Here We Go Again

Okay, I don't know whether or not I'm actually craving all the desserts I'm making, or if just miss baking 24/7? Whatever the case may be, let's just say that my family isn't particularly happy with me right now (they're complaining that their pants aren't fitting :P). Hahaha. Anyways, last night I decided that I wanted to make bread/yeast doughs. I made two different baked goods, sweet rolls filled with cream cheese and pretzels. Unfortunately, the pretzels tasted okay but didn't look very "pretty" so I'm hoping to make them again soon and will post it up once I have somewhat perfected it! As for the sweet rolls here they are!

These sweet rolls filled with cream cheese were inspired by Asian pastries that I have always grown up with.  As of now, I'm okay with how they turned out but I'm hoping to possibly find a roll/bread that has a more lighter and airy texture (since that is what most of the Asian bakeries I have been to do). 

ROP

I mentioned last month that I was taking a course called, "baking and pastry fundamentals" and so far we've baked and what not but the day that I've been waiting for has come!! WE'RE BEGINNING TO DECORATE! :D

Yesterday (March 27th) we practiced with fondant and I couldn't think of anything on the top of my head but I knew I wanted to incorporate flowers somehow. Here is the cake! I don't think it's tooooo shabby considering I was winging all of the ideas... ;)

Tiffany

Happy birthday to my friend, Tiffany Lee (& yes today is her actual birthday haha)! As I said in the previous post, she was the one that that probably led me to love cake decorating and what not. 

Fun fact: I didn't always want to go into culinary. Before all of this, I actually wanted to pursue a career in fashion. I didn't want to be a fashion designer, but something more in the lines of being either a merchandiser, buyer, or stylist. The idea of going into fashion hasn't completely gone away, so who knows! I think for myself,  I just really enjoy doing crafts and artsy things which is why I think I'm so infatuated with decorating cakes/cupcakes! 

...now back to Tiffany! Soo basically I've known her since I want to say middle school...? The only thing is that we didn't really even start hanging out until our sophomore year in high school! We haven't known each other for too long, but nevertheless, she's one of those friends that I can say I can go to and count on. I never really explained in the post before about how exactly she influenced me to love decorating so here it goes... So technically I had always loved baking and decorating cupcakes and what not for my friend's birthdays however my "baking and decorating" was pretty much just slabbing on some frosting and maybe even adding sprinkles. Might I add that I all of these were baked from a box.. I didn't even make my own frosting either... Even with knowing all of this, my friends all thought that I was a really great baker, so one day Tiffany and I were browsing around the bakery section at a nearby Pavillions and in the glass window where they display their cakes, was a cake that was shaped as a sun. After seeing the cake, she pretty much challenged me to make a cake that looked like that for her. I jokingly told her that I would, not thinking that I actually would attempt to make it... but I did ;) ! When I gave her the cake at school on her birthday, everyone, (including Tiffany) were amazed. I want to say that people probably doubted that I could make it...? I know for sure I doubted myself! There were even some times while making the cake that I was just about to give up completely! But when all was done I was somewhat content with it, but the feedback I got from everyone at school was amazing and I think that's also why I am heading towards going into the world of pastry! Something about the reactions I get from giving people a work of art in the form of food just makes me so happy!

Anyways, the cake I made for her this year for her 18th birthday, was a cake that was to resemble a camera. If there's another thing you should know about Tiffany, it's that she's an amazing photographer! I wish I had that talent! I'm constantly asking her how I can take better pictures of my desserts! Hahahaha.

Tried to replicate the "mode dial" as much as I could.

The back of the "camera." I actually wasn't going to even do anything on the back but felt like it looked a little plain if I didn't do anything to it. In the end, adding the details on the back paid off! 

The front/side.

The top.

The front.

Tiffany with her cake!

Probably one of the best compliments I've gotten. This made my day! :')

Note: How am I posting all of these pictures when it has just hit midnight, you might ask? Well, my friends and I decided that since Tiffany's birthday was going to be on a Sunday, that we would give her treats/balloons on the past Friday at school (it's just a special feeling when you receive treats/goodies at school for your birthday). 

Also, before I forget...! Here are the much delated St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes I made... not very special but I'd thought I should post them anyways. These cupcakes were made for a FST St. Patrick's Day party. 

Candy melted clovers

The flavor was red green velvet with cream cheese frosting.

Em Bish

Little fun fact that I failed to mention for awhile is that I'm finally taking classes for baking! I actually started the class in January.. Overall it's a really fun class! The class is every Tuesday and Thursday from 2-7 pm. It sucks that it's quite a drive for me, but I guess you just gotta do what you gotta do! Lately though, it has been somewhat overwhelming depending on what I have to do during the week. For example, this week was my friend, Emily Bishop's birthday. Her birthday happened to fall on a Wednesday which meant that if I wanted to bake something for her, that I would have to bake on Tuesday night which also meant I wouldn't have the whole day to whip something up. I knew that I would bake for her no matter what.

Emily and I first met each other in 8th grade. We had both P.E and science together. Those were good times. Those were also the days that none of us could drive and would have to walk everywhere or rely on parents to drive us to places. Which brings me to why I thought of making the cake that I made for her. The cake I made her was supposed to replicate a bag of popcorn (like the ones you see in movie theaters). I decided to make this because she absolutely LOVES popcorn. I don't think there's ever been a time that I've been to her house where she didn't have popcorn stocked in her pantry. Now that I think of it, she's also typically always ate or popped popcorn whenever we were at her house!

NHS Girls Senior Basketball Game

Today (I guess technically yesterday..) was my friends' last basketball game! So sad!!!! This just makes me realize that I will soon have my last dance show...EVER!
On a more positive note...
I made treats for the basketball girls! Why? Well, to be honest, girl's sports at my high school don't always get enough credit. I think it's really frustrating (even though I'm technically not even in a girl's sport..dance is counted as an elective/arts class)! Nevertheless I've begun to bond with some of the girls on the team this year and thought I'd do something special for their last game. I originally planned to make "Justin Bieber" themed cupcakes but I underestimated the amount of time.. so I opted for a much simpler design.
...which also didn't seem to work out too much either...

Hand lettered each butter cookie.

Then added some jam to make the letters pop!

the cookies that said "basketball" didn't quite make it... ):

POSTERS!

Practice Makes Perfect

...right? 

Well, hey!

The weather's getting colder, baking season is here, and black friday promotions are coming out, you know what that means?! 

IT'S HOLIDAY SEASON!

hehe

Last night, my friend, Anisha told me that she was having a holiday party at work. I gladly offered to make her holiday themed treats. Hopefully they looked festive enough...

Ornaments, Candy Canes, Stars, Stockings, Ribbons, and Presents

Stockings

Ribbons

Presents

Candy Canes

Stars

...an...uhm...ornament...

Eh, eh? At least I have more time to work on more ideas for future holiday parties/events! ;)

Note to self: Work on perfecting a "Hot/Spicy Red Velvet Cupcake..."

                     I just gotta keep remembering, "practice makes perfect."

2

Ah, I meant to make a post about the cakes I made yesterday but completely fell asleep! ):

Anyways, long story short, I had two and a half days to make two cakes for two events. Phew! 

Event 1: (Kappa Alpha Theta) Big & Little Revealing 

From left to right: My Sister Tiffanie, Her Grandlittle, Michelle, and Her Little Sis, Jamie

Theme of cake: Belle from Beauty and the Beast

Cake Flavor: Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting

Event 2: Dance Theater Just Dance Tournament/Late Halloween Party

Dance Theater Captains, Alison (Orange/Carrot) and Aley (Red/Tomato) playing Just Dance

Theme of cake: Jack-O-Lantern

Cake Flavor: Pumpkin with Cream Cheese Frosting

Soooo many layers! So glad that this cake didn't collapse! PHEW! Driving with this cake was terrifying.