How To Make a Basket Cake {Video}

The basket weave is one of those techniques that takes a little bit to learn, but once it 'clicks,' you can whip out a cake like this in 30 minutes flat!

What You Need:
Cake & Icing (I prefer my Decorator's Buttercream Icing for this. But I used Cream Cheese Icing here-- not recommended for beginners because the consistency is harder to get just right.)
Wilton Tip #47 (use two tips if you want alternating colors)
Wilton Tip #21 (for the border)

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Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

Easter is just a few days away. My one new idea hasn't quite worked out as I'd hoped, so here are a few of my Easter treats from last year if you're looking for something new and homemade to do this week.

Easter Egg Cake Truffles

These are just like cake pops, but you make them with toothpicks, instead of lollipop sticks.

Easter Egg Cookie Pops

There's just something better about when you put anything on a stick.

Click the link to see how to make cookies on a stick.

Easter Cookie Bouquet

These Cookie Pops are perfect to make a bouquet.

Click this link to see how to make a cookie bouquet of your own.

The Simple Easter Egg Cake
An oval pan, some pastel colored icing... it's all you need.

Simple Spring Cupcakes

These might be a little more generically spring than Easter, but they fit the color scheme here.

Click the Links Below to See:
Vanilla Sugar Cookie Recipe
Royal Icing Recipe
How To Make Cake Pops
Spring Decorating Ideas

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Spring in Minnesota Cookies

It's the first day of spring. And here in Minnesota, the high is not even 20-degrees. Instead of tulips and daffodils, we look like a giant snow globe... still.
I'm not too happy about this.

Let me explain, (with cookies) what it's like to experience winter in Minne-snow-ta.

November/December

This is how we feel in November and December. Winter's here. Snow is pretty. The kids love sledding, snowmen. It's all good. We can do this!

January

January comes, usually the coldest time of year, it's dark all of the time. We're growing a bit weary of the cabin fever and the three hours it takes to get dressed to go outside. But it's not too bad. Surely it will be over soon.

February/March/April

And then you have now. March 20. The first day of spring. More than a foot of snow still on the ground. Folks, I'm done! And honestly, when it stretches in to April, the words I use then shouldn't be on a family-friendly website.

To be fair, I grew up in Texas and Missouri. This winter nonsense kills me by about the second flake of snow. I've been here now for six winters. We'll see if I make it to number seven!

Click the Links Below to See:
Vanilla Sugar Cookie Recipe
Royal Icing Recipe
Real Spring Decorating Ideas

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How-To Make a Petal Cake

Learning something new... I decided to try the "petal effect" on the side of a cake. I had a birthday cake to make for our favorite babysitter, and I had carte blanche to do whatever I wanted on it. So, this is what I tried.

This white cake was actually the trial, because I was impatient, again, and the cake fell. So, I decided to just use shorty here to practice.

This was the actual birthday cake. I'm not sure that I don't like the practice one better.
I have to tell you that for how pretty this cake is, it's surprisingly easy to do! It took me less than an hour to decorate this cake!

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Pi(e) Day 3-14

It's Pi(e) Day! March 14th. Like 3.14. Like Pi. Get it? Any excuse for pie is a good one in my book!

Below you will find my collection of pie recipes. Enjoy!

Cherry Pie with Flaky Pie Crust

Lemon Cream Pie

French Silk (Chocolate Cream) Pie

Strawberry-Rhubarb Hand Pies

Mini-Apple Hand Pies

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Pot of Gold Cake Pops on Fox 9

St. Patrick's Day is just one week away. So, I took my Pot of Gold Cake Pops and hit the road. Today, I am visiting Fox 9 with these pops, some of the most popular treats I've ever made (if you go by how many people have visited their original post).

KMSP-TV

If you're new here, welcome!
Here are some links that will help you make these pops:
Pot of Gold Cake Pops
How to Make Cake Pops
How Long Does It Really Take to Make Cake Pops?
Click here to buy the gold ball sprinkles.
  (I got the gold sugar sprinkles in-store at my local Williams-Sonoma.)

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Turtle Cheesecake Brownie Bars {Recipe}

These cheesecake-brownie bars are really chocolatey, really rich, and really good!

What You Need:
Brownie Layer: **Or just use a box mix**
1/2 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup brown sugar
4 oz. chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature (divided)
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

Caramel Layer:
1 lb. caramels (unwrapped)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1-1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Chocolate Cheesecake Layer:
2- 8 oz. bricks of cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature)
4 oz. melted chocolate (semisweet recommended)

Optional for topping:
1/2 cup additional pecans
Reserve a little caramel sauce
2 oz. additional melted chocolate

*Note: You need parchment paper, as well, to line the pan. These bars are sticky! So, you need to make sure you line the pan well!

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