Stunning, isn’t it?
I made this beautiful cake for my sons 9th {sigh}Birthday.

Usually he gets a themed cake, like the soccer cake  or the Sponge Bob cake, but I just was too busy this year to get all fancy for a more in-depth cake, so this is what he got.
He thought it was cool, and that’s all that matters.

I posted a photo of it on Instagram (follow me at Hungryhousewife) and Facebook and everyone loved it. I got emails requesting a tutorial and y’all know I aim to please.
Pretty sure I got all the tutorial bases covered, a video, on the cake and just icing. I hope you all find it useful!

And if you are short on time and don’t feel like watching the video, here is a photo tutorial.
What you will need

• Crumb Coated Cake
• Pastry Bag
• #12 Tip
• Icing, your choice of color
• Off-set spatula or small spoon

A messily crumb coated cake

For the Ombre effect, take graduating color frosting with a #12 tip.

Pipe a vertical line of icing dots. If doing the Ombre effect, start with the lightest icing first.

Place the off-set spatula in the middle of the dot, press down and drag.

Continue around the cake

****I forgot to show how to “end” the cake. When you get to the end, just pipe the final vertical line of dots and don’t swipe. This will be the back of your cake. It really is not even that noticeable.*****

And if you want to see it off the cake..I got that for you too (not the ombre effect)!

Small things are generally cute, with the exception of small zits and fire ants.
Small balls are cute. And when they are covered in chocolate, that just puts them over the top.
Well then let’s add some pound cake, Jell-O pudding mix and banana.
We are now officially exploding with delicious cuteness.
These would be perfect as a little snack on your Easter table. The kids will eat them up. You might even pop a few in your mouth too.

Speaking of Easter, when do kids stop believing in the Easter bunny? My 9 year old and almost 7 year old are still on the bunny bandwagon. Makes me sad to think that this might be the last year for my eldest.
Sigh

I didn’t write this recipe, so it’s only fair to send you to its originator. I make it exactly per their directions.
So if you are interested in making them, pop on over to the Jell-o site here for the recipe.

New Years Eve was great. My husband decided he wanted to have a party last minute. And by last minute, I mean the day before. Gotta love em’.
If you read this post, you know that none of my clothes fit me, so I began stressing out on what I was going to wear for the party. I mean, people usually get all fancied up for New Years.
So I decided to make our New Years party a PAJAMA  party! Everyone had to come in the P.J’s. Sure, I still put on some make up, but let me tell you how comfy I was!!!!
I had too much to drink…doesn’t happen often, but when it does….good lord.  Diet Coke and Cherry Flavored Vodka is VERY easy to chug down.
I was dancing all night long. One low point was, dancing to Beastie Boys- Brass Monkey with my dog under one arm and a wooden spoon in the other hand as a microphone.
I had fun

I am wishing each and everyone of you a Happy 2012.
I can’t thank you all enough for continually stopping by my blog and reading what I have to say. You all are very much appreciated. You make doing what I do worth every calorie!!!!

So onto my top 10 recipe/posts of 2011 (according to Google Analytics)

#10 Rustic Love Bird Wedding Cake

For the more photos of this beautiful wedding cake I made..click over to this post.

#9 Filet Mignon

For tips on how to cook the perfect Filet Mignon click here

#8 Sugar Cookie Tips and Icing Tips

For my Sugar Cookie and Icing tips head on over to here.

#7 Rice Pudding from Left Over Rice
This has been in the top 10 every year. This post was when my blog was only 3 months old!

Click here for the Rice Pudding Recipe

#6 Lemon Bars

Click here for the Lemon Bar Recipe

#5 Pretzel Rolo Turtles

For the recipe for the Pretzel Rolo Turtles click here.

#4 Ice Cream Bread

Ice Cream Bread Recipe is here

#3 Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

The ever popular Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal recipe is here

#2 Antipasto Kabobs

Antipasto Kabobs are here

#1 Nutella Hot Chocolate- Sooooooooo Addictive and delicious. My Nutella Hot Chocolate was ALLLL over the web!

Nutella Hot Chocolate recipe lives HERE

This is Halloween revisited. I didn’t have time this year to create any fabulous Halloween treats, so I will share some from the past!

I love this Halloween Graveyard Cake that I made for a friends sons Birthday, all of those little pumpkins, headstones and ghosts are made from Gumpaste.
And my black and white Decorated Halloween Cookies are some of my favorite cookies I have made. They are so simple and classic looking!

I hope everyone has a safe Halloween. I am sure I will be in a candy coma later tonight after I am done raiding my kids candy bag!

To my wonderful husband,

Please forgive me for putting roses all over your Birthday cake tonight (they were a sloppy afterthought).  I know men don’t “do roses”, but I am sure once you taste the delicious Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, all will be forgiven!

Happy Birthday babe.

I will love you forever and always,
Leslie

P.S Hmmm, I think I did it to you last year too with the ruffle cake. My bad!

** Dear readers..to achieve this look use a 1m tip. I used this frosting recipe and folded in 9 oz. milk chocolate that was melted and cooled. It took me bout 1 minute for pipe the roses on the cake…I was in a massive rush. However if you take your time while piping, it would have a much cleaner look.

Isn’t it cute? This is my latest wedding cake that I created..a cute Rustic Lovebird wedding cake!
I hope you enjoy!

Here are some other cakes I have had fun making…
Shabby Chic Birthday Cake and Cupcake Birthday cake..click HERE
Soccer Cake..click HERE
Pink Skull and Crossbones Cake..click HERE
Sunflower Wedding Cake..click HERE
Sponge Bob Cake..click HERE
Graveyard Cake..click HERE
Bugs and Butterflies Cake..click HERE
Carrot Cake with Fondant Carrots..click HERE
Little Mermaid Cake..click HERE
Sleeping Beauty Cake (my first cake ever)..click HERE

September 20th 2011

Ohhh no you don’t. Don’t you dare look at me like that.
You can blame my sister for this one. She is the one who told me about these little nuggets of pure chocolate and caramel crack rock. Poor mans turtles I call these. I love me some Turtle candies. After I made these and ate, ohhh about 8 of them, I sent her a text message, and I quote…
“I.HATE.YOU”.

A word to the wise, DO NOT MAKE THESE if….

• You have will power issues
• You have an addictive personality
• You are PMS’ing
• Your significant other just broke up with you
• Your favorite bachelor did not get a rose

So consider that your warning. Don’t come back to me when you eat all of these..call my sister at (813) 933-…..

Not much of a recipe. But here it is so you can print it out.

August 25, 2011

I made lots and lots and lots of this crumb cake when I worked at the bakery. Might not be the best photo, but it was taken in the horrid florescent light at the bakery.
It sold out every time I made it. So you know it must be good.
The bakery is sadly no longer in business. Man, do I miss licking the bowls. Whaaaa? Quality control, it was for quality control people.

In my opinion, crum cake is allllll about the crumb. The more the better.

The recipe was from a Cooks Illustrated book, with a few additions.  Not sure which one..I just stole a copy of the recipe from the shop..shhhhhhhh.

It’s ok.
You can wipe the drool, you might ruin your keyboard. I am not liable for shorted out keyboards.

Head on over to Cookies and Cups for the recipe. I am doing a guest post on Shellys scrumptious blog today.

Since I have been out of whack lately, I was not into making cakes at all this year. But I created cake snobs with my kids, so I had to at least do a cake that was somewhat of a decorated cake. I kept it SUPER SIMPLE for both cakes. I asked Emma what she wanted and she said, “A white square cake with black polka dots with a cupcake on top.” Do I deliver or what?

When she saw the cake she said, “Ohhh, it’s so cute, but I wanted it taller like a wedding cake.”
Pfffttt. BRAT!

First up we have the Birthday Party cake. A 9 x 13 double layer cake, one chocolate and one yellow. With a big cupcake on the top. For the cupcake I used the Wilton BigTop Cupcake pan.

And the next cake was for her actually Birthday day cake. Just for family. I keep them small and simple.
Her only request was that it be white and purple. As you can tell, she helped me with the frosting. It took everything I had not to go back behind her and totally smooth it out completely, but I wanted her to feel proud. And for a 6 year old, I think she did pretty well. She helped with the roses as well. The cake might be a little messy, but that is why it is titled a “Shabby Chic Birthday Cake”!