Jar cakes

Indulge me in my shameless attempt to show off the photogenic furbundle I live with❤️

Like myself he loves Christmas with abandon.

And can you agree Rocky the dog's glamor quotient is as savage in 2-D fondant portions as it is in real life?

Jar cakes are miniature rounds of cake cut out from a large sheet cake placed into six or eight ounce tins or jars.  Generally, a 9 X 13 inch cake, horizontally split, yields 8 jars,  three tiers of two and a half to three inch rounds.  Scraps can also be repurposed and shaped to conform, though it may not present quite neat a show through glass.  A complementing layer of frosts lift to a whopping six mini tiers.

For the cake inside, choose a favorite recipe, or if you don't wish to wander far, select from any of the ones in archives.

Frostings are most commonly buttercream, but fresh cream and ganache are excellent contenders. Standard chocolate and vanilla make pretty safe flavor bets, but you could play daring baker and inlay fruit creams and fascinating syrups. The scale of creativity raises considerably on attempts at fondant accents and sprinkled buttercream rosettes. Consider it the opening scene behind the lid and essential to set a fine stage for all that's seated within.

I'll leave you now to your holiday baking and jollymaking.

In the meantime, cheer on while I consider making Rocky the face of my cakes🐶

Have a merry merry, folks- from Rocky and I 🐶✨

Not a day goes by that I am not extremely grateful for the ability to upkeep this website I started in 2012. I don't say it enough, but thank you for your consistent visits and kind audience.

 I truly appreciate🙏🏼

Portable, giftable, adorable. And it's totally doable.

He clearly needs a Hollywood agent.

*******

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14

Star bread

The blur of  December running forward into a January toting promise of long awaited good tidings leaves me dizzy. Stress is high, visions of an immediate mask-less future seem dim, and ahhhh(!) I really do need to make my plum cake.

A pace to get things done and check off everything in a bulging final weeks' tasklist is always a terrific challenge, a result of loving Christmas a tad much. Because, as well thought out and carefully executed as things are, there is still that bit of restlessness and uncertainty in procrastination spun events.

Did the cookies just set off the fire alarm? Is there sufficient large cake for a million inch-high jar cake orders? Is my child recording all the Christmas specials I am missing while I'm in the kitchen?

It's then that my IG feed suggested I make star bread.

Subsequently, I put the Christmas cake on hold, for the theatrics of kneading, twisting and turning a yeasted loaf required my undivided attention. It also made my heart grow three sizes that day.

Cranberry raspberry bread is spectacular in aroma, majestic in visual, plush in texture, and beyond anything you'd expect in flavor. And since I am partially grateful for SEO driven recommendations, particularly when they're not asking me to shop my socks off, I'd like to share this gem with you. Because, don't you think it looks like one? 

So, take my advice and bake the bread. I promise making a starbright from pillowy dough will be a skillset to pride yourself on.

Meanwhile, as I rest my feet, glistening slices of sweet bread tucked onto my plate,  the Grinch's exchange with Cindy Lou is as captivating as it can ever be.

Bread recipe courtesy Red Star Yeast

Sweet dough:

Ingredients:

• 1¾ cups lukewarm water
• 1 tbsp yeast
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup  honey
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 7 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Star bread:

Ingredients:

(Makes one star bread)

• 2 pounds sweet dough (half of above recipe) 
• 6 tbsp almond paste
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 2 egg yolks
• pinch salt
• ½ cup raspberry preserves
• ¾ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• egg wash (1 egg white mixed with 1 tbsp water)
• decorator sugar
• confectioners’ sugar, if desired

1. Directions:

• In a 6-quart container, add the water, yeast, salt, eggs, honey, melted butter and flour. Mix ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
• Cover (not airtight) and allow to rise at room temperature for about 2 hours; then store in refrigerator for at least 4 hours to chill the dough before using.
• When ready to use dough, take out and proceed to make the fillings.
• For almond filling: In a food processor, mix together the almond paste, flour, sugar, almond extract, egg yolks and salt until it is a smooth paste. Set aside in a small bowl and clean the processor.
• For cranberry-raspberry filling: Add the raspberry preserves and cranberries to the clean processor and chop until the cranberries are fine pieces. Set aside.
• Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound piece. If you don't have a scale, it's half of the dough. Place the remaining dough back in the refrigerator. Divide the piece into four equal pieces, dust with more flour and quickly knead them into balls by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom. Cover and let dough balls rest for 20 minutes to allow dough to relax.
•  Roll out the dough balls into four circles about 10-inch wide. Use a dinner plate of the same size to lay down as a guide. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking. 
•  Place one of the dough rounds on a piece of parchment paper lined baking sheet. Top with ⅓ the almond filling, then ⅓ the raspberry-cranberry mixture. Cover with next round. Repeat with next two layers of dough and fillings. Top with the final layer of dough.
• Place a 2½-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, or anything that size in the center of the dough. Press lightly to make an indent (do not cut the dough) or leave cutter there as a guide.
• Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper to cut 16 equal spokes from the edge of the biscuit cutter to the outer edge of the dough. 
• Twist two of the sections toward each other with two rotations, then pinch the two sections together at the end to form a point. Continue with the rest of the sections until you have 8 points. Pinch seams one more time to ensure they won't come apart during rising. 
• Loosely cover the star and rise for 90 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• On rise, seal edges together one last time. Brush the star point edges and center of star with egg wash; sprinkle decorating sugar along edges and center.
• Bake on large sheet pan for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and set.
• Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
• Allow to cool on a rack.

• Notes: 
• To make the sixteen point cutting easy, imagine a clock and start cutting dough at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 marks. From there, cut each piece in half and again halve those pieces, resulting in 16.
• Dough can be refrigerated  in a non-airtight lidded container or up to five days or frozen, in one-pound portions, up to four weeks.  

• The entire sweet dough makes two 2 pound star breads. The star bread ingredient listing yields 1 loaf. 

The instructions are detailed enough that you can, rest assured, anticipate it to perform on point every time.

So much talk of the Grinch, and no recipe?

No way!

Grinch cake

Other Christmas recipes~

2019:

spice cake

2017:

surprise snowball cookies

2015: 

cranberry orange loaf

2014:

stocking cake pops

2013:

green rice

2012:

homemade lollipops

 

******

"When the wise men saw the star, they were filled with joy."  Matthew 2:10-12

Sugar cookies

The mess and multitudinal stages involved in cookie manufacturing bring a unifying sense of order and stability to a season so busy, specifically in a year like no other where extra doses of merry and bright are of dire need. The more elaborate the baking process, the greater provision of yuletide and gaiety, which, even those therapy sessions might seem insufficient to fulfill. 

Friends, today's subject was meant for such a time as this. Are you ready to take notes?

There is something quite over-the-top about an en masse of embellished sugar cookies. It stirs up an old world nostalgia as deep as the devotion to listen to uninterrupted Christmas music. Could've happened, you know, episodes of forced intervention from your grown up children to indubitably lock your Spotify account.

But tell me you get as excited as I do, stamping out snowmen of tender-rich crunch and sandy soft angels that flock in dozens. A few of of these, appropriately outfitted, alongside iconic red trucks and tied in shiny ribbon...and, hello, aren't you the Boss gift giver!?!

Perfectly executed, the simpleton of doughs can be one of the most impressive things ever. A truth life and the world of Disney princess movies never cease to remind me; the simpler/less complicated/straightforward could essentially be the better.

That being said, never underestimate the power of what butter, sugar and flour can do. Not that a few cups of base ingredients create a recipe of capacity to be passed down to people who will one day call you Grandma. Why, you simply couldn't herd all things involving such ingredients and commemorate them as heirloom, could you?

Accordingly, when Google renders exhaustive sugar cookie lists, complete with thousands of ideals comprising "bests', "perfects", "yummiest evers", you challenge yourself to try, in the least, the first ten searches among the five star tier.

However, it's a fall back blueprint I'm going to share. Not only is it ample enough for personal high teas throughout December, a batch of dough supplies generously for the half dozen friends and two immediate neighbors as well.

I don't know if it's the addition of milk in Alton Brown's version that makes the platform so versatile. Scraps reroll in ease, making beautiful clean cuts whether frozen-sliced, glass punched or cookie cutter pressed. 

It could very well be remedy for dark seasons, in particular, furnishing a spot of cheer to our pandemic weighted year.

And somewhere along the line, you'll wonder why you'd consider any other cookie anyway.

A batch is fairly easy to mix up. It freezes well and will yield a lot more than you can imagine. 

It's a truth! Visions of sugar skills come on display.

                                       Cookie platters = visual mood elevators

The trucks were something I urgently wanted to do. I made templates from cardstock and trace-cut with an X-acto.

 In adjustment of scraps/rerolling: the best way to make the most of your time and labor is have your cutters out and work as quickly as possible. The fast succession will not require as many refrigeration trips to rechill.

( Recipe adapted from Alton Brown's sugar cookie)

Sugar cookie

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup salted butter, slight chilled
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk

Directions:

• Combine flour, baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to sift ingredients. Cut the butter in by tablespoons. Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Scrape dough down from the sides of the bowl, and pulse until a smooth cookie dough forms. 
• Divide dough in half. Knead into two rectangular slabs, approximately half inch thick. Stick each slab between two large sheets of parchment and fold paper to cover sides of dough. Place in Ziploc if freezing overnight. If not, freeze in parchment for one hour.
• Take the dough out, preheat oven to 350° F. Unfold parchment sheets and roll dough either onto the bottom parchment ( no fuss nonstick surface) or onto a floured counter  to a 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. 
• Cut into desired shapes. Arrange cookies on parchment or silicone lined baking sheets, two inches apart.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes rotating at the half interval.
• Take out of oven when done. Leave the cookies on the tray for 1-2 minutes. Invert onto baking rack to cool completely.
• Serve as is or decorate with royal icing/ sprinkles.

Royal icing:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 3 tbsp meringue powder
• ¼ cup- ¾ cup room temperature water, more needed to lighter consistencies
• ½ tsp vanilla or lemon extract
• gel food coloring

Directions:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, on medium speed, combine sugar, meringue powder and 1/4 cup water until smooth and shiny.
• Adjust speed to high and beat until stiff shiny peaks form, approximately 5 minutes,
• Divide in bowls and add desired amount of water to thin icing.
• Pipe and decorate cookies.
• Allow to harden before serving.

                  

Bestie and I. We make good pictures🐶❤️✨

2019: Spice cake    

2017: Snoball cookies  

2016: Grinch cake

2015: Cranberry orange loaf

2014: Baklava

2013: Green rice pulao

2012: Perfect egg salad

                                                     

****** 

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4

Owl cake pops

This is what happens when you invite a flock of owls to your dinner scene.

Hoot, hoot! Aren't they cute?

You see, an assemblage of cake pops make a delightful presentation.

So....

Whoooo says they can't be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving tablescape?

Moreover, these guys look gorgeous in harvest ensemble.

Might very well be the whooo's whooo of your upcoming holiday meal.

Too-da-loo 🦉

Cake pop recipe/directions right here

For the owl cake pops, you will need:

orange candy melts

red fondant for wings

purple, pink fondant for beaks

white fondant for the eyes

Black edible marker for details

Directions:

Shape cake balls into flattened oval shapes. You don't need to be exact here, as you can see.

Take a lollipop stick and dip one inch of the top into the melted candy melts and stick this end halfway into the cake ball. Repeat with remaining balls and sticks. Set aside to firm for a few minutes

Dip each cake pop into the melted candy melts as per cake pop directions. Let excess coating run off.

Allow coated pops to dry.

Cut out enough eyes, beaks and and wings from the fondant. Draw pupils onto whites and any other details you want.

Glue fondant pieces by dabbing melted candy melts onto hardened, coated pop.

Create individual looks, like lashes using pen, pursed lips , etc. 

Hope you have a hoot!

More cake pop ideas:

Thanksgiving cake pops

Stocking cake pops

Grinch tree pops

******

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever." Psalms 107:1

Paneer in wonton cups

If you'd have told me at the inception of these ramblings that one of my singular top goals in recipe updating would be to doll up India's national cheese, I'd have ROFL'd my bottom off.

Particularly when most of our weeknight meals that qualify as par -desi, in routine, are meat-centric. Thus, harping on the salient features of paneer in the midst of a sizzling hot beef fry would be next to impossible.

On the other hand, some of the best things I've ever experimented with come from searing milk solids.

Step in indeterminate browsing, which educates on the 14,400 ways on how to use wonton wrappers, the moment your world becomes a wee bit brighter and high tea needs a larger time slot.

I make samosas using egg roll rappers. It saves myself and the Older Child's set of hands ten extra steps to reproduce an impressive appetizer. 

Although, today we're not worrying about origami-ing sheets of dough. Instead, I'll expand on the how the burden to achieve an appealingly easier build of the same is almost nil.

The filling itself is a mild fusion and intermingling of elements, certain to make the composition in totality sing to your soul. It's an ultimate win and could be the best fix for a lot of contingent toss-ups in your world today.

Craving Chinese? Easy solution!

Calling out for samosa? A deconstructed form, right here!

Entertainment menu not quite on the mark? Get ready to wow the crowd!

Paneer can be a notoriously favorable ingredient in similar settings. Soft cheese, nonmeltable, and enhanced by its surroundings takes exceptional favor to firm crispy edged frames. It anchors the few seasonings/textures/ flavors in an umami-esque, desi-ed up snack/light meal/hors d’ oeuvre .

For all intents and purposes, baked wontons may supersede the "enjoy in moderation" disclaimer. Thin and baked, wrappers seem almost nonexistent, gluten-wise. 

That I've made the recipe exactly three times after these pictures were taken should be proof we do get a little lost in our repetitive (snacking) obsessions.

Responses to this in my household, ranged from "ooh, so good!" to "might've been better if the wrappers were fried". Though, my mental checklist agrees all things fried are a gift from God, I dare not speak it.  Specifically when I see the round of 24 paneer cups disappears in almost a sitting, mostly consumed by the above mentioned child who voiced the alternative. 

Overall, I believe it's a huge win when your yoga pants don't look like sausage casings over your legs. Aaaah, dividends which far outweigh the scales (yes, pun ;-)).

Consider the fortuity of a stack of prebaked shells, with just your tastebuds commanding their destiny. They are wonderful with anything you pocket into it. Wildly enhanced rotisserie chicken. Some white fleshed fish in a decadent slight of white sauce. 

You don't need all the sauces. You may need one or two of the peppers, but, most certain, chop up the onion and garlic. 

Notwithstanding, this could be farmer cheese's next highest calling.

For those who like to have a vast diaspora of short eats, tack it onto the menu.  

It might make a few rounds in the upcoming holiday table.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 red onion, diced fine
• 2 tsp minced garlic.
• 1/2 cup diced red bell peper
• 1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper, 
• 1/2 cup diced orange bell pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 pound paneer, cut into half inch cubes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp schezuan sauce
• salt
• non stick cooking spray
• 12 wonton wrappers

Directions:

• Heat oil in pan .
• Add onions and garlic and saute until cooked.
• Stir in bell peppers, cayenne, turmeric and black pepper until peppers. Saute about two minutes.
• Add paneer and stir until browned and done, about 8 minutes.
• Take off heat, stir in sauces and add salt as needed. Set aside to cool.
• In the meantime, preheat oven to 375°.
• Spray muffin pans with cooking spray.
• Press each wrapper into a cupcake well.
• Bake until crispy and browned at the bottom, about 8 minutes.  Allow to cool in pan.
• Stuff with paneer filling.
• Serve warm.

November~

2019: Mung dal payasam

2017: Thanksgiving cake pops

2016: Sweet potato casserole

2015: Stuffed acorn squash

2014: Chili roasted cauliflower

2013: Peanut butter Oreo blondies

2012: North Kerala stuffed chicken 

******

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

                                                               

    

Fall fondant toppers and cupcakes

When your temperament coincides with the seasons, ie, in strict alignment to the months of the year, menu "specials"and baking ventures will and should rhythmically follow suit.

Withstanding the times we find ourselves in, I feel this October specifically warrants visuals like ones on the page today. Due to the fact I have a food blog, which is often, ahem, errant, makes presenting "eye-catching seasonal features" a necessary assignment.

Besides, the play-do freak in me could not let this one go.

It's not as much a recipe as it is a display of how far vanilla cake, a couple cups of buttercream and the few ounces of marshmallow fondant can take you.

Whereas, it can also be considered a lesson on seeking joy in the simple things. Such as the perfect orange in my jack-o-lantern faces that could've had a less grim look about them, but really, who cares(?). Or the home edition blue pumpkins, each stemming from the desire to festoon the house upside down, but goes only as far as molding sugarpaste to achieve my design goals.

Moreover, the blushing apparition with  Marilyn Monroe-dress-in-the-air-feels particularly holds affinity to my being. Where else and when could she be such a thematic center of attraction?

The project, start to finish, is pretty effortless. Batter, baking and buttercream don't require much from you and lending personalities to Casper-ish ghosts could be all- day child's play. The kind of play I've managed to master in the several decades after my actual childhood ostensibly ended.

The cupcakes are a perfect startup activity before the biggest baking season of the year (get ready for it). It's also why I beckon you to click those links below, then indulge your inner sculptor.

The rest, I tell you, is a piece of cake ;-)

Have a boo-tiful holiday, folks🎃

Cupcakes in theme with any occasion can be as mood brightening as the morning sun.

The recipe for the cupcakes is right here.

I used the vanilla buttercream here, minus one cup sugar.

Scroll the pages for my marshmallow fondant, which, in my opinion, is the best tasting fondant ever.

Fall themed recipes:

 2019: yellow cake

2018: Fanta cake

2012: fun Fall cupcakes

******

 "Therefore, my heart is glad, my whole being rejoices, and my body will dwell securely." Psalm 16:9

  

Olive oil lemon cake

Here's the thing: building cakes of somewhat designer magnitude should not be limited toward events of an apparent worthiness factor, you know, like wedding/milestone birthday/winning an Oscar, or anything remotely similar. In fact, the Pow! moment you've been waiting for, might be for something far less sensational.  

Not disclaiming the thrill in showing off your Boss skills each possibility permitted, but, in all honesty, testing techniques you've been dying to try could be the simplest of cake orders away. On occasion, specifically when YouTube blesses your imagination for such a time as this.

I'm not isolating the conversation to the gold gilded visuals on the page today. Instead, I'll give you an in-depth view of the contents inside. After all, we know exterior glam without an awesome interior is mere decoration (life lesson for the day, please).

Before we delve, a reminder: do not allow the "olive oil as fat" part in the ingredient menu mislead you. It's the liquid conduit for the many mighty things that happen in build. Like the tender-dense crumb which brings a certain sophistication to the entire setting. The fact it's supremely moist might fool you into thinking a sleeve of butter slipped through instead.

EVOO notes linger in bites, allowing the hint of lemon shine through as the sun. It creates a not-so-rich surface in which to accommodate ornate decor, such as the marshmallow fondant railed along its sides. 

Further and as I've mentioned before, citrus spruced cake is substantially delicious.  The clean, bright mouthfeels from the snips of zest is an outstanding testament to how addictive cake can actually be

These few elements sync beautifully with the syrup infused base. Considering, we all know Top Brass in high class dessert-ing come from sugar soaked pastries.

In hindsight, the venture does not fall into a Fall-scented bracket (yes,pun!) and may have you reconsider pinning it on the upcoming holiday menu. Though, based on what I've said here, is that really a deterrent against making it right about now?

Moreover, those marble slab panels there could rival an architectural digest feature.

Looking at the amount of times I've rediscovered the glories of baking this gem, it beckons me to new revelations, one being it will definitely be a permanent cake menu fixture.

Because I do cake orders, in addition to a few other gigs, you see:-)

Finally,  the do-ability factor is tantamount to a third grader degree. 

Wouldn't that be... enough said?

(Cake recipe adapted from Modern Honey)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• grated zest from two whole lemons
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup olive oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/3 cup milk(preferably 2% or higher)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line baking pans with parchment.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in a bowl.
• Cream sugar, olive oil, eggs  lemon juice and the vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. 
• Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool in pans for five minutes, then invert cakes onto racks and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Notes: 

You could swap the olive oil for canola oil if you prefer, although flavor may be compromised.

I used three 6 inch baking pans to bake my cakes.

1/2 tsp of lemon zest was added to my cream cheese frosting.

For the fabulous panel art, check out Rosie's tutorial.

My recipe for marshmallow fondant here.

The cake itself freezes well, upto 2 weeks.

Precutting the fondant and setting aside  to dry overnight will keep slabs upright and perpendicular.

2019: Moist yellow cake

2018: Multigrain pizza with charred paneer

2017: Banana cake

2016: Swiss roll cake

2015: Basic chicken curry

2014: Besan laddoo

2013: Alfajores

2012: Macarons

    ******

Memories of my father-in-law who passed away last week.  He's now at The Table, 

tête-à-tête -ing with Jesus❤️

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”  Romans 8:15-16