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Baking is LOVE made visible – Unknown

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

baking

Not everything I make needs to have an occasion. I had this talk with my daughter last night. She kept asking, “Is it someone’s birthday?” “Is someone paying you to make these?” “Why are you making sweets?” My responses were, “No, No and Do I need to have a reason?”

Many times I do make things for co-workers and/or friends birthdays because who doesn’t like to be treated to something delicious and slightly over the top for their birthday? Who am I kidding – any day really! My co-workers are spoiled when it comes to goodies. I usually try my best to bring enough for the whole class, and  yes, there are times that I just treat one department.

I bake for many reasons, but the end result is always the same – something created with love. As cliche as it may sound it is very true. I LOVE to bake. I LOVE the way my mind can find a calm and peace,  and my hands take over the thinking and creating. I LOVE the smells that take over the kitchen. Baking takes over all of your senses and can transport you to another time and place.

Baking and cooking is just one of the many ways I show family and friends my love and appreciation for them.

$74 OH MY!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

My 12-year-old daughter tried out for a part in her middle school’s drama production of “Hee Haw Hayride.” She didn’t get the part she auditioned for … she ended up receiving a part with twice as many lines – not bad for a first timer! She, along with all her cast mates, did an amazing job. They worked extremely hard for a month and a half and pulled of a fantastic show.

Our schools drama is funded by donations, concession sales during the plays two-night run and from the dessert auction at the end of each night. I decided to make a candy cake for each night – one vanilla and one chocolate.

The first one I made vanilla cake with white chocolate ganache between the two layers and frosted it with vanilla buttercream. I cut down stick of rock candy that I purchased from our locally owned candy shop, Specialty Sweets, and placed them around the edges of the cake and topped it with Skittles. To keep the rock candy in place I tied a ribbon around the cake for functionality and decoration. This cake sold to one of my daughter’s friends. For the second one I made a chocolate cake with semi-sweet chocolate ganache between the two layers and frosted it with a chocolate buttercream. I then placed Kit-Kats around the edges and topped it with M&Ms. To keep the Kit-Kats in place I again tied a ribbon around the cake. In total, these two cakes sold for $74!

I know a lot of people may think this is too much candy and who would eat all that, or that it is wasteful, however the same can be said for fondant. I DETEST FONDANT! I personally think it tastes gross, and for many cakes it is used for the aesthetics it brings to the cake, not for it’s flavor. The same goes for these cakes – the candy is mostly for decoration and to make the cake stand out. If it all gets eaten, great! Just have a gallon of milk ready!

These candy cakes are great for parties and the possibilities are endless. You can wrap the cake in Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes, Kit-Kats, Snickers, rock candy, jelly beans, ANYTHING! The same goes for the toppings! Fruit, chocolate covered strawberries, jelly beans, Lindor truffles, Ferrero Rocher … get your Willy Wonka on … Pure Imagination!

Get your fat pants ready!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment
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I love this sign! Every time I bring something into work, someones groans and says, “I am on a diet, I should be good.” Then they smile and take what I am offering, and they don’t regret that they did.

I have always had a passion for baking, which was instilled in me at a very young age. There is nothing I love more than to work with my hands and share a little piece of my heart every time I bake. Baking is my happy place. I am a firm believer that Grama’s always tastes better because it was made with love, and I tell that to my girls when they eat something delicious I have made – It was made with love.

I am fortunate to have grown up in a family that loves to cook and to EAT! It is in my blood on both sides of my family. I hope to share with you the love that I have for baking and of course eating!