Italian Flag Birthday Cake and an Update

By 8 Comments

Italian Flag Cake

Oh! I’m bakin’ here!

My hubby and I have been busy moving back to NYC since I last posted. Also, we have been working hard on Cakeb0t’s new website. Those of you who follow Cakeb0t on Twitter have heard me talking about a redesign for quite some time. It is really almost ready. Really!

As soon as we got back to NYC, I had to plan for a cake. I made this cake for my [Italian] in-laws’ dual 50th birthday. I was very literal with the cake, as you can tell. And since Italians like it big, bold, and loud… I had to add the big sparkle candles!

Italian Flag CakeThis cake was made from a half sheet cake cut into quarters. Dowels were used for support in the bottom two layers of cake, and then topped with a board.

The cake was coated in chocolate ganache and covered using panels of fondant which were measured and cut to fit. The front panel had priority when it came to hiding seams, and was placed on last.

Italian Flag CakeThe topper was made with sheets of cereal treats that were stacked to 3″ thickness. Printed and cut letters were used as a stencil to cut the sheets. The numbers were covered in modeling chocolate. After painting them, skewers were used to place them in the cake.

Italian Flag CakeThe numbers and front panel were painted with luster dust paint. Disco glitter was used to dust the numbers to catch the light when the candles were lit.

Just as with the “50”, printed letters were used as a guide to cut through a thick sheet of fondant. Playing with thickness and depth gave the cake interesting shadows. Gotta love the drama.

Italian Flag CakeThe sparkler candles were placed so that they looked fanned out. They were also arranged symmetrically with the highest candle in the middle. It so fun to light the sparklers and watch them fizzle out. I recommend two or three people lighting them at once; they go fast! Also, they leave some dust behind.

My original “50” covered in modeling chocolate was actually left at home by accident (umm, by me). I made this one quickly with store-bought cereal treats, and covered it in fondant. I didn’t like the result as much. The fondant weighed the treats so they didn’t hold their shape as well. The one covered in modeling chocolate was so smooth, but I don’t think anyone noticed the fondant, except me. And you, of course! ( Let’s just keep it between us cake decorators.)

Insiders! Keep an eye out for upcoming emails announcing the new site launch! (and some cool giveaways!!!) If you’re not on the email list, click here to sign up!

National Cookie Week + Mother’s Day Cookies

By 1 Comment

Since it’s National Cookie Week, why not make cookies for Mother’s Day?

Here’s a Cakeb0t video on how to make these heart-shaped cookies.

You can use your favorite sugar cookie or gingerbread cookie recipe.
Here’s my blog post with supplies you’ll need, and a flood icing recipe:

Sanding Sugar Cookies – How to Make Confetti Cakes Sugar Cookies for Valentine’s Day!

You can find a great cookie recipe and more instructions/ideas in the Confetti Cakes Cookbook.

Here’s me and my brother with my mom in the 90s! Yeah, man!

Silicone Mold Dessert Eggs

By 9 Comments


For Easter, try this festive take on stuffed egg hors d’oeuvres. Instead of deviled eggs, these pastry cream & cake dessert eggs are angelic and sweet. Like… me! (Mwahahahaaaa!) I found a new product to play with, and this was the result!

To make this dessert, use a silicone mold (this one is egg-shaped) to bake your favorite white or yellow cake. (The cakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean.) After cooling, level the cakes with a serrated knife.

Score and scoop out the center of the cake with a measuring spoon.

Make white chocolate egg cups with melted chocolate, brushed and cooled twice in the same mold (see How To Make Chocolate Cups). You can also use candy melts. Silicone molds make it easy to pop out chocolate and cakes without having to use baking spray. The silicone molds leave a shiny, polished finish on the chocolate.

Place the cakes in chocolate egg cups, using pastry cream to glue them in. (The pastry cream recipe is listed below.)

Dust the dessert eggs with confectioners sugar, using a small, fine-mesh sieve.

Pipe the eggy pastry cream center with a large closed star tip. Sprinkle the tops as you wish!


Cakeb0t Amazon Shop links: half egg silicone mold, large star tip set

[print_this]Pastry cream is comfort food. I love the sweet, steamy smell of the thickening sugar, milk, and yolks while you whisk!
Pastry Cream (Yields 1 1/2 cups of Pastry cream. This recipe may be doubled.)

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup of the milk. Whisk the egg and egg yolks into the cornstarch mixture.

Pour the rest of the milk with the sugar in a pan and set on medium high to boil. To temper the yolks, when the milk and sugar come to a boil, pour 1/4 of the pan milk into the yolk mixture and whisk.

Place the pan back on heat to boil. When the milk mixture reaches a boil, pour the yolk mixture into the pan, and whisk until it becomes thick, creamy, and smooth. Take the pan off of the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a stainless steel bowl or pan and press plastic wrap directly on the cream to cover. Immediately chill the mixture. When the mixture is cool, transfer it to a piping bag.[/print_this]

Starbucks Cake Pops

By 11 Comments

Starbucks is turning 40! As part of the new Starbucks Petites line, they are now offering cake pops, along with other mini cakes. The tiny confections are advertised as 200 calories or less each, but seriously, who the heck is counting? They offer each petite for $1.50, and a package deal if you order in sets of two ($2.50) or six ($7.50).

Yesterday, I ordered and enjoyed all three available flavors of cake pops: (listed in ascending favorite order…) Tiramisu, Birthday Cake, and Rocky Road. I go to Starbucks solely to drink coffee, and these desserts were a delightful surprise.

As I bit into my first Starbucks cake pop, softly cracking through the colorful candy shell, I was met with a nice moist bite of not-too-sweet cake. Cake pops can sometimes have a mushy or loose texture, but as Goldilocks would say, these were “just right”. I have a feeling Starbucks must make the pop with cake and syrup for the ball, rather than cake and icing as they claim.

The Tiramisu pop was my favorite, a true “pick me up”, laced with espresso and topped with a chocolate coffee bean. Unfortunately, there was no rum in it, but it was still the best of the three. >_^

Starbucks is running a promo from today, March 10 until March 12th from 2pm-5pm! You get a free cake pop or any other of their petites for FREE with the purchase of a drink. Sweet deal!
Cakeb0t TipTo make your own cake pops, check out this Cakeb0t video!: How To Make Cake Pops (Maybe test them with flavored syrup too!)

Mini Cupcakes + Mini Bundts

By 6 Comments

Celebrate love with classic chocolate and flowers this Valentine’s Day!

These delightful mini cupcakes and mini bundt cakes are piped with buttercream, drizzled with ganache, and topped off with bright glazed raspberries. Flower petals from roses and carnations are delicately scattered about the glass plates and pedestals to add romance.

The mini cupcakes are especially delectable with a chocolate cup in place of a wrapper, ready to eat in one bite.

Cakeb0t Tip: Decorating in odd numbers (3 plates, 3 mini cupcakes, 5 petals, etc) is more pleasing to the eye than even amounts.

How to Make Chocolate Cups:
1. Set mini cupcake wrappers in a cupcake pan and coat with baking spray.
2. Melt chocolate or color candy melts and scoop into the bottom of the wrapper. Scoop enough to coat the sides and the bottom.
3. Use a brush to paint the chocolate up the sides from the bottom of the wrapper.
4. Let chocolate set on a cold surface. (You can cheat and use a fridge, but it might cause unwanted condensation!)
5. Very carefully separate chocolate from the wrapper using a toothpick. (Hot hands will melt your chocolate.)

You can repeat steps 1-4 before removing the wrapper to make a thicker, stronger cup. It makes it much easier to separate from the wrapper, and the cup will be stronger. You may also use a silicon mold to make your chocolate cups, like the one here: chocolate cup candy mold.

Shop: mini bundt cake pans, mini cupcake pans, mini cupcake liners

Also for Valentine’s Day: Heart-shaped sugar cookies!