My Favorite Party Buttercream

Baseballs for my nephew’s 12th birthday.

I know, it’s been some time since you’ve had anything new from me but this is one that I’ve been working on for awhile now, ever since my Tardis Cupcakes. Since then, I’ve had a few opportunities to make massive amounts of cupcakes and of course since we’re appealing to the masses for parties we go buttercream and since we are trying to do cute decorative things for various party purposes we go vanilla buttercream.
Let me just put this out there, while I really like the idea of a pure butter buttercream the truth is it really only tastes like sugar and butter. The texture can bug me too sometimes.  So, here goes…(dun dun duh!)

Soccer balls for my husband (coach) and daughter’s end of the spring season party.

I add in a bit of shortening.  It changes the flavor just a bit and the texture too.  It makes the frosting easier to work with.  When added to a traditional recipe for buttercream it adds a little more volume which allows for the little extra you might need when trying to go for that “professional” look without having buttloads left over.  I needed the extra volume for these two particular cupcakes because I was going for a ball effect.  Going for the look without adding too much extra frosting (I really HATE too much frosting and overall prefer a ratio of 1/3 frosting to 2/3 cupcake) requires a cupcake that bakes up into a nice dome.  For the baseballs I made Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes from Glorious Treats and for the soccer balls I made Simple Vanilla Cupcakes from the Joy the Baker Cookbook.  The “perfect” ones call for buttermilk and have a slightly bigger dome when baked.  The “simple” ones call for vanilla bean and so have a more pronounced vanilla flavor and a lovely dome.  Both are awesome recipes that I will be using again.

Joy’s Simple Vanilla Cupcakes destined to become soccer balls.

So, here is the long and short of it.  I use some salted butter.  Then I add the shortening.  I ALWAYS switch milk to cream because c’mon, it’s a party.  And then I add even a tad more salt.  Now, here’s the thing.  When you make this frosting and are tasting it as you go, you’ll be like, “Eh, it’s alright, nothing special” but once you stick whatever you frosted in the fridge to wait for party time, they transform.  The flavors really come together as it sits and well, it’s my favorite party vanilla buttercream!  If you are eating cupcakes from me topped with vanilla buttercream it is going to be this one.  This has been a real labor of love for me since it will be a real family recipe, one that will be used for our parties for years to come.  When you come across those recipes, those are the ones you treasure.  I hope it was worth the wait for all of you.

They look like a hit!

My Geekylink is just that I hope I get to see Star Trek Into Darkness at some point this weekend.  The Doctor Who‘s season ender is also this weekend.  Those lovely worlds will meld for me on Monday when the new Traveling the Vortex is released because they will be covering the finale and the Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 crossover comic books.  I have them but haven’t yet read them.  Thanks to those guys for giving me the kick in the butt to read them before then.  My daughter heard they’d be covering them and she said she wanted to read them too.  I told her no because I want her to watch a few episodes of Star Trek:TNG first and she said OK.  I’ve been waiting almost 10 years to hear that from her.  I’ll be looking for a good Netflix night for us to get started…eek!

Sundays with Joy/Coffee Bacon

Good morning!  I made you breakfast today.  Sure the eggs are overcooked but the biscuits are fresh and the coffee comes WITH your bacon.  I had heard of people making coffee bacon before.  I didn’t know what for.  I do now.  Oh, and baking the bacon in the oven?  I knew from years of food service that was the way to do it but I had sure forgotten how perfect perfectly cooked bacon can be.

Yo.  I made you coffee bacon on Saturday and I didn’t finish writing the post on it till today, Tuesday.  Which means I totally had to start over.  Mostly, just because I am a procrastinator but also I just think I am having some issues.  Things are going pretty well.  Now, I am not one of those “glass is half empty” type of people waiting for the other shoe to drop but it seems it is worse.  I am turning into a person on the precipice of change and maybe big good things but apparently I run, hide (procrastinate) and maybe even try to sabotage oneself from obtaining said things.  I don’t like it.  I don’t want to be that.  I need to focus on the blog, my future, my writing.  Of course all of that is easier said than done.  Hmm…

Anyways, onto to the bacon.

I love what Joy does here.  I think I would have enjoyed it more if I liked my coffee more.  I just recently switched to a stronger blend because my husband was begging me.  Every other ingredient in this bacon played perfectly but the coffee I used was just too strong for my taste.  I also think next time I’ll up the chili powder just a smidge.

So after I made breakfast and had a hard time eating the bacon plain, I went and made a BLT for lunch with the rest of my coffee bacon.  Um, Best Idea EVER?!  Yup, pretty much.  I used Greek yogurt instead of mayo and mixed it with pinches of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to spread on my bread and the rest is L&T.  So, if you’d like to make your own coffee bacon BLT or just some for breakfast please check out Joy’s cookbook.  Please also check out Bakeaholic Mama for our other variations.

My GeekyLink for this week is well me, kinda.  I did a review a week ago on iGameMom for Teach Me 3rd Grade which is part of a series of apps I love.  One of my other favorite reviews I did was for LEGO App4+.  That was super fun.  I have a new one coming this week but I’m not sure when.  I’ll link to it when it posts.  (Update: Here’s the link for  Toy Story: Story Theater!)   You could also just search for NerdyBaker on the site for my reviews but even though I’m a contributor I am always checking the site for apps I don’t review that I think are good for my kids.

Sundays with Joy/Mini Chamomile Cakes with Honey Frosting

These cupcakes were, as most things Joy makes are, quite lovely. Just the cutest, prettiest cakes packed with flavor and yet so dainty. I took care of that whole dainty thing with the way I ate them. They had to be unwrapped at least halfway and bitten into such that I got a mouthful of cake and icing. That method ensured that the cupcake was gone in about three bites and virtually inhaled, VERY daintily of course.

I took so long to get these to you because I ended up making them twice. I baked this weekend for a family party on Sunday. I made these right after I baked for the party on Saturday. Then when I came back to these on Monday to frost them, they just kinda looked sad. I hadn’t covered them or anything so it was just as well. So I remade them fully knowing it was gonna take me awhile longer to get them to you, but who wants to see sad cupcakes?

I was a big fan of this frosting in particular. You can taste the honey but it was not too much. Also, when I remade these I used two tablespoons less sugar in the cake batter. It just seemed the right adjustment after seeing how the first batch came out. Another thing about this post is that it finally features more pics with my husband’s camera (that I’ve been trying to learn) as opposed to my iPhone (that I’ve had to resort to). I was really pleased with them. They’re not perfect yet but at least it’s a start. Don’t forget, if you’re interested in the recipe buy Joy’s cookbook and check out the rest of our group’s efforts over at Bakeaholic Mama. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, our little group is one year old this week!

So many GeekyLinks lately that I had to pick and choose. The first mixes Doctor Who and musicals, “Doctor Who” Star Arthur Darvil Will Make Music in Broadway’s Once. I am a super huge fan of that movie. Its such a romantic story, and with one of my TV crushes in it?! However, it’s on the wrong coast for me. I hope I can somehow get a glimpse or two of him in the show. OK, wanna know what happens when you wring out a wet cloth in space? I had a good guess, I thought, but I was totally wrong and it is totally cool.

WonderCon, Easter, and Birthdays (My Spring Break)

Only a portion of the entire haul, we are missing a couple of Creeper pins, another Minecraft pickave pin, a Nyan Cat pin, a Wii U Bag, a Rainbow Dash thingy and all the stuff my nephews got.

For any of you that didn’t know, the nerd/geek community apparently really SUCKS at planning things. Otherwise WonderCon would not have been the weekend of Easter and TableTop Day would not have been the day before Easter. Luckily for me, WonderCon started on a Friday and I was able to participate and still do the mom/family stuff the rest of the weekend. If it wasn’t Easter weekend, I would have totally ditched my little ones and run to this place that was hosting TableTop Day games that was super close to my aunt’s bar & grill. I could have eaten a nice lunch and then gone and played board games. It would’ve been a great day. It still was, we did some fun family stuff and I was able get home early and bake for Sunday. O well, maybe next year…

 

Onto WonderCon…

 

A Harley Quinn, some Wreck-It-Ralphers, Guardians, and a Wolverine.

Last year, the first year it moved to Anaheim, I totally regretted not going even though it was pouring torrential rain that weekend. After we parked and walked as far as we did to get into the venue, I don’t regret it as much. Because of Easter, I wasn’t even sure I was going to go. Just so much going on, lack of money, blah, blah, blah. But I had already mentioned it to my nephews, my niece got to go Gallifrey One, my husband has been on this “its just money/life’s too short” kick, and two days before Easter I am NOT baking and am out of town for the entire day. I had a blast.

I helped Captain America zip up in the ladies room. Her back “shield” is a purse. That little Iron man was PERFECT.

The programming was a bit light because well, it wasn’t a Saturday, but we still made it to a Geek and Sundry panel. We tried to get into a Regular Show panel but apparently that was the same room they were going to preview the season premiere of Doctor Who and so was longest line EVER and we couldn’t get in. I was bummed for the kids because they really wanted to see that one. So even though there wasn’t much programming for our group, who doesn’t LOVE the convention floor? Super crowded at times but mostly fine, we navigated most of it really well. I was able to hold the kids off on buying stuff till we actually saw most things and then we went back and bought. They all bought posters (our group bought Modern Warfare III, Adventure Time, and Regular Show) and some pins. I had been bugging Angela about a poster since Gallifrey One. She didn’t get why till we got home from Gally and I pointed out her many years old High School Musical 3 poster behind her door. Since then she had been on the lookout for a new poster. I bought pins and a Walking Dead trade paperback for my sister/me. I spent the bulk of my money on bows, seriously. Ponies, Hunger Games, and Adventure Time hairbows for my girls. One vendor, who didn’t sell online, had some great deals so I just HAD to get them.

Felicia Day, John Saxon, Noel Gugliemi, my nephew and Lou Ferrigno,

There was NO Fringe love AT ALL. I was SO bummed. The lady who we bought our pins from said she might help me out with that but I haven’t contacted her yet. I mean, for a series with so many iconic images and phrases (the glyphs, Red Vines, a white tulip, the RedVerse Fringe division logo, a frickin Fedora for goodness sake!) there was nothing. And it JUST ended! Did I mention that she made zipper pulls and bracelets as well from her pins? Yeah, I also bought my Sarah a My Little Pony bracelet for her birthday and zipper pulls for Sarah and Robert as well. A Fringe bracelet and zipper pull for momma sounds just dandy.

The kids and some stormtroopers and Angela inside a Tardis tent.

The kids loved looking at the cosplay until Angela realized that she had a Hermione costume she could/should have worn. Then she was just bummed. We got some free Wii U bags for trying games, lanyards and pins from the Geek and Sundry panel, and a paper ship from Oblivion (oh yeah, the full size ship was there too) and I think that is about it for the free. Not bad for showing up, walking around, and having a good time.

The coolest WORKING tardis console EVER! I should have taken video.

Easter and Birthdays…

I would make this a whole separate post but I didn’t take any pictures of my Easter goodies. A whole post about goodies without pictures is just mean so I’ll just have to tell you what I made. For our Saturday celebration, I just made some Joy the Baker Cookbook’s Simple Vanilla Cupcakes and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. I love those cookies. I added some festive M&Ms and that was it, Easter cookies.

I took the rest of the cookies over for Sunday. I made the same shortbread cookies I made last year and I brought over some Apple Fritter Cake for brunch.

The week after Easter was our big party for Justin and Sarah. I remade Joy’s Simple Vanilla Cupcakes with the Best Chocolate Buttercream (what Sarah wanted) and even though Justin said he didn’t want anything, I knew exactly what to make him. And yep, he finished what was left over the next few days.

See, I told you I could do the ganache right.

Oh yeah, Geekylink? There are only days left to preregister for Equestria LA. I don’t know if I’m going. I hope since its Mother’s Day weekend my husband wouldn’t mind us maybe going to our THIRD convention this year?! I am not really a My Little Pony fan myself but my girls are huge ones. I’m just not sure we can make it that weekend (Mother’s Day weekend? Again with the bad planning?). We’ll see…

Sundays with Joy/Whole Wheat Honey and Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits

These biscuits were a nice coming back to earth treat after a long and busy Spring Break.  I say busy but really we didn’t do much except get ready for Easter during the week before Easter and then get ready for Justin and Sarah’s birthday party the week after.  I am going to fill you in on some more of those two weeks in a later post (ahem, WonderCon anyone?) but for now (especially since I’m already late)…onto the biscuits.

First off, I love the way the cheese, butter, and whole wheat flour play into this biscuit.  Those are definitely the flavors in this biscuit.  There is honey in the biscuit but the honey that Joy suggests you brush across the tops of these babies?!  Well, that just makes for a whole new ball game and sets these biscuits over the top.  I never understood why people put honey on their biscuits.  I saw my dad do it for years.  I mean KFC gives it to you FOR your biscuits and I still never “got” it, never tried it.  Joy asks me once, I oblige, and of course I am completely smitten.

The dough was super easy to make.  I dropped it from an ice cream scoop onto the warmed, buttered cast iron skillet and baked. It was super easy.  I left my honey out on top of my stove to warm it up a bit and I brushed it on before the biscuits had completely cooled.  Once cool, I grabbed one, and biscuit eating for me was forever changed.  Thanks, Joy!  Please buy her cookbook.  When I think of all the things I would never have eaten if not for this book, I am SO grateful.  Don’t forget to check out variations on Bakeaholic Mama.

My GeekyLink for this week is for anyone who knows how to code.  I have been trying to get my oldest interested in learning how to code and I think I just may have found a way.  There is now a NASA Contest to Help Robot Astronaut See.  While this is a great idea and all, the robot kind of creeps me out.  Let’s just say I wouldn’t want him on the same space station I was on.

Tardis Cupcakes

I love when people decorate things in the most precious ways.  Most of the time, I can’t do the same.  I just have a different skill set and I know my limits.  Also, I prefer not to use certain ingredients to make my stuff.  I am not a snob, I just don’t want to learn how to work with fondant if I don’t want to eat it.  So most of the time I am just looking to find a way to make something look cool, taste great, using things I (mostly) know how to do.

A really lovely batter, easily scoopable.

I have been wanting to make a Tardis cupcake for awhile now but was stuck as to how I wanted to do it till Gallifrey One this year.  I definitely took inspiration from the Tardispod ladies and their wonderful creations.  It was sitting down writing my Gally posts when I took pen to paper and drew what I bring you today.  My only qualm was that I wish I had dyed the top of my Tardis a darker blue.  Also, I thought I had big pearl sprinkles for my Tardis light.  I mean I had like three opportunities to buy them and I didn’t.  So when it came to decorating, I used Marshmallow Bits that I had in my pantry for the job.  The shape was better anyway but the pearl sprinkles would have been shinier.

So really, all I wanted was to bring you an idea of something you could do.  I don’t have a recipe from me to give you but the here is the Blue Velvet Cupcakes recipe I used.  Also, if you’d prefer not to make it from scratch Betty Crocker has a recipe as well.  I worked on a new buttercream that I really liked but I want to use it again before I share it so for right now just use your favorite buttercream.  I used black gel I had lying around for the “windows” or you could use melted chocolate for them as well.

It’s bluer on the inside!

I gotta run.  Holidays are hectic around here (Doctor Who holidays as well as traditional ones) and I have lots to do (I’m gonna be introducing the family to my Apple Fritter Cake on Sunday)!  Your GeekyLink is the Nerdist Podcast‘s latest offering, Doctor Who’s Jenna-Louise Coleman!  I almost started listening to it as I began writing this but decided I’d wait till I could listen to it in the car with my daughter who I know will get a kick out of it.  Oh, and yeah, Doctor Who comes back on Saturday!

Coconut Cream Pie with Chocolate for Pi Day

Grr…this pie.  I have been working on it all week.  I tried to make a pie crust with coconut oil but it didn’t quite work out for me and the first filling I tried didn’t work out either.  I don’t know why, but I was obsessed with using a pastry crust for this pie as opposed to a crumb one which lots of cream pies have.  I just wasn’t feeling it.  Well, I should have been because after my first attempt failed as did the filling I should have known it wasn’t going to work out easily for me.  I then made a double crust recipe so I’d have one to save in the freezer and ended up having to use both because I forgot to prick the bottom of the first and then I go and over bake the second.  So right off I am going to say, just use your favorite pie crust recipe or buy one.  Don’t stress, the best part is to come.

See? I told ya, burnt. Still yummy, though.

I figured out a nice way to sweeten unsweetened coconut so that was a nice bonus.  Also, this pastry cream I have used before but haven’t had the opportunity to share the recipe so that is a plus.  I do think a good chocolate cream would be nice in this pie too.  I made a variation of the coconut dip that I made for my son’s birthday party for the whipped cream topping.  Top with more chocolate and toasted coconut flakes and you have an amazing coconut cream pie with chocolate throughout (Did I forget to mention the ganache on the bottom?).  Burnt crust or not, this pie is the best thing I have made in AGES!

My GeekyLink for today is the tie in book from Fringe, September’s Notebook!  It comes out next week, I can’t wait!  Also, you may not hear from me till next Sundays With Joy because I have some TARDIS pillows to make (housewarming gifts, one for a couple already moved and one moving soon) and I have to sew new curtains for my daughter.  It turns out when I did it before (like 4 years ago) I did it upside down and there were peace signs in the fabric to prove it.  So I bought her what looks like a night sky so I can sew it upside down all I want.  I’ll show you when I’m done with both.

Sundays with Joy/Toasted Coconut Dutch Baby with Banana and Pineapple

I made this WAY earlier in the week because I wanted this post to be on time but Friday I was writing an igamemom post, Saturday I was baking for my niece’s birthday, and Sunday was her party.  So…the post comes today.

That’s 1/4 cup of butter we bake this in folks!

Anyways, this dutch baby was a LOVELY way to start the week.  It was one of the mornings that my baby had preschool.  I came right home and whipped this up.  The great thing about being alone to make something is well, for it being my first time making one, it took me no time at all.  I took uninterrupted pictures (well kinda, at that point it was getting close to pick up time so I had to speed it up).  But the worst thing, I was the only one home to eat it.  I usually make the kids wait to eat my stuff till after I take pictures but no one was home so I got to eat a piece first!  Plus, obviously, warmer is better.  My son did have a piece when he got home, though.

I used unsweetened coconut just because that is what I had on hand and aside from that I didn’t change a darn thing.  It looks like a complicated food but it was really quite simple.  I totally went with the whole wheat flour just like Joy said and I was not disappointed.  It went very well with the browned coconut.  I already have a variation I might want to try.  We’ll see.  I did try to make something for you this week and it didn’t go so well.  Out of the oven perfect but overnight, not so much, and it was supposed to be a snack that lasts a few days.  Back to the drawing board for that one…

Yum!

Anyways to see other variations on this check out Ellen at Indigo Scones.  She has some great pictures of her dutch baby all puffed up.  I can’t believe I didn’t think to take pictures at that point!  It looks pretty cool.  Also if you’d like to try this buy Joy’s cookbook!

My GeekyLinks for today were this app I just bought and something a friend wrote.  The story of this app is that it helped a documentary filmmaker finish his movie.  It makes video look like it was filmed with actual film from like 20 years ago.  I have big plans for this one during the summer when the kids are playing in the yard.  The best thing about it is that you can mute the sound of whatever it is your taping which helps make your film believable as something from a bygone era.  I tried it with the kids talking but it was kinda weird.  My other link is for those of you that remember the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where people that were frozen and sent to space were picked up and “thawed” by the Enterprise.  First off, you’re awesome and you might want to read Waking Up in the Future.

A lovely (yet lonely) brunch if I do say so myself.

Sundays with Joy/Brown Butter Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Treats

I’ve just been trying to get back into the swing of things. After the long weekend last week, then my two Gally posts, then my igamemom post, then I made these crispy rice treats, and then it was Oscar Sunday and I had my party. It was a big turnout this year. Instead of just my friend and I we became five this year.  Exciting!  It was also the first time I asked my oldest to watch the babies upstairs with monetary compensation.  She did alright.  Next time I will stipulate that she must also help me get ready for the party if she wants to see any cash.  But the main goal was to keep the babies’ (please realize they are 4 and 5, but my babies) visits downstairs to a handful a piece and that goal was met.

Butter browning, then with added peanut butter and marshmallows.

No cash actually exchanged hands, mind you.  I promised a $10 transfer to her bank account and $10 cash but she had been bugging me about going to the comic book store for a few weeks so yesterday I ended up buying her $12 of books and we finally got put on a “pull list” for her comics.  We actually had a really great time just looking around and seeing all the stuff that was available and what she was into.  All this was after having a breakfast date with the husband while my son was in preschool.  We ate and I thought we were going to go home and I was going to write this post but then we went to the mall and did some shopping. And I’m sorry but I must admit it, I am really glad this post is even later than I was anticipating because we had a really nice time.  The girls got out of school early and then my oldest and I went on our comic book excursion.  The girls had dance after that and while we were gone my husband got the names for our daughter’s spring soccer team.  To me, it is so adorable when my husband has to talk to parents and stuff since he is normally really shy with new people.  It was also just nice to see him so excited for a change.  The only thing that could have made yesterday better was capping off dinner with one of these.  Sadly, we finished them off almost a week ago now.  Time to buy some more cereal…!

Sadly, I don’t think I will be having an Oscar post this year.  I asked one of my guests to bring the appetizers and I just made a simple roast.  I made a lovely cake but it was only 85% of what I wanted.  I know what I want to do to fix it but I need a break from chocolate cake.  That one was like the third in about a month.  I’ll leave a sneak peak at the bottom of the post.  However, if you’d like the recipe for these treats all you need to do is buy Joy’s Cookbook.  Also, don’t forget to check out Bakeaholic Mama for variations.  I’ll just say someone dipped them in chocolate…

For my GeekyLink this week, well, its me!  Here is my first post for igamemom!  I am so excited that I started this and yes, the particular app I reviewed Game For Two, is totally addictive (Tiles, I can’t quit you, and medium is even BETTER than easy!).  It looks like I’ll only be posting every other week, at least till after soccer season and the girls’ dance recital (dang you real life!) but please check it out!  Also the best video I have seen recapping Gallifrey One 2013.  Thank the kid for finding this one.  And yep, I realize I still owe her $8.

Look! Proof I can make a pretty ganache. Unlike my last attempt.

Valentine’s Cake (Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream, Strawberries, and Chocolate Ganache)

O yeah, I am just putting it out there.  Make this cake for your Valentine.  Today or any day of the year.  They will thank you.  My husband’s second piece yesterday was all the thanks I needed.

Chocolate cake.  You saw a wonderful chocolate cake up on this blog yesterday.  Here is a completely different one but with some of the same components and it makes for a completely different cake.  There are a couple of things that, no matter what the recipe, must be in my chocolate cake.

1. Buttermilk (I discovered this little gem in my Cake Doctor days)

2. Coffee or espresso powder (just DO it)

This particular recipe had both and it also had cake flour!  It just kept getting better and better…

First layer of strawberry filling…

So, I broke down and made it for my aunt’s birthday a few weeks ago and paired it with Joy’s Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.  My aunt was in heaven!  And I was impressed that with how light and perfect this cake was, it held up to travel, a sturdy frosting, and a baker who forgot to use wax paper in her cake pans when she was greasing. (OK, it did kinda fall apart upon cutting because of that last part but it made it there and tasted wonderful.)

I knew I would be making this cake again.  But in what capacity?  Hmm…

The only other cake that I ever dreamt about and just had to get up the next day and make it was this one.  So I took my inspiration from there.  I switched the chocolate whipped cream for vanilla.  Since I was going to use less strawberries on the cake I made sure to cram a few extra into the filling.  The chocolate ganache is just a bonus.

My GeekyLink today is iGameMom.  She writes reviews and recommendations for educational children’s apps.  I love this site and have been following it for a long time and have found many an app through her.  My 9 year old even won a science experiment kit from the site.  Well, guess what?  I am going to begin reviewing apps for her as a guest blogger!  I think this is gonna be pretty cool.

Now go make some cake!