Label Remover

If you're having trouble peeling off a label or sticker without leaving a gooey mess behind, try applying white vinegar until it's saturated.  It will peel right off!

Playful Spring Cupcakes

 

I made these playful cupcakes for the students with special needs to sell on their coffee cart at school.   I was worried that the icing would turn the students mouths different colors but the students loved them and they were gone within 5 minutes. 

Give them a try!

Ice cupcakes with white, orange, green, blue, and yellow medium consistency icing.

Ladybug: On orange iced cupcake, use spatula to imprint a line down the center of the body.  Use tip 12 and black icing to pipe dot head.  Use tip 2 and white icing to pipe dot eyes, nose, and outline mouth.  Use tip 2 and black icing to pipe dot pupils and dots on body. Cut black shoestring licorice and insert for antennas.

Rainbow: On white iced cupcake, use tip 5 and violet, pink, blue, green, and yellow icing to pipe rainbow and sun.  Cut 2 white miniature marshmallows into 1/4 squares and add for clouds.

Fish: On blue iced cupcake, use tip 12 and orange icing to pipe dot body.  Use tip 3 and green icing to pipe zigzag tail, fin, gills, bead mouth, and sea weed.  Use tip 2 and white icing to pipe dot eye and tip 2 and black icing to pipe dot pupil.

Teddy Bear: On yellow iced cupcake, use tip 12 and brown icing to pipe dot head.  Use tip 5 and brown icing to pipe dot ears and muzzle.  Use tip 3 and black icing to pipe dot eyes, nose, and outline mouth.   Use tip 3 and multiple colored icing to pipe dot confetti.

Worm: On white iced cupcake, use tip 5 and green icing to pipe increasing sizes of dots from tail to head.  Use tip 3 and white icing to pipe dot eyes, tip 2 and black icing to pipe dot pupils and outline mouth, tip 2 and green icing to pipe dot nose.

Cyclops: On light green iced cupcake, use tip 3 and dark green icing to pipe dots.  Use tip 3 and black icing to outline and pipe-in mouth.  Use tip 3 and white icing to pipe dot eye and tooth.  Use tip 3 and black icing to pipe dot pupil.  Cut black shoestring licorice and insert for hair.

Color-by-Number Guide to Make Different Icing Shades

Take the guess work out of coloring your icing!

I snagged this chart from Pinterest.  I will be adding this to my quick reference binder.  I use the food coloring paste instead of the drops so I am going to have to figure out the portion amount.

Be sure to visit Rachel Sanders' BuzzFeed to get 35 Amazing Birthday Cake Ideas.

Number Cake Tutorial

That's Life Magazine has posted an awesome tutorial on creating number cakes.  Click here to view it on their page. Want to bring something special to the traditional cake? Food Editor Darlene has a number of great ideas for you to try.

You'll need 2 x 453g tub Betty Crocker Creamy Deluxe Vanilla Frosting. Serves 10 Decorating time 30 min 1. Arrange the cakes on the board, trimming cakes and assembling to connect and make the number shape you desire. 2. Using your choice of decorations, spread with frosting and decorate as desired. Your choice of decorating ideas: Under the sea Add blue food coloring to frosting, swirling color through for varying intensity. Decorations like pre-made sea creatures decorations, sour strap, and fish and crocodile sweets. Butterfly garden Tint frosting in orange and decorate with pre-made butterfly decorations Farmyard friends Tint frosting in leaf green and use pre-made farm animal decorations Off and racing Tint frosting beige and use chocolate bars to make a racetrack, decorate with novelty cars and signs. What a zoo Use white frosting and decorate with animals and tinted coconut. Chocolate fantasy Spread with white frosting and top with pieces of chocolate or novelty shaped chocolates. YOUR NUMBER'S UP If you wish to make your own cake, her are the alternatives to making the shapes used for the numbers.   Store bought cake Swiss roll Double layer sponge cake Double layer slab cake Make your own (Cake mix required : Baking temperature and time) Swiss roll Bar tin 1 x 340g buttercake cake mix-divided into two bar tins : 180C (160C FF) for 25-30 min. Double layer sponge cake 2 shallow 18cm or 20cm cake pan 1 x 340g golden buttercake mix : 160C (140C FF) 40-45 min Double layer slab cake 25 x 35cm shallow oblong pan 2 x 340g golden buttercake mix : 160C (140C FF) 25-30 min One 1. You will need two purchase two Swiss roll style cakes for number one. 2. Place on cake onto the board. Cut a 6cm piece from the remaining cake to make the post longer. Cut a second slice and cut in half to make the base. Trim a wedge off cake for the top and position in place. Two 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge slab for number two and make a template for the number. 2. Place the template on the cake and trim around the edges, discarding the portions of cake that are not required. Three 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge cake for number three. 2. Take each layer of the cake and remove an 8cm circle from the middle. Remove about a 1/4 of one cake for the base of the three and about 1/3 of the remaining cake for the top. Position to make the number, trimming as required. Four 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge slab for number four. 2. Cut the slabs in half lengthways. Position the four pieces into the number four using the pic as a guide. Five 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge slab for number five and make a template for the number. 2. Place the template on the cake and trim around the edges, discarding the portions of cake that are not required. Six 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge cake for number six. 2. Take one layer of the cake and remove a 6m circle from the middle. Cut a piece about 6cm wide to make the top part of the number. Seven 1. You will need two purchase two Swiss roll style cakes for number seven. 2. Arrange the cakes on the board, trimming wedges from each roll and assembling to connect and make the seven shape. Eight 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge cake for number eight. 2. Cut a 6cm circle form each cake. Then trim about 2cm from the side of each cake. Push the cut edges together to make the number eight. Nine 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge cake for number nine. 2. Take one layer of the cake and remove a 6m circle from the middle. Cut a piece about 6cm wide to make the base of the number nine. Assemble as the pic indicates. Zero 1. You will need to purchase a double layer sponge cake for 0. 2. Take one layer of the cake and remove an 8cm circle from the middle. Place onto the board. Cut two 6cm squares from the remaining cake and place between the two semi-circles to make the elongated shape.

Sheriff Car Birthday Cake

 

What do you give to the officer who spends all of his time working for his birthday?  A sheriff car birthday cake...  I really enjoyed making this cake.  I used the Wilton's cake pan to make the car and sugar sheets for the wording.  It was a time consuming task but definitely worth it when he walked in and his face lit up like a 5-year old at Christmas.