Birthdays and Bakery cakes

 

When I was a little girl my mother would give me the choice of cake for my birthdays.  While some of my siblings picked cake mix-homemade cakes, I always chose a bakery cake from our local bakery.  I did this because I loved butter cream and the way they decorated with all the pretty edging designs and pretty, colorful roses.  I would always be in awe when my mother brought the cake home and opened the box.  It was so pretty, a work of art I thought.  And I felt special having a cake made and decorated just for me.

I wonder if those desires and cake experiences influenced my love of baking and creating pretty things.
Now as an adult, I rarely buy bakery cakes, because I've learned to make them myself.  I don't mind making my own cake, because its what I love to do.  Thanks Mom for getting me those cakes and fostering this love of baking :)
Today for my birthday I made a simple Whoopie Pie cake, garnished with chocolate shavings, yummy!

I used 1/4 of my favorite whoopie pie recipe and used 2 icecream scoops of batter for each whoopie cookie.  For the shavings, I grated bittersweet chocolate on the largest side of a cheese grater.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/foodnation-with-bobby-flay/whoopie-pies-recipe/index.html?soc=share

St. Patrick's Day Toffee

I love every kind of holiday or occasion because it gives me a reason to bake and create.  So with St. Patrick's day approaching I've been thinking up some Irish/Green goodies.  I am not Irish and not familiar with Irish cooking, but I'm always willing to learn.  I have a bunch of ideas for the next week.  The first one was for a toffee.  I was inspired when grocery shopping this morning and found these coconut M&M packets that had green colored candy.  I picked up some green melting candies and a shamrock mix sprinkles and got started.


Ingredients
2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter
5 Tblsp water
5 oz green melting candies and 5 oz milk chocolate baking bits
Shamrock sprinkles and green coconut M and M's

Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes until fragrant, toss 1/2 way through once

Measure out 5 oz of green melting candies

 Measure out 5 oz milk chocolate baking bits

Spread 1/2 of the pecans in a 9 X13 sheet pan lined with parchment paper, leaving a little room on edges, save the other half of pecans for sprinkling on the chocolate

Add the sugar, butter and water in a heavy duty pot and heat on medium, stir to melt

Attach a candy thermometer on side of pan and keep heating and stirring until you get to 285 degrees

This is what it will look like when ready

Pour evenly over pecans

Sprinkle chocolate bits over hot toffee, let sit for 2 minutes

While thats sitting melt the candy in the microwave, following directions on bag

Spread the now melting chocolate with an offset spatula

Spoon melted green candy onto chocolate

Swirl the 2 with an offset spatuala

Sprinkle with remaining nuts, sprinkles and M and M's, pressing lightly.  Let completely set, then break up into pieces.

This turned out to be quite a tasty toffee :)

Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick's Day!