I amazed my husband with my BOSCH, even though my Pretzels were a failure!

Last week one of my favorite foodie blogs posted a recipe for pretzel bites that the author positively swore by.  She said they were heaven in a bite and since she had never steered my wrong before I soon went about making a double batch of these little confections to delight my family with.

I whipped out my BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer, collected my ingredients and started heaping in the extra-large helpings, just sure that they would barely get out of the oven before they were devoured.

Well, I was right, sort of.  They barely got out of the oven before my husband showed up in the kitchen, burning his lips off to try one of my salty treats.  But seeing as how he is always fairly critical of the recipes I try, I shrugged off his instant grimace of disapproval and insisted that he couldn't judge them yet because they still need to be doused in butter not one, but three times!  ANYTHING should be heavenly after three coats of butter, shouldn't it?

Don't let looks deceive you- they were awful!

Much to my dismay- they were a TOTAL bust!  They were HORRIBLE!  After we realized just how bad they were I even tried coating each bite in a generous helping of brown sugar and cinnamon, but it was no use.  My time and ingredients had been squandered on a failure.  Bwahhhhh!!! :-(

(insert jazzy elevator music here- please stay on the line while Mama Kenz attempts to regain her composure)

I won't even give you the link to the recipe because I wouldn't want to subject you to the temptation of trying to make them edible.  And since I ordinarily adore this foodie blog, I wouldn't want to slander its name.  But if you happen to come across a pretzel bites recipe that swears you will likely fly into orbit once you taste those little morsels... well, you've been forewarned!

On the bright side, I did impress my husband with my kitchen's pride and joy- my BOSCH!  As he saw the trays upon trays of bites covering every surface in the room, he asked, "How did you make those things?  In your mixer?  You can just use whatever recipe?"

To which I responded, "Well... yeah!  You think I would have kneaded a double batch of those ridiculous things by hand?!  Psh!  Do you know me at all?"

I did have a really cute and eager helper though!  That's his "say cheese" face!

But the truth is, that I really do love that I can not only use my BOSCH for any baking recipe, but thanks to Marmee's tutelage in her Breadbasket Cookbook and Make It Special DVD, I also know how to rearrange the ingredients in pretty much any recipe to make them work the most successfully (such as ensuring that your bread rises well and such).  That is such invaluable information that I am so thankful to have learned from her!

In conclusion- I think for now I will be sticking more closely to Marmee's delicious recipes because there hasn't been one yet that we have not only loved but been downright impressed with!  Go give her a visit to see some of the awesome recipes, products and information she has to offer at Marmee's Bread Market!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Breads, Braids and BOSCH!

Last week I finally got to get a hair cut (I mean, it had been over a year people)!  Luckily my stylist not only possesses awesome haircutting abilities, but a compassionate heart and willingness to trade, in this case, styling for bread-y goodness!

I had planned on making her bread and my famous caramel bars, but a week before my appointment she told me that she had cut all white flour and sugar out of her diet.  Eeek!  What to do?!  I decided to make a good old, standard, home-milled flour, whole wheat loaf (from Marmee's Bread Basket Cookbook, of course!) for starters.  I then used some of that same dough to make one of those awesome braids I learned how to make from Marmee's Make it Special DVD.

Before

At first I was a little stumped as to what I should put in the braid as I usually would use a good helping of brown sugar and cinnamon.  Eventually I decided to go with honey, chopped walnuts and cinnamon- it smelled heavenly!  It was all I could do to keep the greedy little paws of my family off of it!

My packages weren't pretty, but they were tasty!  I did pitch in a little bit of mulah since I didn't feel like 2 loaves of bread were quite a fair trade.  I wanted to bring her some frozen dinner rolls and bread loaves too but she didn't have a freezer at her salon.  :-(  It was still SUPER nice to get the discount though.  Oh, and I love my hair (even though this picture doesn't do it justice... at all).

After- sorry for the horrible picture!

This was another one of those great ways I was able to simply and easily bless others (and myself!) with my BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer.  I have had it for almost six months now and don't know what I would do without it!  I use it so much and we just love it!  Another huge thank you to Marmee's Bread Market for their sponsorship!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Country White Bread- Pass me the butter!

This past weekend I decided to whip up a batch of Marmee's Country White Bread from The Bread Basket Cookbook.  Yes, a bit of a departure from our usual whole-grain standards, but I figured we were due for a treat and I wanted to try something new.

Can you hear the angels singing?

Can I just say that slicing through this bread was like slicing through butter!?  And it was perfectly paired with butter and strawberry jam.  The kids and I were in heaven (oh, and my hubby was too, for the one piece he managed to snag)!  I cut extra-thick slices to allow the density and softness of this bread to have it's full effect on our eager mouths!

Yup- that's the lone piece my husband received!  Sorry babe!

Whenever I make a new recipe my husband and I always sit and analyze what we think I could do with it- would it be good as pizza crust? or french toast? ...and so on and so forth.  I definitely think it would fit into the french toast category since the 4 eggs in the recipe allowed it to take on an almost brioche quality.  Pizza is definitely an option, although I am not entirely sure.  Sandwiches are a definite yes, especially since these loaves raised up so nicely! (Seriously- I should have taken a picture of the loaf next to my head so you could see just how enormous it was in comparison!   The bread, not my head.  Although it is pretty large too- physically, not ego-wise, at least not anymore... anyhooo...)

This one is definitely going on the "Will Make Again" list.  And it can't go without saying that I wouldn't be making it at all if it weren't for my lovely BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer from Marmee's Bread Market!  And let me just make note that BOSCH will be raising their prices NEXT WEEK!!  So you are never going to find one of these mixers cheaper than they are right now!!  Don't miss out- you will love every minute you spend with your machine!  I promise!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Nutty Twister Bread!

I got a little adventurous last weekend and gave Marmee's Nutty Twister Bread from The Bread Basket Cookbook a whirl. Oh my!  Love!  I made two loaves- one according to the recipe with coconut, brown sugar, butter, walnuts and cinnamon rolled on the inside, and one with just cinnamon, sugar and butter.

My only regret was not making MORE!!  They were sooooo good!!  Our eyes bugged out when we saw how huge they proofed and they were just so darn pretty all braided like that!  It is so easy yet looks so difficult & impressive.  I found this easy technique to be well spelled-out in The Bread Basket Cookbook, and even better in Marmee's Make it Special DVD.

Another great thing I love about the braided technique you can do so much with it.  You might remember this parmesan and garlic braided bread I made a few months ago.  You can put practically anything in one of these braids!  Wouldn't you love to take them to a potluck or other gathering?  Come on, you couldn't help but love the ooo's and awww's at your beautiful bread!

Smothered in butter- divine!

And, of course, none of this would have been possible had it not been for my delightful BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer from Marmee's Bread Market!  Ok, so maybe it would have been possible but it sure wouldn't have been easy and I probably would have never made it- plain and simple!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Get 'em while they're low!

Psst- hey!  Yeah, you!  Haven't you always wanted a BOSCH Universal PLUS Mixer?!  Well- NOW is the time!  Marmee just sent out a notice that BOSCH will be raising their prices on February 6!  Don't miss the chance to get your new BOSCH while the price is still down!  And trust me- this is one kitchen appliance you won't regret buying!  I can't wait to show tomorrow what I made over the weekend with it!  SO yummy!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Daily Bread

Ok- I'm back!  Five days into the New Year and we are starting to get around again!  It's a good thing because we were clean out of bread!  I have been wanting to try out some other recipes of Marmee's for a while, but in all honesty, haven't had the money to buy a lot of ingredients that I didn't already have.

So this week, in desperation to try something new (and have something valuable to post about) I gave her Daily Bread Recipe a shot, with a few alterations.  Instead of hulled millet in the recipe I used milled flax seed and instead of honey I used demerara sugar.  I also had to use a little more white flour than called for because I ran out of wheat (can you believe it?!  50lbs used already!).

While I am sure I would like the recipe better with the honey (mostly just because I have had a hankerin' for honey lately) I do really like the recipe.  With the flax seed added it just tastes so.....

so....

healthy!

I love filing up my freezer with a batch of bread dough again- it is a comforting feeling, knowing I am providing pure food for my family, simply.

I'm consistently amazed with the variety and number of recipes in Marmee's Bread Basket cookbook!  I could literally make a new recipe every week of the year if I had the money!  And so far I have yet to find one that we haven't enjoyed.  This silly little cookbook, $7.29, is worth every penny- I highly recommend it!  Seriously!

And this wouldn't be a baking post if I didn't mention my love for my BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer!  It has rocked my world and changed my baking life forever!  My husband asked me the other day, "So, now that you've had it for a while, do you still life making the bread?"  I think he was secretly hoping I would say "no" because he doesn't like the size of the slices of bread since the loaves are made in an 8" bread pan.  But I do still enjoy it- especially when I get to try a new recipe.  It makes me feel like such a homemaker!  I love tying on my apron and making something wholesome and delicious.  I love the aroma of fresh bread baking, floating through my small home.

Thanks again Marmee for the wonderful opportunity to use such an amazing machine!  I am hoping to do another baking post this week since I was too sick to do one last week.  And get around to talking about resolutions too!  I hope you missed me!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Grandma's Choclate Chip Oatmeal Cookies!

So, my replacement cookie paddles came this week for my BOSCH Universal PLUS Mixer.  BUT, they didn't send me the metal driver to go with them (BUMMER!).  So, I'm still at a cookie making standstill.  However, in lieu of pictures of wonderful Christmas cookies this year, I thought I would share with you all my Grandma's recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies that are absolutely delicious!  I mean- seriously!

Grandma Ida's Heavenly Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

First, cream together:

• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 Cup brown sugar

Next, mix in:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp soda
• 1 tsp salt

Third, add in:

• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp water
• 2 eggs

Lastly, mix in:

• 2 cups oats
• 1 12oz package of chocolate chips

Bake at 375 for approximately 8-10 minutes

Enjoy!!

And if you want to make it really easy on yourself, before you even think about baking you will order yourself a BOSCH Universal PLUS Mixer from Marmee's Bread Market with a set of cookie paddles!!

I also want to mention that Marmee has completely revamped her Homemaker's Mentor site for 2011 and restructured the monthly downloads into quarterly packages.  She has really taken this program to a new level this year by also adding a Yahoo group for members of the Homemaker's Mentor, and quarterly HomeMaker Awards that will really encourage you to go a step farther in your homemaking!  You should really check it out!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Christmas Cookies!

Well, this is definitely one time that I really wished I would have been able to use my BOSCH!!  However, I was at my mother's house when we made the dough for our butter cookies, and as many of you know my cookie paddles had a bit of a mishap so I wouldn't have been able to use my BOSCH if I had been home anyway.  (although my replacement paddles should be here soon!)

What a ham!  He can't even bake cookies without trying to get attention!

So, we ended up mixing the cookie dough by hand!  Ugh!  Well, to be fair, I should be honest and say my mom pretty much did the mixing, but I empathized with her and took care of two crazy boys while she did it, so that has to count for something!

Once we got that done we were so exhausted that we only baked one batch!  Haha!  However, she did send me home with a bunch of dough to toll out when I was feeling more up to it.  So, over the weekend I finally went for it and cut out and baked Christmas cookies with the boys!

My little kitchen helpers!

Can I just say I am really glad that nobody ended up with a concusion from all the swinging around of the rolling pin they were doing?!  Seriously!  Eventually we did get all the dough (that didn't end up getting eaten raw) cut into festive Christmas shapes and for that one night they were glorious and delicious.

I did throw them into ziplock bags however that caused them all to taste like plastic by the next day, so their scrumptiousness was short lived.  Hey I tried!

He had to get his apron on!

Next year I will definitely be employing the use of my BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer with the cookie paddles to make a much bigger batch, and hopefully assortment, for the Christmas season!  Maybe next year we will even get around to frosting them (which my husband prefers, and though it does make them prettier, I actually like them plain!  So, nanny, nanny booboo!).

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Freezing Bread Dough is the Way to Go!

Today I wanted to share with you all a little bit more info about how my whole bread-making process works because there is a key point I think I have been leaving out.  You all know that I have been making all of my families bread from scratch using a Nutrimill and BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer from Marmee's Bread Market, since the middle of August.  I keep telling you all that it is easy and completely doable, and it really is because those machines are so amazing and take a ton of the work out of the whole bread-making ordeal.

HOWEVER, the biggest advantage that my BOSCH affords me is the ability to make in bulk!  If it weren't for bulk bread-making I know I wouldn't do it- there simply wouldn't be the time.  Many of my favorite recipes from Marmee's Bread Basket Cookbook have a yield of 4-5 loaves of bread though, which is much more practical than 1 or 2 at a time!  Typically I will bake one (or two if I am giving one as a gift) and then wrap the rest of the pre-risen loaves of dough in freezer paper, through them in the deep freeze (or side-by-side freezer if I'm being lazy) and I'm good to go!

When we are getting low on bread (every 2-3 days) I just grab a frozen loaf in the morning, let it thaw slightly, pop it in a greased bread pan and then let it continue to thaw and rise the rest of the afternoon (or however long that particular bread tends to take).  This usually gives us fresh bread just in time for dinner and the aroma is so welcoming to usher my husband in the door to after a long day of work!

ALSO- I couldn't wrap up this post without mentioning Marmee's dinner rolls and soft buns!  Both of these rolls are soooooo yummy (seriously- like, the most delicate, airy rolls you have ever graced your mouth with!) and are wonderful to make a large batch of and freeze the rest (once again, pre-rising.  Just line them up on a cookie sheet for initial freezing and then transfer them to a food storage bag).  Get them out of the fridge a couple of hours before you are going to serve dinner and you will have piping hot dinner rolls by the time you all sit down at the table (well, if you throw them in the oven at some point, that is ;-).  And, I mean, what is really better than a nice juicy hamburger on a homemade bun!  Yeah Buddy!

And an aside on Marmee's dinner rolls- you end up rolling them into crescent rolls to bake, but if you freeze them pre-rolling (flat) between two pieces of freezer paper and then throw them in a baggie, you can use them for all sorts of recipes (like pigs in a blanket or whatever!).

I am just so in love with the ability to make all this wonderful fresh and wholesome bread for my family and am so grateful for the opportunity that Marmee gave me to own such a wonderful machine!  Thank you Marmee!!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Recipes from Marmee for Thanksgiving!

Hey Ladies!

Well a couple of weeks ago we talked about some of the gadgets you might want to pick up from Marmee's Bread Market to make your Thanksgiving and the rest of your holidays a little bit easier, but today I wanted to share some of Marmee's recipes with you to make your Turkey day a little bit yummier!

Did you know that Marmee has some AWESOME recipes on her site for FREE?!  Wouldn't some fresh, homemade French Rolls sound good next to your stuffing and green bean casserole?!  Ooo- or wouldn't a nice Herbed Pull-Apart Bread make everyone drool as you set in on the table with steam rising and carrying the aroma all throughout the house?

What about Thanksgiving morning?  What are you going to serve your family so that they stay sufficiently full for that early dinner?  How about some Green Acres Famous Muffins or Mornin' Banana Bread?  There are so many other great options over on Marmee's site- you should really go give it a peruse!  Your family will thank you!

If you like what you see there, you also might consider getting one of Marmee's fantastic cookbooks!  I am still in shock by how many recipes she packed into The Bread Basket Cookbook for such a low price!  You just can't go wrong!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Top Ten Reasons to as for a BOSCH Universal Mixer for Christmas!

Alright, well you all know that I am completely in love with my BOSCH and am fairly certain that it would change all of your lives if you owned one, but just in case I still don't have you convinced, I thought I would count down my Top 10 Reasons to ask for a BOSCH Mixer for Christmas this year!  Ready?

10.  It's easy to clean!  I find that especially in comparison to my other stand mixer, the BOSCH is incredibly easy to clean!  Everything pops right in the dishwasher and the simplistic design if the base unit lends itself well to being easily wiped off.

9.  You will save money!  Once you get past the initial investment you will save oodles on all the confectionary goods that you would have otherwise bought at the store!  Seriously!  Now only are we eating better, we are saving a boat load of cash!

8.  It promotes a healthy diet!  It is so easy to make whole wheat bread in a BOSCH that you will always have healthy fresh baked bread for your family.  You will also easily find ways to slip whole grains into the other baked goods you can simply make with your BOSCH!

7.  You will save time by baking in bulk and having your machine do all the work!  Who would ever dream of kneading 5 loaves worth of bread by hand, at one time, on a weekly basis?!  Not me!  But with a BOSCH it is simple and fast!

6.  Have I mentioned the cinnamon rolls yet?  These babies are reason enough to ask for a BOSCH!

5.  Having a BOSCH makes it easy and practical to bless others with fresh bakes goods.  Because you are able to make things in bulk you can very easily spare one out of your five loaves of bread to give to a friend!  Baked goods also make lovely impromptu gifts for birthdays, housewarming parties, or any event really!

4.  Fresh bread is a powerful bargaining tool!  Seriously!!  I have even been able to trade bread for massages!  You'd be surprised what people will do for a nice loaf of Marmee's Buttermilk Oat Bread!

3.  If you can manage to convince the gift-giver to bless you with your BOSCH early, you could greatly simplify your holiday baking!  Get yourself some cookie paddles and go to town!

2.  Cinnamon rolls!  Oh wait, did I already say that?!  Well, fine then!  I guess I'll just have to mention how simple it is to whip up all sort of other delightful breakfasty treats (popovers, biscuits, pie crust for quiche, the list goes on...) in advance and with very little effort!

1.  BOSCH Universal Plus Mixers have so many different accessories that it's uses go FAR beyond baking!  You could get the food processor (which is on special fro a GREAT price with the purchase of a BOSCH through the end of the year) and do all your chopping, shredding and mincing in a jiffy!  You could get the blender and whip up not only your favorite smoothies but sauces and purees too!  You could even get the meat grinder and make your very own hamburgers!!  It doesn't get any fresher than that!   The possibilities are endless!

So there ya have it!  Now go ahead and just forward this post to your husband, you parents, your in-laws, your grandmother or whoever else just might want to pitch in to get you one of these extraordinary machines, and don't wait cause Christmas will be here before we know it!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Ooo La La Baking!

Yesterday I made a cheesy chicken and vegetable soup for dinner and I thought that a nice loaf of French bread would be the perfect addition to the meal.  So I whipped up a batch of Marmee's Easy French Bread and it was just that- easy!  There were very few ingredients and I had it kneading in my BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer in just minutes!  Really the only thing that took considerable time was all the rising- three hours in the bowl and another 45 in the loaf) and the baking (another 45 minutes).  And aside from my little miscalculation on how long that would all take in total we would have really enjoyed our bread with dinner.  Instead we ate it about 30 minutes after dinner (oops!) but it was delicious!

(A picture will be coming!)

I also wanted to mention that Marmee is running a special on a Homemaking Bundle for just 48 more hours!  It is over 80 pages (a $40 value) for only $7.99!  So head on over there to check it out and purchase it!

I'm so sorry about the lateness and shortness of this post- a big round of sickness and teething in our family, along with a situation that came up to day with one of my best friends (which I will be blogging on later today) prevented me from getting it up on time.  My deepest apologies!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Prepare for Thanksgiving with Marmee!

This week I wanted to feature some of the wonderful products that my sponsor Marmee sells that can make your Thanksgiving holiday not only easier but genuinely more special!  Since Marmee's products centralize around homemaking, I believe that the holidays are a time of the year when what she has to offer especially shines!

The first, and most obvious, suggestion I have for making your Thanksgiving a little smoother and a little more homemade is.... a BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer of course!  Wouldn't your family be impressed and blessed with homemade rolls, breads and pastries throughout the holiday weekend?

Then, as long as you've got your BOSCH, why not grab some cookie paddles to help whip up some pie crust or even cookies for dessert (and of course you will want to get these stainless steel scoops to make sure all your confections are the same size for even baking!).

Wouldn't this Turnover Dough Press be fun for a nice, light, pre-prepped Thanksgiving morning breakfast of apple turnovers?  It would also be a fast grab if you are going to be headed out the door bright and early the next morning to hit the sales (but wouldn't it be more fun to just hit the sales on your computer in your PJs?!).

How about getting a Bible Journal just to make sure you are keeping your heart thankful and focused on the Lord during this holiday season?  Sounds like a good idea to me!

And finally, wouldn't this neat Family Recipe Keeper be nice to put all your holiday recipes in and build on over the years to pass on to your children someday (and keep you nice and ready for the holidays all the years in between!).

Get your orders in soon so you can be sure to be all ready when November 25 rolls around- it's coming fast than any of us think!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

Parting of the Red Sea Cake

This past weekend I delivered my third and last cake for the month (and probably for a little while- I need a little cake break).  This one was in honor of a friend's son's 1st birthday.  His name is Moses, so, appropriately enough, I made the parting of the Red Sea!

This was probably the most fun cake I have gotten to make so far. It was the most relaxing because I made sure to give myself more than enough time- no rushing and no late nights!  I also felt like I was able to get the most creative and just kind of have fun.  They gave me no specifications so I really just got to run with it.

I made pretty much everything out of fondant.  For the signs I added in some Gum-Tex (also known as Tylose) powder to help stiffen them and make them stronger.  For the ground in between the walls of water I made a mix of brown sugar and cocoa powder (yum!).  To finish it off I made white caps with royal icing and then brushed the whole thing down with glucose to give the whole thing a wet look.

I can't get over how much I love using my BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer for making cakes (aside from fondant- which I will never make again!).  I love how easy it is to add ingredients through the top of the lid since there is no over-hanging component as there is with most other mixers.  It is also so easy to be able to see what exactly is happening within the bowl.  Plus, the lid also definitely helps cut back on the amount of powdered ingredients that puff up out of the bowl- which is nice for clean-up!

Remember- this is the time to buy a BOSCH mixer from Marmee's Bread Market because from now to the end of the year she is offering the food processor attachment for only $30 with the purchase of a mixer.  That is a total steal!  Christmas is coming- it would be a great gift to ask for this year!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!

CAKES!

For my BOSCH Universal Plus Mixer feature post this week I thought I would show you all a couple "little" cakes I have recently made.

First of all, you may recall my referring to the near-death experience my mixer encountered at the hands of a dreadful fondant recipe I attempted making for these cakes.  Well, I am happy to report that after we took the bowl apart and I (sheepishly) laid hands on my mixer today, praying, "Dear Lord, Please let this baby work!!"- my beautiful mixer is working without a hiccup!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!!

On to the cakes!  The first one I made a few weeks ago was a Bridal Shower cake with a Price is Right Theme.  I decided to make a shrunken version of the set of the original show and I changed the logo to "Their Love is Right" (as requested).

Front View

Top View

Side View

Back View w/logo

So, I was actually not happy with this cake.  It was the first one I had done in quite a while and it was incredibly complex!  The fondant wasn't as smooth as I wanted it to be and there were lots of little cracks and smudges that just didn't live up to my expectations.  I just couldn't see past the flaws.  I was secretly hoping that the client's (she is also a good friend) husband would drop the cake on the way into the building, but as luck would have it, he did not.  They loved and said it was great, but I still just wish it could have been better.

All in all this cake took me somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 hours, start to finish.  There was more than one 4:00am bedtime during the process of this cake!  Yikes!

The following weekend I made a 10/10/10 cake for a friend's son who was turning... 10!  (What are the odds?!)  I was much happier with how this cake turned out.  Things just all-in-all went more smoothly and quicker as well (only about 15 hours!).  This cake was much more fun to make because I felt more confident and things went so much easier.  the most time consuming part was cutting out all of the fondant pieces (the yellow ones were also painted in gold luster dust).  There were a couple late nights associated with this cake but nothing like before.

To top off this experience, the clients have really enjoyed the taste of the cake!  Yeah!  Considering that I am not a huge fan of cake myself, this was something I was really worried about, so I am glad they liked it!

One more cake to go this coming weekend, which I will be sharing with you soon!  So thankful for my BOSCH Mixer to make the baking process go off quickly and easily!

Be sure to visit my sponsor- Marmee's Bread Market- for recipes and everything else you need to easily make fresh baked goods for your family!