your cake to give it a pop of color for spring.
Pecan Spice Cream Cheese Frosting
about 5 1/2 cups
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 – 1 cup finely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 cups powdered sugar
1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, pecans, vanilla, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.
Signs of Spring
Being from a cold climate, I always look forward to the arrival of spring. This year it arrived a bit differently. I woke up to green plush grass as a substitute to a snow-covered ground. The sound of birds chirping, and building their nest instead of hiding to keep warm. This is an unusual sight for Michigan on the first day of spring, but I am savoring every bit of it. What is the weather like where you are at?
Sweet Celebrations
Fashion meets Food 