033: you guessed it--another birthday!

so yesterday was my wonderful boyfriend's 22nd birthday (happy birthday, darlin!), so of course i had to make him a cake (as well as his banana pudding--it was a party, after all!). anyway, james's favorite baseball team is the los angeles dodgers, and so what better way to celebrate than by making a cake in the shape of a dodgers jersey?  i do, however, have to credit his mom with this perfect idea.  thanks annette!  and happy birthday, james!

equipment:
mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
9x13" pan
cutting board
sharp knife
frosting knife
food coloring
frosting tips
candles



ingredients:
1 box (you know i cheat) cake mix (i used devil's food--james's favorite) and the ingredients on the box
2 cans frosting (i used cream cheese)


steps:
1.) make cake according to box instructions and bake in a 9x13" pan. i also pulled out 1 cupcake's worth of batter and baked it in a silicone cupcake liner (which is awesome cuz you can let it bake freestanding in the oven and it took the same time as the rest of the cake) to use for the baseball.   let everything cool completely, and the flip it onto a cutting board by placing the cutting board upside down on top of the pan and turning it over.  freeze this until cake is hard.

2.) cut the cake into the shape of a jersey.  i cut out the neckline and then only about an inch off the sides underneath the sleeves.  i then added some of this cut out cake to the sleeves to make them proportional, connecting them with some of the frosting.

3.) crumb coat the cake and freeze it again (this just makes it all easier to work with).

4.) frost the cake in the colors of the team of your choice.  obviously for james this was the dodgers.  i used the most awesome frosting tool of all time that i inherited from my mom (thanks mom!) who inherited it from her grandmother.  it is a metal tube that holds frosting and the end pushes down to push frosting out of one of 12 tips that go with it (pictured above).  it made frosting control soooo much easier!  love it.  i then decorated the cupcake into the shape of a baseball and put candles on (as buttons).  easy, fun, done.


time:  less than 10 minutes prep time, 35 minutes bake time, cool and freeze time, about an hour to crumb coat then decorate
difficulty: 1.5 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 out of 5 stars)
suggestions for variation: try different jerseys and teams.  have fun with it!


anyway, happy 22nd birthday, james!  i love you!
-kl

032: welcome to the south! banana pudding

why hello there! yes, i know it's been forEVer since i've posted, but i have been sooo busy (yes, i know i always say this, too). but this time i think my excuse is pretty legit--i moved to florida and have been establishing my new kitchen. it's super cute with yellow and black tiling on the counters and tons of cabinet/cupboard space--i love it! also, my AMAZING housewarming gift from my wonderful parents was an electric 12 speed cuisinart standing mixer with a whip, dough hook, paddle, and splash guard and places to put on attachments such as a meat grinder, pasta maker, blender, food processor, juicer, and etc. loooooovvvvveeee it!!!!   anyway, i am loving florida life and my job, and of course being able to see my fantastic boyfriend everyday.  in fact, yesterday was his birthday (happy 22, love!).  to celebrate, i made his favorite dessert of all time (which i had never even heard of til i moved to the south last summer): banana pudding.  it was easy and delicious AND i got to use my new mixer!  all in all it only took about half an hour.  i hope you northerners give it a try and that all enjoy!

equipment:
mixer (handheld or standing)
spatula
mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
9x13" pan
knife


ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package instant banana cream pudding mix (dry)
2 c. milk
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 carton cool whip
6 bananas, sliced
1 box vanilla wafer cookies


steps:
1.)  beat softened cream cheese on medium until fluffy.

2.)  in a separate bowl, whisk instant pudding mix with milk.  add pudding mixture, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla to cream cheese.  beat all together on medium until smooth.  fold in cool whip until smooth.

3.) in a 9x13" pan layer pudding mixture, vanilla wafer cookies, and sliced bananas.  chill and serve cold.


time: about 30 minutes
difficulty: 1 (1 being easiest, 5 being hardest)
rating: ♦♦♦♦1/2◊ (4.5 out of 5 stars)
suggestions for variation: i wanted to try this with adding some banana liqueur and/or rum to the mix, but i didn't have time to run to the liquor store.  next time, though!


enjoy!
-kl :o)