Been a long time...

We are currently redesigning the blog. Untill we get all the bugs worked out, check out our facebook page for everything current and tasty!

http://www.facebook.com/ilovecakeohio


Love Always-

The Crew at i love cake.

Family Birthdays!

My Husbands birthday was last month, and my Dad's birthday was this month. In the spirit of how lazy my family is, we lump them in together. Of course, they both wanted different flavors of cake. Thus, I give you the Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake.

peanut butter on the bottom layer, 

and chocolate on the top

all topped with 

salty peanut butter buttercream

do i need to say how tasty these were?

New Years Cookies

Husband and I got all dolled up to go out to a new years get together last evening. He volunteered to have me bring some cookies. So we started thinking on what type of cookies to make and you really go wrong with rolled sugar cookies. But, what shape to cut them in...

I received these fab Star Wars cookie cutters for Christmas from my nephew. 

Nothing says Happy New Year like the half exploded The Death Star! 

orange rolled sugar cookie

• 3/4 c butter @ room temp
• 1 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp orange emulsion
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• zest of one orange
• 2.5 c unbleached flour (we highly recommend King Aurthur Flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder

In a stand mixer (or a med sized bowl with a hand mixer) cream together the butter, sugar and salt until smooth. With the mixer on low, drop the eggs in one at a time, add emulsion and vanilla and continue until all ingredients are mixed in, stopping ever so often to scrape down the sides of your bowl. In another bowl, sift together flour and baking powder and add orange zest to the dry mixture. Next, in about 3 batches with the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients (note, if you are using a stand mixer, you may have to stop the mixer when adding flour). Mix until combined, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl. When mixed, invert bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a ball, and cover in plastic wrap, refrigerate about an hour or over night. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Break off hand fulls of the dough to roll out while keeping the rest in the fridge. Roll dough onto a surface lightly covered in powdered sugar. Cut into desired shapes, and bake on an ungreased baking sheet for about 5-6 minutes. Let cool completely before decorating. 

Royal Icing

• 1 lb of powdered sugar
• 2 TBS of Meringue Powder
• 4-6 TBS warm water (or juice to kick up the flavor

depending on the weather conditions where you are, you may need less or more water. 

I hope you all have a wonderful 2011!!

Girl Scout Cupcakes

Saturday I delivered 100 (you heard me) cupcakes to the Girl Scouts of Ohio, Canal Winchester Brownie Troupe. My niece Emma is a member and my sister Kathleen is a co-leader. They had their Investiture and Rededication Ceremony for the new members and the returning members. Emma joined the Girl Scouts shortly before she became ill last year, so she was not able to go to her Investiture ceremony.

That's my Girl! I am so proud of you!

  I made vanilla cupcakes (dyed green) with chocolate buttercream and chocolate chip cupcakes with vanilla buttercream.

She is such a good helper!

I hope you all had a good weekend, no matter what you did!

Katie Jewell Becker Dedication

Well, well, well, Miss Katie Becker...we meet again. If you recall, I made the cake for the baby shower in your honor. This morning husband and I were invited to be at the dedication of Katie. It was a wonderful ceremony officiated by Liz Becker's fantastic father, Rev. Dr. Thomas R. Jewell, among others. Afterwards, we traveled to the Becker home to partake in some brunch yummyness (yes, it's a word!). I have to say, Liz and Sean, your families put out a terrific spread (Bloody Mary's and all!).



I was honored to be a part of the celebration by providing the treats at the end. Guests noshed on White Almond Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream, topped with flaked grey sea salt and Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream. They were a great end to a beautiful day...Thank you Sean and Liz!

By the way, if you are in the Columbus area and looking for a way to get involved in your community, take a look at the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio. Sean is a coordinator for them (you may recognize him from his recent TV appearance on NBC4 Columbus, with Cabot Rea). So many families moving from transitional housing into a house of their own are helped out by the Furniture Bank. They provide the basic necessities like tables, chairs, and couches among other pieces to people that are getting back on their feet. It is a wonderful organization that I have volunteered for in the past, and plan to do way more of in the future.
Please check out their website and "like" them on Facebook. You will be glad you did!

Happy Birthday Emma!

Last weekend, a birthday cake was made for a very special 9 year old. Her name is Emma Suzanne McDermott. You would look at her, and say, what makes her so special? Well, the fact that last year, we were not sure that her 9th birthday would even occur.

About 2 weeks before my wedding (married on 10/31/09), I received a call stating that Emma had been taken to Nationwide Children's Hospital. The squad had just beaten me to the ER. When they took me back, I could not believe my eyes. This tiny creature had been hooked up to every machine imaginable. We told her how brave she was, and that we were going to take her out for ice cream after the doctors looked her over. We told her how beautiful she was going to look as a flower girl in my wedding. Then the anesthesia kicked in and she was out. I would not hear her voice for a few weeks. Then various organs started shutting down. They put her on dialysis. We were told she wold be there for a while. The doctor sat us all down and said it would be a tough battle. She had an unknown infection and H1N1. He went on to say that as tough as it would be, as long as her brain was still communicating with the medical team, they could fix her, she would get thru this. Even with this, we still had that lingering voice in the back of all our heads. What if the unthinkable happened? We were told not to think this way, but it was pretty hard not to let that thought wander in that first week.  She was in PICU a few more weeks.

Then, she woke up....she was home before Christmas. What can I say, she was determined to see Santa.

Fast forward to last week. She was turning 9. She is a typical girl, and she is obsessed with Pokemon. So I made her this...

Chocolate cake with nutella buttercream. It was delightful, as was her party. That little girl means a lot to me. I will never let her forget that.
















Happy Birthday my love. Remember, as you get older, I hug harder.

It's been a while...

Oh my it has been a few weeks!

We have been keeping as busy as possible over here at i love cake. But, not busy enough to appreciate the beautiful weather here in Central Ohio. Although it has been pretty hot over the last few months (like, Texas hot), and over the last week it has cooled down so much, we could turn off the A/C. I think I see the leaves starting to change (*wishful thinking*). Fall is most assuredly on its way! I wanted to finally post the pictures of the cupcakes I made for Jake's birthday...I was told the birthday boy scarfed these down leaving nothing in his wake...could not have asked for a better compliment!

2 dzn cupcakes were made. Half were vanilla and the other half were lemon. All were covered with Swiss Meriunge Buttercream.

Thanks again Mandy and fam.