DVD Review

I recently received a review from Susan of Keepers of the Faith. I was very humbled by her kind words about my DVD. My husband and I led a Keepers group for about 7 years. I greatly admire all the work that the Zakula's have done to encourage families!

Basic Cake Decorating Review

My grandchildren had earned their cake decorating badge in their Keepers at
Home Club, and they all just loved cake decorating. When I saw Kathy's DVD
on cake decorating, I thought it might be just the thing to further their
interests and increase their skills. I was not disappointed! Kathy did an
excellent job in both explaining and demonstrating the skills. Kathy's DVD
will help anyone to learn to decorate a cake. It was well done!

Susan Zakula

Keepers of the Faith

Easy Lemon Cake w/Pansies

This cake was made with a yellow box mix. I added about 1-2 tsp of lemon flavoring, baked it in a bunt pan. Pan must be greased and floured.

Mix a small amount of milk, 10X sugar and lemon flavoring to make a glaze, drizzled it over the cake after it is cooled. The key is not to make the glaze too thin, it takes a VERY small amount of milk (or water) to do the job.

Garnished with pansies and mint from the front porch.

SIMPLE, EASY, BEAUTIFUL!

Reviews of the Cake DVD

14 Year old Taylor writes:

This DVD clearly and professionally explains all of the steps on icing your cake, tips, decorating,etc.! It is presented in a very easy way for beginners to understand. I loved this DVD and after watching it couldn't wait to get started on my own cake! I highly recommend this DVD.
-Taylor


Kelly, of Hearts for Family says:

"My daughter and I watched our Cake Decorating DVD today, and I was most impressed! Kathy explains things so well, and makes it look so easy that my daughter made a cake right after watching! (And did a great job.) The video is full of details like how to hot-knife the icing, or keep the cake from crumbling, and how to make all kinds of basic designs. Whether you're a beginner or just need some brushing up, this DVD is just right. My favorite part is that my girls can have a detailed class on one of the home-arts, without ever leaving the house. And for a mother of seven, that's worth a lot!"

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

Spring Wedding Cake

This is a simple wedding cake.
Serves 50
$75.00 ($1.50 per serving)

Groom's Cake

Grooms cake to feed 40.
$30
This cake is a marble cake, with chocolate icing.
The grapes are sugar coated and it has dark chocolate shavings all
around the sides and sprinkled on the top.

Carrot Cake Deluxe

I used:

2 Betty Crocker cake mixes
6 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 cup coconut
1 raisins
then I put 6 carrots and 2 cups water in my Vita Mix to grate,
poured grated carrots and water into cake mix.
Mixed well.
Bake in a 11 x 15 pan on 325 until done, aprox. 30-40 minutes.

Aster cake is cooled,
cut into individual squares. (optional)
Top with Cream Cheese Icing
Roll up strips of carrot pealing to look like rose buds.
Garnish with mint leaves.
These are actually chocolate mint leaves.

We made two trays of these for a fellowship lunch after church tomorrow.
YUM!

Davy...Davy Crocket

These pictures are over-exposed I know. I took them in a hurry.

This was for a little boy's birthday. He loves Davy Crocket,
this is a coonskin hat.
Made using brown, black and gray icing and the grass tip.

Turley Wedding Cake

I did not actually make this wedding cake,
but I did help decorate it.
You can't see it real good,
but their monogram is on the front.

There were also 3 sheet cakes to serve from.

High Ratio Buttercream

Buttercream Icing made with high ratio shortening has a delightful and light taste to it, almost like a whipped cream icing. It uses less sugar than regular Buttercream Icing. It is easy to decorate with, but it can be sensitive to humidity. It also has a slight shine to the finish.

You would buy high ratio shortening at a bakery supply store. The only place I have found this right now is online. You can do a Google search and compare prices and shipping.

6 c. 10X sugar
½ T salt
1 t vanilla
¾ c boiling water
2 1/3 c high ratio shortening
1 ½ sticks butter

Using a standard mixer with the whisk attachment, mix sugar and water for about 5 minutes;
Add vanilla, shortening, salt and butter; once blended well, whip on high for 15 minutes.
This icing will double in size and be light.

Chocolate Buttercream

1 c. Crisco
1 c. butter, not margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag. 10X sugar
1 1/4 c. sifted cocoa
6-10 tbsp. water
3 tbsp. light corn syrup; optional
Cream Crisco, butter, and vanilla together until light and fluffy.
Gradually beat in sugar and cocoa on medium speed, scraping down bowl often.
Add water (and corn syrup) until light and fluffy.
Do not over mix.

Chocolate and More Chocolate!

When stacking cakes be sure to use something like straws or doll rods
to give the upper layers support, I used lollipop sticks here.

This cake has three layers to give it a chocolate fountain look.
When serving a crowd of people sheet cakes are easiest to serve from.
The bottom of this cake is an 11X14 sheet cake, which will serve 40-50.
I added an 8" round (with supports under it) and then a small bunt cake.

I placed a long straw down the small cake all the way through
to the plate of the middle cake to make sure the top cake would not slide any.

Ice and decorate.
I didn't spend alot of time making this one smooth
because I added the melted chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler
and add a little oil,
blend completely,
this will keep it from getting completely hard.

Fill a bottle and coat the top of the cakes and then drizzle over the sides.

Add any decorations you have while the chocolate is still a little warm (not hot!).

Chocolate Decorations

Chocolate Decorations!

Melt semi-sweet chips (or your favorite dark chocolate) in a double boiler;
Spoon into a bottle.

Squeeze out desired design on wax paper, or plastic wrap.
You need to be sure to have the chocolate thick enough so it won't break easily,
you can do this by going over your design a few times.

Make a few extra of everything, because some WILL break.
Let cool and harden completely before picking up.

You can write out whole greetings, just use your imagination.

These can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container
with layers of wax paper or plastic wrap.
Do not freeze.

Adoption/Baptism Cake

This cake was made for Joseph's baptism!

Here is Jo chowing down on one of his cookies!

Joseph Cookies

These are for our favorite little Liberian who is being baptized tomorrow!

Roll out, cut and bake a round sugar cookie.
Ice with chocolate butter cream icing.

Hot knife to make them smooth.

Use a #4 tip to make the white of the eye and #3 tip to make the black of the eye.

Using the 'grass' tip make the hair.

Make eye brows.
The eye brows are the most important part because it shows such 'expression'.

LOL...some of these look mad, mischievous, sweet...

May you never know a day that you wander from God Joseph.

Cake for One

These are mini cakes that can be made into a special treat. Last night we had a family over for supper, it was the husband's birthday. Our daughter's practiced their cooking and serving skills by presenting a four-course meal. Each guest received their own little cake. The ladies all received one that had half a cake on it, but by the time you add the toppings you couldn't tell! ;o)

Grease and flour a mini bunt pan.

Bake.

Let it cool and remove form pan.
You may need to use a knife to help pry it out.

Use a serrated knife to ...

cut a whole a little wider and deeper.

Top with a scoop of ice cream, whipped cream,
chocolate syrup and a cherry (or 2 or 3)!

It's really very simple,
but it makes people feel special!

Buttercream Icing

• 1 cup Crisco shortening (not butter flavor)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (clear if you want a pure white)
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (Dominos Sugar works best)
• 2 tablespoons milk (or water)
  

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Slowly add sugar. When all sugar has been mixed in add milk and beat at medium speed until light and and peaks form. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.

Makes about 3 cups.

If you need it alittle thinner for piping, just add 1 tablespoon of milk or water.

Life Size Cake

This is pretty incredible!
HERE is the story.
Although, I have read else where that the top half was actually a doll made from clay,
the bottom is all cake!

After nearly 20 years of delivering wedding cakes, I cannot imagine having to deliver this one!

Turtle Cake

Mix Butter Cream Icing with green coloring and a tad bit of red for a 'turtle' color.

Place an 8" round cake on a 10" cake with some icing in the middle.

Using a serrated knife, cut both layers at an angle...

so the sides taper downward.

Using 3 cupcakes, cut 2 of them in half from top to bottom, not side to side.
Place these for the feet. Use a whole cupcake for the head.

Ice them and hot knife.
With a greenish brown icing pipe out his shell.

Use the 21 shell tip to make his claws.

Happy Birthday Cullen!

Olivia's Castle Cake

This was Olivia's 5th birthday cake,
she is now 17.