Cakes By Ashley

I've Moved!!!

2009-08-13T13:05:00.001-05:00

I've moved over to a new blog, so head on over to Cinnamon and Vanilla to check it out!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Nom nom nom...apple good!

2009-07-29T15:11:00.002-05:00

Help a girl out!

2009-07-29T15:01:00.003-05:00

My food photography skills are severly lacking. I would love love love any help and/or advice anyone could give me. I'm tired of working so hard on what I make to only have redonculous photos.

Much love!

TWD - Vanilla Ice Cream

2009-07-28T21:39:00.005-05:00

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie, we're all screaming for ice cream! Lynne at Cafe Lynnylu chose this week's recipe...Dorie's vanilla ice cream. After chocolate my next favorite food is ice cream, but I've never tackled making it myself so I had to give this one a shot. It definitely does not disappoint! I recently purchased a countertop ice cream maker, & I've discovered that I'm going to have to be very careful...it's way too easy to whip up a batch of homemade ice cream with that puppy. My thighs are getting bigger just thinking about it!

The recipe was actually very simple to follow. I was a little scared about the whole custard making thing, but I didn't have a problem. (Thank goodness!) I did make a little addition as per Dorie's instructions...I added some cinnamon to the mix. I mean really who can resist cinnamon ice cream?! Not this girl! I had to stop myself from eating it all directly out of the ice cream maker because it was delicious. It's now hardening in the freezer, & I can't wait for it to be ready!

Getting ready to go into the freezer. (Before I annihilated half of it!)

Look at those gorgeous cinnamon specs!!

Head on over to Lynne's blog for the recipe & her awesome pictures. Also be sure to check out the rest of the TWD blogroll for everyone's delicious ice cream creations!

TWD Rewind - Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies

2009-07-14T04:00:00.000-05:00

I wasn't able to participate in TWD last week, but I really wanted to try these brownies so I decided to make them this week. Lisa of Surviving Oz designed a fabulous new logo for TWD, so she got the priviledge of choosing the recipe & posting it on her blog. Congrats!

This recipe was so amazingly simple to put together, & I got so lucky to have them turn out perfectly after the recommended baking time. (That's a first for me!) Of course they tasted wonderful...the perfect combo of gooey chocolateness. (Oh yes, I said chocolateness!) I think that this will probably be my go-to brownie recipe from now on!

See my little tester divot? Perfectly baked!!

Still warm...these two didn't survive long after this photo was taken.

Check out Lisa's blog for this recipe! Also head over to the TWD blogroll & visit Denise at Chez Us for this week's recipe...Brioche Plum Tart!

Summer Slacker

2009-07-13T10:45:00.000-05:00

I will be the first to admit that I have been an extreme baking/blogging slacker this summer. I've recently moved & may be doing so again very soon, & this summer has been the busiest one I can remember. I should have a TWD post for my lovely readers tomorrow!

TWD - Cinnamon Squares

2009-06-02T22:16:00.003-05:00

Another Tuesday, another yummy treat! This week Tracey of Tracey's Culinary Adventures chose Cinnamon Squares. Cinnamon you say? Oh how I love cinnamon! Every week I fall in love with what we make, & this was no exception. Cinnamon & chocolate in one dessert...I'm in! The layer of cinnamon, sugar, espresso & chocolate in the middle of these squares is so perfect. Plus the cake is moist & delicious. I had to bake mine about 15 minutes longer than the recipe called for, but I covered it with a foil tent for the extra time so it didn't dry out at all. The only issue I had was that I didn't have enough chocolate to do the frosting. (That's what I get for assuming I had enough. You know what they say when you assume...) I had enough to cover a little piece of it just so I could try it. The rest will just have to be gobbled up plain, but I'm sure that won't be an issue!!

Check out Tracey's blog for the recipe, & the TWD blogroll to see how everything turned out!

TWD - Chipster-Topped Brownies

2009-05-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

This week Beth of Supplicious chose Chipster-Topped Brownies for the TWD selection. I've been making chocolate chip cookie brownie cupcakes for a while now, but I was super excited to try Dorie's recipe. I never would have thought that the combination of the two would be any good, but it is actually one of the best things I've ever tasted. We had a big cookout last night, so I figured that would be the perfect occasion for these beauts.

This recipe went together so well, & I didn't have any problem with the cookie dough sinking into the brownie mixture. I popped it in the oven, 55 minutes letter the tester came out exactly like it was supposed to, & everything looked great. I left them to cool for several hours & then turned them out to cut into bars. That's where it all went to bad...I cut the first row & everything looked great, but after I cut the next row the entire middle oozed out. They weren't done...not at all. The middle was still completely raw & uncooked, so I had to trash the whole thing. Needless to say I was absolutely disappointed, but I think I will definitely give this recipe another try in the future.

I did manage to snap a pic while everything was still in the pan & looking oh so delicious. Ahh if only...

Check out the TWD blogroll to see everyone's brownies that actually turned out wonderfully, & take a peek at Beth's blog for the recipe!

TWD - Fresh Mango Bread

2009-05-19T08:28:00.000-05:00

Ahhhh finallly back into the swing of TWD! Things have been so busy lately. This week's selection (Fresh Mango Bread) came from Kelly of Baking with the Boys. I was worried that I was going to have trouble finding mangos at my local grocery store, but I was in luck...they had a pretty good selection for once! This bread was so quick & easy to put together, & it smelled so good baking in the oven.

The only tweak I did on this recipe was leaving the raisins out...I absolutely hate cooked raisins. I love the spice in this cake, & the mango flavor. The middle sunk in a little bit so I was concerned that it was undercooked, but it was actually just right.

I will definitely be making this again!

(Forgive the horrible photo this week...my camera battery is still dead because I can't find the damn charger. Ugh!)

Check out Kelly's blog for the recipe & the TWD blogroll for everyone's bread!

Cupcake Love

2009-05-05T20:09:00.004-05:00

Oh my gosh!! I completely forgot to do a post from my trip to Dallas a couple of weeks ago. The trip was great, & I had an amazing time but what I really wanted to write about are the Sprinkles cupcakes I got while I was there. OH. MY. GOSH. I'm glad we don't have a Sprinkles anywhere near here because I would be there every single day! I got a box of 4 & there wasn't a single flavor that I got that I didn't like. They were all so amazing, but I have to say that the cinnamon sugar was by far my favorite. It was so moist & yummy & amazing! Needless to say...I'm in love.

Clockwise from top left: Strawberry, Dark Chocolate, Cinnamon Sugar, Pumpkin

Hello My Name is Ashley & I'm a Slacker

2009-05-05T05:57:00.000-05:00

I hate to admit this, but I have been a complete & total lazy ass this past week. I procrastinated so much that I never got around to making the amazing tiramisu cake for TWD. I promise I'll be back next week...I'm so excited about this month's recipes!

Check out the TWD blogroll for everyone's gorgeous cakes, & Megan's blog at My Baking Adventures for the recipe!

Lazy Sunday Love

2009-05-03T19:06:00.006-05:00

Today is such a lazy Sunday for me...I woke up a little before 10 this morning & then took a 3 hour nap. I love lazy Sundays!!! I was sitting here looking through the pictures on my computer & realized that I hadn't posted a couple of things, so I thought I would take the time to do it now.

Let me start off by saying that I adore making iced sugar cookies. It's such a tedious time consuming task, but I absolutely love doing it. I bought the Wilton set of cookie cutters for Easter, & here's what I came up with...

Aren't they so cute & colorful?! They were yummy too!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of making a faux wedding cake for a friend's wedding. They had a ton of cake already made for them, but wanted a fake traditional wedding cake for pictures & such. I've made foam cakes before, but this was my very first attempt at a fondant covered cake so needless to say I was completely nervous. It turned out really cute though, so I couldn't be happier. Plus the bride & groom loved it! There was even a little section of real cake in the back, so they could do the cutting of the cake.

That's really all I wanted to share. Check back on Tuesday for my TWD post!

TWD - Chocolate Cream Tart (Minus Pictures)

2009-04-28T09:25:00.000-05:00

Woot woot! I'm finally back in the swing of all things TWD. This week Kim of Scrumptious Photography chose Dorie's Chocolate Cream Tart. As we all know, chocolate is a food group for me, so I love love love this tart! So creamy & chocolaty & delicious! I chose a really nice bittersweet chocolate for this recipe because I figure either go big or go home. I had a hard time not eating the chocolate cream all by itself. (Okay so I ate a little, but shhhhh.)

Sadly I'm a ditz & failed to realize that my camera battery was dead until it was too late. No pictures for me this go round. Boo. :-(

Hop on over to the TWD blogroll for everyone else's drool-inducing pictures, & check out Kim's blog for the recipe!

No TWD

2009-04-21T22:28:00.002-05:00

I spent my entire weekend on a mini vacay, so no TWD this week either. I'll be back in full swing next week!!!

No TWD

2009-04-13T21:02:00.001-05:00

No TWD for me this time around. I have been absolutely positively swamped!!

TWD - Banana Cream Pie

2009-04-07T20:04:00.003-05:00

I made a pie! I made a freaking pie! I have never in my short baking career attempted a pie...they scare the pee out of me. But this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection was chosen by Amy of Sing for your Supper, & she chose Banana Cream Pie. Eek! I knew that I had to at least attempt it or I wouldn't be happy. It actually worked out great...I'm so proud of myself! It wasn't at all difficult to make, & the end result was oh so yummy. I love the addition of cinnamon & nutmeg in this; it's just delicious. Another winner!!

Check out Amy's blog for the recipe, & the TWD blogroll for everyone else's beautiful pies!

TWD - Coconut Butter Thins

2009-03-31T20:36:00.003-05:00

This week's TWD recipe was chosen by Jayne of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch. She chose Coconut Butter Thins, & I must say these cookies are delicious. I love shortbreads & butter cookies, so this one was right up my alley. I decided to take these with me to work to share with everyone, & I think I've lost count of how many I actually ate today. Oh well...totally worth it!

Check out Jayne's blog for the recipe, & the TWD blogroll for everyone else's cookies!

TWD - Blueberry Crumb Cake

2009-03-24T09:18:00.000-05:00

I am so so so so SO excited to be a member of Tuesdays with Dorie!! I have been following this fabulous group of bloggers for quite a while now, & last week they opened membership for one day only. I jumped at the chance, so this is my first TWD entry! Woot!!

Sihan of Befuddlement chose Dorie's Blueberry Crumb Cake as this week's recipe. I'm a huge fan of all things blueberry, so I was super excited that this got to be my first TWD recipe. It was so easy to put together & turned out beautifully. A lot of people seemed to have problems with a pool of butter in the middle of the cake, & I did too. Not a problem though...just a little extra dab of butter goodness for whoever got the middle piece. (Which was me...oh yeah!) Mom, Dad, & I all had a piece last night for dessert, & the rest went with Mom to work today.

Check out the TWD blogroll for everyone else's creations, & Sihan's blog for the recipe!

Grab Bag of Goodies

2009-03-22T21:29:00.004-05:00

I'm totally kissing ass to make up for my complete lack of blogging lately, so you babies get two posts in one night! Ohhh you lucky little darlings!! I've been busy like whoa lately, & I wanted to post a few pics of what I've been up to.

I had a ton of chocolate chip cookie dough left after making the cupcake of the month, so I baked them up. Mmmmm!!

My best friend's husband is in the Air Force & is about to deploy, so she had me make this cake for his going away party.

Piggy sugar cookies for my sister. Who doesn't love little pink pigs?!

Baby shower cake...I love the brown & blue combo.

Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale - March

2009-03-22T21:17:00.003-05:00

Hello loves!! I know...I've been a bad little blogger. I sowwy! So let me just start off by saying that March's cupcake of the month was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! And just what were these amazing cupcakes, you ask? Chocolate Chip Cookie & Brownie cupcakes. That's right...a brownie topped with a chocolate chip cookie topped with a little kiss of buttercream frosting. I found this recipe at 52 Cupcakes one day & had a brilliant idea to make them my C.o.t.M. They were super easy to make & so so so yummy! Everyone at work raved about them. My mom's boss has already put in an order for 2 dozen for Easter, & my coworkers husband came to the office to tell me how much he loved them. There's nothing better than having people love what I bake!

Not the best picture, but just look at that moist browniness!!

The Fruits of my Labor

2009-03-04T19:29:00.005-06:00

To say I had a busy weekend was an understatement. I baked 2 blueberry bundt cakes, a triple layer carrot cake, & 75 cupcakes. My oven & KitchenAid mixer worked a lot of overtime. The blueberry bundts & carrot cake were for a birthday, & the cupcakes were for a wedding shower. We all know how much I adore cupcakes, so those were a blast for me to make. Oh & the best part...I used PNCs for the first time!! (PNC=Party Nut Cups for those non-bakers) I will never use a regular cupcake pan & wrapper again. I loved the look of the cupcakes in the PNCs...so cute!

Triple-layer carrot cake...you can't see the little design on the side.

Half of the cupcakes. I made strawberry, vanilla & chocolate.

A shower tower! (I totally just made that up!)

Busy Busy!

2009-02-23T19:23:00.002-06:00

Things have been so insanely busy lately that I haven't had time to bake. I know...it should be against the law to not have time to bake! I promise I'll more than make up for it this weekend!

Happy Lovey-Dovey Mushy Crap Day

2009-02-14T19:53:00.007-06:00

Yes that really is my opinion of Valentine's Day...just in case you were wondering. I did buy myself a present today...a brand new digital camera! Woot!! I got a Canon Powershot SD790 IS. Way better than the old camera that I had, so I'm looking forward to much better baked goodie pictures.

Our 10 week old puppy, Lucy, got to be my first subject. (The other dogs refuse to have their pictures taken. The little one hasn't figured it out yet.)

Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale - February

2009-02-12T22:33:00.003-06:00

Ahh February...that means it's time for Valentine's Day. Bleh! Okay maybe not bleh, but still...I'm not a fan. I figured February's cupcake selection required something red, & the first thing that popped into my head was red velvet. Oh yes, Red Velvet...you sexy, silky cake. I do love you so. Now I do love just about anything that's considered a dessert, but let me just tell you that red velvet cake holds a special place in my heart. In my quest for the perfect red velvet recipe, I sorted through many, & I do mean many, different recipes. I finally found one that I thought I should give a try, & I wasn't disappointed. You should really head over to The Repressed Pastry Chef & try out her red velvet & cream cheese icing recipes. So yummy!! The girls at work are going to love these tomorrow!

(Please forgive the rather shiteous quality of my photos. My memory card is full, & I'm in serious need of a new camera, so these were taken with my cell phone.)

Just to show you the fabulous redness!

Operation Baking GALS - Round 6

2009-02-08T19:25:00.005-06:00

I'm so so so glad things have calmed down enough for me to be able to participate in round 6 of Operation Baking GALS! I love baking for someone that I know will truly appreciate it. I picked Team KelseyKakes for this round, & we're baking for Bryan Tull who is a broadcast journalist in the Army Reserves. Since these fine folks are the ones that keep us informed on the things going on in Iraq, I decided to bake a couple different kinds of cookies.

I knew I wanted to bake some good ol' oatmeal cookies because those are always so comforting to me. I'm also a huge fan of Tuesdays with Dorie. This group of bloggers is working their way through the recipes in Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. I following their weekly baking adventures, & I'm totally envious. I wish I had the time to be able to join them, but it's just not in the cards right now. A couple of weeks ago I finally got myself a copy of this amazing cookbook & instantly fell in love with the recipe for World Peace cookies. I needed an excuse to make them, & this was it! As it turns out the TWD group made these last week, so I had a chance to check out everyone's cookies & figure out some of the problems they had.

These cookies are soooo good! I almost didn't want to pack them up & send them away. I guess now I just need to make some for myself! By far my favorite cookie ever!

Just a Tease

2009-02-05T21:49:00.006-06:00

A little taste of what I threw together tonight...

I don't think I'll ever make another rose out of regular old buttercream ever again. I absolutely love making these fondant roses! These were made with just plain white fondant & painted with pink Pearl Dust. I love the sparkle!!!

Calm Before The Storm

2009-02-01T10:22:00.002-06:00

First of all, I can't believe it's February already! This year is going to fly by. I'm mentally preparing myself for a crazy busy month of cake making. I have 2 cake orders for this Tuesday, & then after that I have something to make every weekend. We've got a baby shower cake, a wedding cake, & a 3rd birthday cake & cookies. They're all going to be completely different, & I'm so excited about each & every one. I've also got Round 6 of Operation Baking Gals before Valentine's Day. I haven't picked a team yet, but I plan on making an extra special care package this go-round.

Stay tuned...it's going to be a great month!

Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale - January

2009-01-24T10:42:00.004-06:00

My monthly bake sales have become something I really look forward to. I've been fortunate to find some recipes that have been real homeruns. January's recipe is one of those. I adore Ina Garten, & I had previously used her Outrageous Brownie recipe for one of my bake sales. I had remembered watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa where she made coconut cupcakes that were gorgeous. Now let me tell you right off the bat that I hate coconut...I hate the flavor & I hate the texture. Buuuut the girls at work all said that they love the stuff, so I wanted to make a coconut cupcake for them & went right away to Ina's recipe. In true Ina fashion, it did not disappoint. I love, love, love these cupcakes! Me, little Miss "I hate coconut," thought they were sooooo good! All my girls loved them too. They don't look nearly as beautiful as Ina's did, but the taste completely makes up for it.

Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Amano is Amazing!

2009-01-20T20:30:00.005-06:00

That's right, folks, two chocolate posts in a row! I told you I love the stuff!! I wrote a post a while ago about the opportunity I had to sample Amano chocolate & how much I loved it. Loved it! Art Pollard from Amano Chocolate gave a few of BlakeMakes' Sooper Heros a chance to try his new Jembrana chocolate. This chocolate comes from the Jembrana region of Bali, Indonesia, & in true Amano style it is amazing! Out of all kinds of chocolate, dark is by far my favorite, & Amano makes quite possibly the best I've ever tasted. This little beauty of a bar is in my desk drawer at work, & I have to have a little square every day!

Art, you've outdone yourself again! Thank you so much for letting us taste your amazing chocolate! Thanks as always to Blake of BlakeMakes!!

Chocolate Cake Yumminess!!

2009-01-20T20:16:00.006-06:00

I feel I should start this post by saying that I love chocolate...it should be a food group all it's own! Back in October I was lucky enough to be graced with the chance to try a chocolate cake mix that is Peanut/Egg/Dairy/Nut Free made by Cherrybrook Kitchen. We were also given chocolate frosting that is Peanut/Egg/Dairy/Nut Free, & it's also Vegan. Now I know you're thinking "Ick!", but let me just tell you this stuff is fabulous! It's so great for anyone with food allergies! I have a younger cousin with several different food allergies, & Cherrybrook Kitchen's products would be perfect for her. I highly recommend trying any of these products if you ever get the chance...the cupcakes that I made were soooo yummy! They certainly satisfied my chocolate craving!

I love the box...it's so cute!

Just out of the oven.

Notice there are 2 missing...Mom & I couldn't help but dig in right away!

Thanks a million to BlakeBakes & Cherrybrook Kitchen!!

Baby Cakes & Mishaps

2009-01-18T22:41:00.006-06:00

Oh look...another day, another post! I'm doing better I tell ya!

Back at the beginning of last year, I had the pleasure of making a wedding shower cake for my cousin, Tosha. She & her husband are now expecting a baby girl in a couple of weeks, & her sister asked me to make the cake the baby shower. There's no way I was going to say no! I had never tried a multi-tiered cake before, so I really wanted to try one for this cake. I was given a couple of the napkins to be used at the shower for inspiration, & this is what I came up with...

Now this is what the cake looked like this morning before we left the house. When we got to the shower...not so much. The fondant decorations had started to droop & pull down the buttercream icing with them. It didn't look horrible, but it wasn't that great either. I didn't want to give her a crappy looking cake. Everyone said how much they liked it, though, & it did taste really good...I can't complain too much, I suppose.

So I have a question to all of you seasoned cake decorators...how much internal support should go into a cake like this? It's a 8" on top of a 10", & there are 4 rather small wooden dowels in the middle of bottom tier. Help a girl out!

Anyway, that's my dilemma for the day. I've got a couple of Blake Makes posts coming up so stay tuned!!!

Christmas Cookies Rock My Socks

2009-01-17T22:31:00.005-06:00

Hello my lovelies!! I am so completely behind on posting that I figure I'll just start at Christmas & work my way forward. (Why Christmas, you ask? Because I love Christmas!!) This year I made it my personal mission to make some super freaking cute Christmas cookies. Since I'm absolutely in love with the book Cookie Craft, I decided to use the cookies in the book as inspiration. I made a double batch of the sugar cookie recipe in the book & a single batch of the gingerbread recipe, & let me just tell you I had cookies everywhere! I can honestly say that I spent 3 solid hours at the kitchen table decorating cookies, but I loved every minute of it. These little beauties went to my office Christmas party with me, & everyone fell in love with them.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-05T21:09:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!!!

I have severely neglected my poor little blog, so one of my new years resolutions is to update this thing A LOT more often! It's been so long since I've posted any of my work that I'll probably spend the next month or so catching up on some of my favorites. The holidays were very busy for me, so I've got a lot to show off!

I hope 2009 is an amazing year for everyone!

Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale - September

2008-10-06T21:39:00.004-05:00

Just a little late on this one! I'm so slow with the blog posts these days...shame shame! Soooo September's Cupcake of the Month was a good ol' southern specialty...hummingbird cake. Mmmmm! I found a recipe from Martha Stewart that I thought I'd try. Now I didn't get to try these cupcakes, so I don't actually know how they turned out, but everyone at work loved them. My boss even said she might like them better than the strawberry lime cupcakes which is a big deal! I'll have to try this recipe again someday so I can actually get a taste! The recipe can be found here.

Operation Baking GALS - Round 2

2008-09-20T22:31:00.004-05:00

For Round 2 of Operation Baking GALS, I was on Team Maybe For Real hosted by Anna at Maybe Just A Little Bite. This time I wanted to try to make something that I love & reminds me of home. My favorite cookie in the whole world are snickerdoodles, so I thought maybe our soldiers would love them too. I found a recipe that sounded pretty good, so I set out baking. These cookies were so easy, & they filled the house with the delicious smell of cinnamon & nutmeg. I had to make sure I taste-tested these little morsels before I sent them off, for quality control of course! Mmmmm...so good!

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix throughly in a bowl the butter, sugar & eggs. Blend in flour, cream of tarter, baking soda & salt. Chill. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Roll in sugar mixture (listed below), & place on an ungreased baking sheet two inches apart. Slightly flatten balls with a glass & bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set. Remove from baking sheet immediately.

Sugar Mixture: 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale - August

2008-09-14T22:13:00.004-05:00

WOW...I haven't posted an update in over a month!! Shame on me! Over the next fews days I'll be catching up on everything that's been going on lately.

First out of the box is my August Monthly Bake Sale. I decide to go a different route this time & picked brownies instead of the usual cupcakes. I am addicted to Food Network, & one of my favorite shows is Barefoot Contessa. Ina is genious! So for August's bake sale I choose Barefoot Contessa's Outrageous Brownies. Their name suits them well...these suckers were loaded with butter & chocolate! They were delicious!! I was sort of in a time crunch to get these finished, so in my haste I completely forgot to take a picture of the brownies. I only managed to get a picture of the packages containing the finished product. These were definitely a hit at the office!

My selection for September are hummingbird cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. A southern classic that I can't wait to try!!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-06T22:17:00.001-05:00

YouBar? No...that's MyBar! Get your own!

2008-07-30T21:05:00.005-05:00

Is it really possible for a nutrition bar to be good for you & taste good too? Why yes, my friends, it is! The folks at YouBar are starting a nutrition bar revolution...you choose everything that you want in a bar, & they'll make it exactly to your specifications. Kick ass right?! Right! I was lucky enough to receive 4 samples in the mail a couple of days ago, & I've successfully managed to consume every single one in a 2 day period. (Hey...it's all in the name of research. That's my story, & I'm sticking to it!) Each bar was a different flavor Honey Cashew, Great Date With Chocolate, Your Name Here, & even a BlakeMakes.com bar! My absolute favorite was the Blake Makes bar...it was full of cinnamon, raisins, & apples. As soon as I finished it I wished that I had an entire box full of just that kind. They were GOOD! The others were good as well...Great Date With Chocolate reminded me of a very moist brownie. I definitely didn't feel guilty eatting these tasty treats; they were a great change from all the "bad for me" sweets I've been consuming lately. (Although if you waived a cupcake in my face right now, I certainly wouldn't turn it down!)

Please forgive the crappy photography. I forgot to take pictures until after I had already eaten 2 of the bars, & the only camera I had was the one on my iPhone. One of these days I'm going to figure out that I should at least keep my little digital camera in my purse at all times!

Thanks a million to BlakeMakes & YouBar for this awesome giveaway!

Operation Baking GALS - Shortbread Cookies

2008-07-27T19:21:00.006-05:00

For the inaugural Operation Baking GALS event, I knew I needed to bake something that was durable enough to hold up to shipping overseas. After digging through all my recipes, I found exactly what I was looking for...Shortbread Cookies. This recipe is so easy to put together, & the cookies are delicious. I hope Susan's cousin enjoys eating them as much as I enjoyed baking them.

Shortbread Cookies

1/2 cup butter, cold
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup plus 1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk, ice cold
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in bowl of food processor. Process until a ball forms. Take out & form together. Wrap in plastic wrap & chill at least 1 hour. Before rolling out, let set at room temperature until soft enough to roll. Roll to 1/4" thick and cut into shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes.

Yields approx. 2 dozen (depending on size of cookies)

Operation Baking GALS

2008-07-27T16:24:00.003-05:00

I wanted to spread the word about a genius idea that I read about today. Susan at She's Becoming DoughMessTic & My Kitchen, My World put a call out to a few of her food blogging friends asking for help sending homemade goodies to her cousin in Iraq. Well her idea has exploded (now appropriately titled "Operation Baking GALS"), & she's offering to anyone who like to help a chance to send their homemade goodies as well. I fell in love with the idea as soon as I read about it, & e-mailed Susan immediately. I'll be baking my sweet treats tonight so I can send them off tomorrow. Nothing makes me happier than knowing that something I made will bring a smile to a soldier's face. I'll post a couple of pictures tomorrow of what I'm baking, but until then...it's a surprise!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-22T22:42:00.003-05:00

I Actually Won Something!!

2008-07-22T22:16:00.007-05:00

Okay...let me start this post by saying that I never win anything. I have the worst luck ever! Well that changed when I discovered a fantastic blog called Food Interviews. Stef (who has another fabulous blog that I LOVE called Cupcake Projects) interviews everyone from chocolate makers to food bloggers. I haven't read an interview yet where I haven't learned something new & interesting. You should definitely check it out! Anyway, back to my original thought, I won 3 bars of Amano chocolate from a recent interview she did with Amano's founder/owner Art Pollard. I am completely obsessed with all things chocolate, so I was as happy as if I had won Miss America! (Seriously folks, that's no exaggeration.) My chocolate arrived last week, & I excitedly tore into the box...which was quite a task because the folks at Amano do a wonderful of making sure your chocolate arrives to you in pristine condition.

This is what I discovered when I first opened the box...a foil-lined styrofoam box with, not 1, but 2 ice packs (in plastic bags to protect the chocolate from any condensation) & packing peanuts.

My delightful chocolate treasure!

Amano chocolate is handmade & comes in 3 variaties...Ocumare, Madagascar, & Cuyagua. All I have to say is that all 3 types are completely different & completely AMAZING! I loved them all & couldn't pick a favorite if you made me. I highly recommend checking out Amano's website. You can read about their processes & where their cacao comes from, & you can order some of this delectable sweetness for yourself!

A million thanks to Stef & Art...you definitely made this chocolate lover's day!

Crazy Week Wrap-Up

2008-07-21T22:26:00.005-05:00

As part of my whirlwind cake/cupcake making last week, I not only had my cupcake of the month to make, but I also had a cake order & a cupcake order. I also made 2 dozen cupcakes using the leftover strawberry frosting I had made for these. We had a lunch at work for one of our coworkers, so cupcakes were my contribution. As for my orders...I had to make a strawberry lime cake for a coworker's birthday & strawberry lime mini cupcakes for another coworker. (As you can probably tell my coworkers keep me busy, & strawberry lime is now my signature recipe.) I tried to make a 9x13 cake using the strawberry lime recipe that I've used several other times, but I soon realized that it would have to be multiplied by about 3 to get enough batter for the cake. So I cheated...I took a box of strawberry cake mix & substituted half the water for lime juice. For the frosting on the cake, I used the regular lime frosting that my original recipe calls for. The cake wasn't as good as it would have been had it been homemade, but it actually turned out really good. One of the girls said that it tasted like Fruit Loops, & it kind of did...it had that tart, sweet, fruity flavor going on.

The mini cupcakes were for a wedding rehearsal dinner, & they were just strawberry cake mix with the same lime frosting as what I used on the cake. They were the last thing I did that week, so I was completely exhausted by the time I was done!

Crazy week's over...I survived & made some tasty treats in the process.

Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale - July

2008-07-21T22:17:00.004-05:00

Last week was utterly insane, so I'm just now getting around to posting about my July Cupcake of the Month. I choose Lime Pound Cake with Orange Cream Cheese frosting as posted by Laurie of quirky cupcake on Blake Bakes. I'm on a big citrus cupcake kick, so I knew I had to try these! I'm having major issues as of lately with all of my homemade cupcakes falling after they're taken out of the oven. (And they're full cooked, mind you.) All you cupcake pros out there...what am I doing wrong?! Anyway...they looked so sad all sunken in, but OH MY GOSH...these things were AMAZING! The cupcakes themselves were so tart & tangy & then the orange cream cheese frosting on top gave the perfect sweet balance. I will definitely try this recipe again, only next time I will actually make it a tube pan & see if that helps at all. I think the coworkers enjoyed them too...so despite them not being very pretty, I think it was another taste success.

Here's a picture of the carnage that was created after I had to have a 1/2 cup of key lime juice. It's not a pretty sight. Poor little limes, they didn't know what they were getting into.

Could I please borrow another set of arms?

2008-07-16T15:08:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness gracious...this week has been crazy! I made cupcakes for a cookout at lunch today, tomorrow is July's Bake Sale, & I've got two orders for Friday (a cake & mini cupcakes). I think it's safe to say that Cakes By Ashley has officially taken off. Life is good though, so I definitely cannot complain. I promise to post lots of pictures & an update about the Bake Sale hopefully this weekend. I hope everyone's having a great week!

Birthdays & Babies

2008-07-12T08:53:00.009-05:00

I've been a busy little cake maker this week. I made a cake for my dad's birthday, & I had a cupcake order for a baby shower. Dad got a strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream, & it was tasty...nice & moist. I read the other day about letting the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes after you pull it out of the oven & then wrapping it in plastic wrap & putting it in the fridge. Pure brilliance I tell you...it worked perfectly!

The baby shower cupcakes were a dozen & a half each of strawberry cupcakes & white chocolate macadamia nut cupcakes. As you may remember, the white chocolate cupcakes were from my first Cupcake of the Month. I did a little variation on the icing to make it thicker (last time it was a runny mess) so they'd look a little nicer for the shower.

Now for the strawberry cupcakes, I wanted to figure out a way to doctor up a boxed cake mix. I found a recipe that seemed pretty good, so I decided to give it a try. Since I didn't get to try the cupcakes, I'm not sure how they came out but they looked very moist. The icing was strawberry cream cheese made with fresh strawberries, & I can attest to the fact that it was fabulous.

Strawberry Cake

1 box strawberry cake mix
1 (11.5 oz) can strawberry nectar
3 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix & bake according to directions on box.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 (8oz) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup strawberries, mashed in food processor
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter & cream cheese. Mix in strawberries. Add powdered sugar to desired taste & consistency.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-09T08:39:00.002-05:00

Bear Beach Cupcakes!!

2008-07-08T21:22:00.008-05:00

I recently saw Bakerella's post where she made Bikini Beach Bears cupcakes, & I knew I just had to try them. They're so freaking cute!!! I also saw a recipe on her blog that I wanted to try, so I just combined the two & made these little babies for the 4th of July.

We had two places to go on the 4th, so I made two sets. These were so much fun to make that I hated to eat them. But eat them we did, & they were tasty! I think I need to find an excuse to make more Beach Bears!

Cupcakes...A Girl's Best Friend

2008-06-26T20:56:00.004-05:00

It's true...necessity really is the mother of all invention. I had a cake order this week, but I had some extra batter left so I made a dozen cupcakes. Well I ended up not having enough frosting to ice the cupcakes, so what's a girl to do? She creates these...

I had half a bag of chocolate chips left over from the frosting, & we had some peanut butter in the pantry. I melted those babies up & drizzled them over the cupcakes. I haven't tried one, but they look yummy! I mean really...butter cake, chocolate & peanut butter...how bad can it be?! Sugar high anyone?

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-25T21:42:00.004-05:00

Cupcake of the Month - July

2008-06-24T11:08:00.004-05:00

July's cupcake of the month is Key Lime Pound Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting! Laurie from quirky cupcake posted the recipe on Blake Bakes a couple of weeks ago, & I've been dying to try it. Everyone at the office is just as excited as I am!

Black Fondant Roses

2008-06-22T15:04:00.003-05:00

I had an order for cupcakes this past week for a garden tour that my co-worker was having. All she asked for were vanilla cupcakes with pink icing. I've been trying to find ways to learn how to work with fondant, so I decided to tackle fondant roses. As you can see from my previous post, they actually turned out better than I could have ever expected. They were so easy to do...a little time consuming but easy. I'm learning more & more about this whole cake/cupcake thing as I go along, & I'm really starting to enjoy every bit of it.

Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale - June

2008-06-21T17:59:00.002-05:00

Well my first ever "Monthly Bake Sale" went over really well!! I picked a recipe from 500 Cupcakes...White Chocolate & Macadamia Nut. I had to do some doctoring with the recipe, but they came out buttery & delicious. The icing was amazing with the melted white chocolate in it. Everyone at work said they were great, so I think they were a success! I'm so thrilled that my idea worked, & I'm really looking forward to next month's selection. (I'll reveal what it is next week!)

Trying New Things = Unexpectedly Good Results!

2008-06-20T08:25:00.005-05:00

Just a little preview of what I've been working on this week...

Fondant Roses!!! I'm pretty proud of myself for these little beauties! I owe you guys a couple of posts, & I plan on getting those to you this weekend. I just couldn't wait to show these to you!

Thank you, Cupcake Lady!!

2008-06-16T15:59:00.010-05:00

My boss had a birthday on Saturday, & today at the office we had a little mini celebration. Since I'm the resident cake girl, I decided to make some cupcakes for the occasion. I've been trying to make everything from scratch here lately, so these would be no exception. Our cabinets at home are pretty bare, but I did have all of the ingredients to make simple vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing. Plain ol' vanilla just seemed boring, though, not fit for a birthday celebration. After digging through my cabinets, I found a bottle of cinnamon & an idea was born. I threw a tsp in the cupcake batter along with the other required ingredients, & another 2 tsp in the icing. Let me just tell you...after these things came out of the oven, they smelled so good that I wasn't sure they'd last long enough to get icing put on them let alone make it to the office this morning. Alas, I was a good girl & only ate one "naked" cuppie. Oh man! They tasted just like a snickerdoodle cookie, & I was thrilled! Snickerdoodles are one of my favorites! (Honestly, though, I haven't met a cookie yet that I don't like, so a cupcake that tastes like a cookie is okay in my book.) The icing was good too, but I'm not a big fan of buttercream in general. *Cue gasps of horror*

They look a little rough because I over-filled the cups & had to decorate them in a hurry, but they still tasted yummy!

Having survived through the night unscathed (i.e. uneaten), the cupcakes came with me to work today. They were a big hit! Everyone in my office liked them, & I took a few of the remaining ones to the office next door. I think they lasted all of 45 seconds over there! Even a couple of gentlemen from our corporate office got in on the cupcake action before they were all gone...I got a handshake & a jolly "Thank you, Cupcake Lady!!" as I left the office. All in all I'm throughly pleased that my lastest baking adventure was a success.

This is a busy week for me, my first Monthly Bake Sale is Thursday, & I've got a couple of other orders. I'll also try to post some stuff I did last week that I'm pretty proud of. Stay tuned to see how everything turns out!

Introducing - Cupcake of the Month!

2008-06-10T11:37:00.005-05:00

In my constant effort to improve my skills as a baker, I have come up with an idea that I feel is absolutely genius. (It's my one good idea for the year, so I guess I better make it count!) Since I've started this little cake/cupcake venture, I've found so many recipes that I've been dying to try. Let's face it, though, I'm just a single gal trying to make ends meet, & I can't always afford to bake on a whim. Now that's where my genius idea comes in! I have decided to start a cupcake of the month club at work, more appropriately titled "Ashley's Monthly Bake Sale". The idea is that I will be picking a new recipe each month & allowing my co-workers to pre-order, so to speak, a few of the cupcakes. I will only bake a specified amount so that I'm not baking dozens upon dozens every month, & once they're gone...they're gone. In return for this yummy cupcake goodness, I'll only charging a little, & I do mean a little, bit of money for each cupcake. I'm not looking to make money off of this thing, just enough to cover the expenses of making them & that's it. This is really all about helping me try out new recipes without going broke doing it.

Well after speaking with a few of my coworkers (who were extremely excited, I might add), I decided that June would be the 1st month for my bake sale. The selection this month is White Chocolate & Macadamia Nut, & they were all spoken for within a few hours of e-mailing everyone! I will definitely post pictures next week once I get the cuppies made! Hopefully this idea will go over as well as I'm hoping...keep your fingers crossed!!

I'm just a rebel without a clue!

2008-05-27T23:05:00.006-05:00

So I did something wild & crazy last week. (Now mind you...wild & crazy don't exactly fit into my personality profile.) I got a tattoo of a cupcake on my foot! Now tattoos are not a new experience for me...this one was #4. I had seen a few pictures on Flickr & decided that I too needed a cupcake tattoo. Little did I know that my foot was going to swell up like a balloon, but I love the thing...it's so cute!! The swelling has now gone down, & it's healing nicely. Many many MANY thanks to Jeanie at Altered Images in Oklahoma City!

Betty's got nothing on me!

2008-05-07T22:13:00.010-05:00

Tonight was my first venture into the world of homemade cupcakes. I can make any boxed cake mix taste extra yummy, but I wanted to try my hand at something homemade for a change. My sister & I are having a jewelry party tomorrow night, so I thought I'd make some mini cupcakes for the occasion.

I found a recipe in Crazy About Cupcakes for strawberry-lime cupcakes & another for lime frosting. Add a little tequila, & you'd have yourself one tasty strawberry margarita, but that's another subject. The recipe was very easy to follow; it called for either fresh or frozen strawberries, & I chose the latter. When the minis came out of the oven they seemed a little dense so I was worried that I hadn't mixed the batter enough. After a taste test, though, they weren't as heavy as I thought they were. I wish I would have used fresh strawberries instead of the frozen ones; I think they would have helped keep the cake more light & airy. The lime frosting was absolutely delicious though! The perfect blend of sweet & tart. I didn't use all of the lime juice that the recipe called for, but it turned out really well. I'm glad I made the minis though, I think a little of the frosting goes a long way.

I made my guinea pigs (Mom & Dad) do a taste test, & they both agreed that they were pretty tasty. The true test will be our party guests tomorrow night. All in all, I'd say my first homemade cuppies were pretty successful. I'm definitely excited about trying more recipes!

Playing Catch-Up!

2008-05-07T21:58:00.009-05:00

Wow...it's been way too long since I've updated this thing! Spring is in the air, & I'm loving every minute of it. I've done quite a few things since I last posted, so I thought I'd just give you a few pictures. Enjoy!

These are a few of 6 dozen cupcakes I made for a girl's 18th birthday party. There were 2 dozen each of strawberry, chocolate, & vanilla cupcakes all with vanilla buttercream.

Our friend just had a baby boy, & she's always asking if we have any cake around the house. This little 6" white cake was a surprise present for her.

Last month I was hired to make a cake & mini cupcakes for a wedding shower, & this is what I came up with. Their wedding colors are black, red, & white. This was my very first time using fondant, & I absolutely love it for making decorations. I'm not quite sure I want to try covering any entire cake with it yet, but I can definitely get used to the little stuff.

Mini Cupcakes Everywhere!

2008-03-30T22:23:00.012-05:00

This past Friday I had the pleasure of being a part of an annual business women's luncheon here in town. I was asked to set up a booth for my cake business & pass out samples & info to the women that attended. Well let me just tell you...I make 8 dozen mini cupcakes plus a fake 10" cake for the event. Now you want to know how many cupcakes I gave away? Maybe a dozen. Seriously! On the plus side...I did hand out a bunch of my business cards & several of my price sheets. Now it's just a matter of sitting back & waiting for the phone to ring. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Here are 6 dozen of the mini cupcakes that I made...

And a close-up of the cupcakes...

This is actually a fake cake. (The "cake" part is foam, but the icing is real.)

Pictures!

2008-03-24T20:42:00.004-05:00

I thought I should go ahead & post a few pictures of my favorite cakes & cupcakes!

I made this cake for a couple of women that I work with. I love love love the polka dots!

These cupcakes were for my cousin's little girl's 2nd birthday. What little girl (or big girl) doesn't love pink?!

My sister's birthday cake.

Cupcakes for twins...one boy & one girl.

Zoe's 1st birthday

Hello World!

2008-03-24T20:35:00.003-05:00

So let's just call this my little blogging experiment. I figure that this is a great way to share my creations with the world! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!