Flourless Chocolate Torte

This truly is the ultimate chocolate torte.  I have posted a different flourless chocolate cake, which is delicious, but this one is amaaaaazing.  The creator of this perfect dessert is one Janet at Simply So Good and for the record the name of it is actually La Bete Noir (The Black Beast).  The reason this recipe stands head and shoulders above all others that I've baked or tasted, is because of the wonderfully smooth texture. Don't get me wrong, the taste is incredible too but that depends a lot on what type of chocolate you use.  If you use generic chocolate chips in this recipe, it's just not going to taste anywhere near as wonderful as using Belgium chocolate or some other fancy, dark chocolate.  As long as you use high quality chocolate, you can't go wrong. (I love the brick of Belgium chocolate at Trader Joe's called "pound plus".)  So for that Christmas party coming up, try out this torte.  It's not hard to make at all and it will make your friends very happy!  Another bonus is that it can be made a week or two ahead of time and frozen until you need it.  Perfect for the busy days ahead. PS: I adorned this time with chocolate curls just for looks (tutorial at Pioneer Woman).

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Author: Brittany

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

• (Torte)1 cup water


• 3/4 cup sugar


• 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, diced


• 18 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped


• 6 large eggs


• (Ganache)1 cup heavy whipping cream


• 8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.


2. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan.


3. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter parchment.


4. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim.


5. Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan.


6. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.


7. Simmer 5 minutes.


8. Remove from heat.


9. Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat.


10. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth.


11. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly.


12. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended.


13. Pour batter into prepared pan.


14. Place cake pan in large roasting pan.


15. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.


16. Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes.


17. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack.


18. Cool completely in pan.


19. For ganache: Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat.


20. Remove from heat.


21. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth.


22. Pour over top of cake still in pan.


23. Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. (*As the torte cools, it will pull away from the edges of the pan, leaving space for the ganache to run down the sides and completely cover the cake.)


24. Refrigerate cake in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours.


25. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides.


26. Cut cake into wedges and serve with fresh whipped cream.

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Example of yummy chocolate:

Recipe Source: Simply So Good

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Buttercream Drizzle

Oh my goodness...I feel like I hit the jackpot with this recipe.  It is so very good!  I made these for a bake sale that some ladies were sponsoring at my husband's work.  I hear they were a big hit at the office, and they were definietly a big hit at home!  We had some guest for dinner this weekend and I served this cake and once again everyone loved it!  I am thinking this would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving Dessert table!  Yum!

Weekly Menu here with links to the recipes now:)

 

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Buttercream Drizzle

Author: Melanie

Recipe Source: Cake recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine via The Baking Chic

Ingredients

• (FOR THE CAKE) 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour


• 2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1 teaspoon baking soda


• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon


• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg


• 1/4 teaspoon ginger


• 1/4 teaspoon cloves


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)


• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk (you can sub Sour Cream if needed)


• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened


• 3/4 cup granulated sugar


• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (light would be fine too)


• 3 large eggs


• (BUTTERCREAM DRIZZLE) 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sift before measuring


• 2 TB butter, soft


• Dash of salt


• 3 to 4 TB milk, cream or half and half


• *1-2 TB soft cream cheese -optional ( sometimes I throw it in)


• *1/4 tsp vanilla extract optional ( i did not use it this time)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.


2. Spray or generously butter a 10 inch bundt cake pan and dust with flour, set aside. (I used a mini bundt pan and baked them for 15 minutes)


3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.


4. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla.


5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.


6. Add the eggs one at a time until well combined.


7. Alternate adding the flour and pumpkin mixtures, mixing on low speed, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Don't overmix.


8. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with the back of a spoon.


9. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.


10. Invert and cool for at least 30 minutes on a wire rack before icing.


11. (DRIZZLE)Combine all icing ingredients in small mixing bowl.


12. Stir until smooth and well blended.


13. Adjust for drizzling consistency if necessary, adding more milk or more confectioners' sugar.

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Fresh Watermelon Cake {Literally}

 



This cake is made out of watermelon... quite literally!  Topped with freshly whipped cream and garnished with colorful fruit, this cake is unique, beautiful, and delicious.  And I was surprised to find it pretty much satisfied my sweet tooth, too.  We celebrated my mom's birthday a couple of weeks ago, and she requested no birthday cake.  No birthday dessert, not even a cookie.  Now that goes against the grain for me.  I mean, I am my mother's daughter.  Although she apparently went on strike this year, I can't remember a single birthday in our family up till this one that did not include cake, candles, and hearty birthday singing.  I couldn't come to terms with no birthday cake... and that's when it hit me.  I remembered seeing a watermelon shaped into a cake on pinterest months ago.  I didn't even pin it, so I can't tell you who's idea it was.  But I made my own version of watermelon cake for my cherished mother's birthday, and she loved it!  It was beautiful, yummy, and totally guilt free.  Not to mention the easiest birthday cake I have ever made. I'm thinking this is going to be a fun way to dress up barbecues this summer, girls' brunches or luncheons, and definitely baby and bridal showers.

Fresh Watermelon Cake {Literally}

Author: Mindy

Ingredients

• 1 watermelon, rind removed and cut into the shape of a cake


• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla (double if you want to "frost" the whole watermelon cake)


• fresh fruit to garnish


• sliced almonds also look pretty

Instructions

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Best Coconut Chocolate Cake

I made this cake for a church party and the pan was scraped clean in no time!  It has a mild chocolate cake - kind of like Texas sheet cake - topped with ooey, gooey coconut and almond topping... all drizzled with chocolate sauce. Yum!

Best Coconut Chocolate Cake
submitted by Brittany ~ The Sisters Café

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
1/4 cup baking cocoa
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

TOPPING:
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk, divided
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
20 large marshmallows
1 (14 oz.) bag coconut
2 cups sliced almonds, toasted, divided
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  In a small saucepan, combine the butter, water, and cocoa.  Cook and stir until butter is melted; add to dry ingredients. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; add to chocolate mixture and mix well.

Pour into greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan (9x13 works too).  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine 1 cup evaporated milk, 3/4 cup sugar and marshmallows; cook and stir until marshmallows are melted.  Remove from the heat; stir in coconut.  Immediately sprinkle 1 cup almonds over cake. Spread coconut mixture over top.  Sprinkle with remaining almonds (pan will be full).

In a small saucepan, combine butter with the remaining milk and sugar.  Cook and stir until butter is melted.  Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Drizzle over almonds.  Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe Source: Taste of Home 2012

Warm Peanut Butter Fudge Pudding Cake in the Crockpot

Oh WOW--this may not look impressive but I am not kidding when I say,  it will knock your socks off and impress your guests!   This is warm, ooey, gooey, chocolatey, peanut buttery bliss!  Let me tell you, this is amazing!!  I don't know about you, but I am seriously BUSY lately.  I needed to make a fun dessert for some last minute dinner guests, and I thought of this.  Every time I serve this treat without fail, I have people begging for the recipe.  They are always so thrilled to hear that it is super easy, I mean for heavens sake, you use a crock pot and a brownie mix.  Crazy, huh?  Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you just might have heaven in a bowl!

Ok I have a couple of other things: First  is anyone doing Elf on the Shelf?  This is our first year and we are having so much fun with our little Elf  'Skittles'.  We have found him in some fun spots but I would love to know what fun your elf is doing? (in other words--please share your ideas here-- I need them:)

I also wanted to tell you about this new awesome app I started using called Red Laser.  I downloaded it right to my smart phone.  At this busy time of year, it has helped me with creating shopping list and comparing prices for the best deals.  This has been so helpful for me!  With 5 hungry boys I am always looking for ways  to stretch a dollar and with this app on  my phone it is so quick and easy now:)  With Red Laser you can also scan food items at the store and  get allergen and ingredient information.  You can also buy products directly from your phone for pickup in nearby stores. Pretty cool, huh?!  Anything to save us busy Moms time and money is worth a try, huh?!








Get the free app at RedLaser.  Hope you like it as much as me!  You can use it to find a hot deal on brownie mixes and stock up.  Trust me, you will want to make this yummy dessert again and again! Enjoy!

Warm Peanut Butter Fudge Pudding Cake in the Crockpot
submitted by Melanie~www.thesisterscafe.com

vegetable oil spray, for misting the slow cooker

Topping:
1  cup water
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Base:
1 box brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 cup(6ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Mist the inside of a 5 quart slow cooker with oil spray.  Place 1 cup water and the brown sugar and cocoa powder in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. 3 to 4 minutes. set the pan aside.

Place the brownie mix, peanut butter, butter, eggs, and 1/4 cup of water in a large mixing bowl and stir with a large wooden spoon until well combined. 40 to 50 strokes. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the slow cooker and spread it out evenly. Pour the brown sugar and cocoa powder mixture evenly over the batter. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set the power on high.  Bake the pudding for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and run a rubber spatula around the edge of the pudding, spreading out the liquid from the center to the edge so that all of the liquid will be absorbed. Replace the lid and continue cooking the pudding until it is nearly set, 30 minutes longer. (Mine took a little longer than the 30 minutes) Enjoy!

 

How To: Make a Spice Cake from a Yellow Cake Mix

I am making Mel's wonderfully delicious Pumpkin Cream Trifle today... the only problem being, I didn't have a spice cake mix in the pantry.  The thought of trying to cram a grocery store trip into the few minutes available between baby and toddler nap times, not to mention the pain of dragging all three kids through the store (I'm sure plenty of you relate), had me reconsidering the importance of a spice cake mix.  I mean, I'm sure I could make one on my own. I have a yellow cake mix and lots of spices, after all.  So I rolled up my sleeves and experimented... with yummy results, I'm happy to say!  The pumpkin spice cake layer for my trifle ended up deliciously fragrant, with just the right amounts of spice.  It's so easy I hesitated to post it on here but then I decided I better. After all, it's often the easiest shortcuts that can save a lot of time and hassle when we are in a pinch.  So here you go.

How To: Make a Spice Cake from a Yellow Cake Mix

Author: Brittany

Ingredients

• 1 yellow cake mix box


• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg


• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger


• 1/4 teaspoon allspice or cloves

Instructions

1. Combine all together and follow directions on box or in your recipe.

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If you need a recipe to try this out on, may I suggest the best pumpkin trifle out there: Pumpkin Cream Trifle.

Classic Yellow Butter Cake (not from a box)

Awhile ago I raved about this Classic Chocolate Cake(not from a box) and proclaimed that I would never use the box mix again.  I couldn't believe how wonderful it was.  Well, I decided to see if a yellow cake from scratch was just as fabulous.  I did a little research and read reviews and decided on this Martha Stewart recipe, and of course it did not disappoint!  That Martha, she is good!  Not only did this taste absolutely amazing but it created the most heavenly scent in my home that lured my boys to the kitchen like a siren:)  Really, it was hilarious!  They slowly trickled in until they were all gathered around the counter watching as I spread chocolate butter-cream over the layers and begging for a slice:)  Trust me, who ever you make this for--will praise your name and love you forever!  **I will warn you, be careful to NOT overbake--nothing is worse than a dry cake in my opinion!

Today I posted a new idea to help with Menu Planning  on my other blog Melandboys.  If you have any tips that help you stay organized when it comes to meals I would LOVE to hear them!

Classic Yellow Butter Cake (not from a box)
submitted by Melanie~www.thesisterscafe.com

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 1/2  cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.

Divide batter between the prepared pans, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Be very careful to NOT OVERBAKE!!  Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Re invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.

Recipe source: Martha Stewart

Classic Buttercream Frosting
1 1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa
pinch of salt
4 cups of powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

In a microwave safe bowl, heat butter and milk together in the microwave until the butter is melted, about 45 seconds.  Add cocoa and stir to mix.  Pour mixture into mixer bowl.

Add pinch of salt, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix together on high for 3-4 minutes until shiny.

White Texas Sheet Cake

One of my all time  favorite desserts is this Texas Sheet Cake I posted a couple of weeks ago.  Seriously YUMMY!  Well, I got wind of a recipe for a white Texas Sheet Cake and had to try it out.  My my my--this cake is DIVINE!  Moist and buttery with a hint of almond in the frosting.  It really was equally fantastic to the popular chocolate version.  I love that it is so easy to make, comes together quick with ingredients I have on hand and the best part...it can be made ahead of time.  In fact, it is actually better the second day.  Now for those of you who are not fans of nuts, I have a little secret for you:

I left it off the majority of my cake:)  You can definitely leave them off, and it will still be over the top fantastic!!  I was bringing this treat to church for the young women that I work with (ages 12-18)  and wasn't sure that nuts would be very popular with that age group.  I was right--most of the girls requested their slice sans nuts:) All of them  loved it though, and so did I!  I brought home the leftovers for my family who also sang it's praises!  This cake really is amazing!  I am so glad I tried it out and will be making white texas sheet cake for years to come!  I was thinking it would be fun to have both varieties for the next party or gathering we have.  Either way, I have decided you just can't go wrong with Texas Sheet Cake!

White Texas Sheet Cake
submitted by Melanie~thesisterscafe.com

1 c. butter
1 c. water
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk or sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Frosting:
1/2 c butter
1/2 c buttermilk or milk
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla if you prefer)
pinch of salt

1 c. chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small saucepan, bring 1 c. butter and water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt, mix to combine. Add hot butter mixture to wet, stir. Add buttermilk or sour cream to the cake mixture, blend. Then, add eggs and vanilla, blend. Grease large jelly roll pan, and pour batter into pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until done. Do not overcook, the cake should not be brown! Let cake cool 20 minutes before making frosting, you want it to be slightly warm when you frost it.
For the frosting, in a small saucepan, combing the 1/2 c. butter and 1/2 c. buttermilk or milk, bring to a boil. In a large bowl, measure out 3 cups of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, pour hot mixture and almond extract over powdered sugar, and mix to combine, adding more sugar to reach desired consistency. You don't want the frosting to be thick. Since the mixture is hot, as it cools, it will harden. Look for the consistency of slightly runny pudding.  Spread frosting on the cake quickly as the frosting cools fast!  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.  OR you can add the nuts to the frosting before you frost the cake.

Recipe Source:  TDF Recipes

Texas Sheet Cake

When I need a dessert for a large group, I usually make the super good "Brownies for a Crowd" but last week I tried this Texas Sheet Cake for a party and it was perfect!  Perfectly quick, easy and oh so  D E L I C I O U S!!   Warm, moist and sweet chocolatey goodness!   With always hungry teenage boys hanging around my house, I think I will be making this cake often.  The recipe uses simple ingredients that I usually have on hand, comes together quick and only takes 15 minutes to cook!   Whats not to love about that?!  Trust me this cake will be a huge hit and couldn't be easier to make!  I highly recommend it!

Texas Sheet Cake
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

Bring to a boil:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. water
4 TB cocoa

Mix and add:
1/2 c. buttermilk (or 1/2 c. sour cream)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Beat well. Pour into a greased and floured cookie sheet (11x17-- with sides).  Bake in a preheated 400 oven for 15 minutes.

Icing:
Spread icing on cake while cake is still warm.
Bring to a boil:
1/2 c butter
6 TB milk
4 TB cocoa

Add:
1 c. chopped nuts (opt--I left these out)
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

 

Sweet Party Food Idea: Cake in a Cup

Isn't this a brilliant idea for serving cake to a party crowd? Not only functional, but so darn cute! I love it.  All you do is bake your cake  in a cookie sheet. Be sure to decrease the bake time--and keep an eye on it! There is nothing worse than dry cake!  Once is it cooked and cooled. Cut with a cookie or biscuit cutter, small enough to fit in the cup.  You could do different shapes and sizes to make the layers interesting!  Use your favorite frosting to sandwich between the layers and pretty sprinkles for a finishing touch!  Wrap the cup in a cellophane bag (found in bulk at any craft store) and tie on a spoon to coordinate with your party theme!  Viola!  Cake in a cup--the perfect party food!  The possibilities are endless with this idea.  I am looking forward to trying it out with lots of different cakes and colors.

Favorite Cake Recipes:

Classic Chocolate Cake (not from a box)

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Country Cake with Lemon Curd, Cream and Berries

Barefoot Contessa Coconut Cake

Any cake would probably work--but the more substantial ones are easier to work with, in my opinion.

Enjoy!  I would love to see how you put your cake in a cup together.  Send me pictures or links at melandboys@gmail.com

Classic Chocolate Cake {not from a box}

I have to admit that in the past I have always made chocolate cake from a box mix. I had convinced myself that it was too much trouble to make a cake from scratch and since I have never been a huge fan of cake anyway, I guess I felt like the mix was fine. Well, I can now tell you that my thinking has changed! I have found a very EASY recipe that is AMAZINGLY good, so, yes I am now officially a fan of chocolate cake...big time! Luckily, I have a family of 5 always hungry boys who LOVED this cake too, or I am sure that I would have had a very hard time not eating more than I should!

Initially, I was willing to give this recipe a try because it used items that I had on hand and it looked simple. There was no sifting of dry ingredients or bringing eggs to room temperature--I mean that seems too fussy, right?!  I love that this moist and fudgy cake comes together fast and effortlessly with fabulous results!  Trust me this chocolate cake is great and whoever you make it for will love you forever!  I really don't think I will ever go back to chocolate cake from a boxed mix again:)  I am including two recipes for chocolate frosting, one is a classic buttercream, and one is a chocolate cream cheese frosting.  Both are fantastic, but  I usually make the butter cream, because my husband prefers it.  Which do you like best?

Classic Chocolate Cake--not from a box!
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk {I've used 1% with great results too}
1/2 cup melted butter {or canola oil is fine}
2 tsp good quality vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350.
Butter and flour cake pans or line muffin pan for cupcakes.
Combine sugar through salt in a large mixing bowl.
Make a well and add remaining ingredients, except the boiling water.
Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Then stir in one cup boiling water.
Batter will be smooth and very runny.
Pour into prepared pans.
Cook for 30-35 minutes.

Classic Buttercream Frosting
1 1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa
pinch of salt
4 cups of powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

In a microwave safe bowl, heat butter and milk together in the microwave until the butter is melted, about 45 seconds.  Add cocoa and stir to mix.  Pour mixture into mixer bowl.

Add pinch of salt, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix together on high for 3-4 minutes until shiny.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese from fridge
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 cups powdered sugar
4-6 TBS heavy cream or milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend butter then add cream cheese, blend until combined.
Add vanilla and cocoa, blend until combined
Add powdered sugar blend on low until combined, increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy.
Slowly add cream or milk to desired spread-ability.
Beat until nice and fluffy.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Nine & Sixteen

Perfect Lemon Cupcakes

Here is a recipe for the lemon lovers of the world!  Who I know from personal experience are quite avid and loyal worshippers.  My sisters and I have been making and enjoying these amazing lemon cupcakes for a few years now, and I can't imagine why it has taken us so long to share them with you!  It all started when Brittany made this lemon cake for my birthday almost 3 years ago.  It was deliciously moist and zangy and beautifully garnished with berries.  I then tried it as cupcakes, and I was smitten!  This cupcake is the perfect combination of flavorful lemon cake and tart, buttery frosting.  I would like to say that making it as cupcakes helps with portion control, but alas it does not!  I have to get these out of the house pretty quickly when I make them or I'd eat them all myself.  Oh, and I have tried lemon jello instead of lemon pudding when I don't have pudding on hand, and it totally works great.  Pudding gives you a denser cake, which I prefer in this instance, and the jello makes for a lighter cake.  But either way, if you have a place in your heart for lemon... you are going to love these cupcakes!

Perfect Lemon Cupcakes
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Cake:
1 package lemon cake mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding
1/4 cup flour (This extra flour is not necessary if you are making a cake, but if you are making cupcakes they will fall in the middle if you leave this out... so don't forget! )

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, soft
6-8 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:
For the cake, mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Pour into lined cupcake tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  If making a cake, bake 9x13 or two 9 in rounds 25-30 minutes. Don’t overbake or the cake will be too dry!

For the frosting, place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (I added about 6 cups total). Use and store at room temperature. (Don’t refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

Rainbow in a Bag for St. Patricks Day

This just might be the simplest "recipe" on our site:).
I guess you could call it an edible craft!  It will take you only moments to make and  will delight your friends and family for St. Patrick's Day!

I made these for my boys last year and they LOVED them so much that I thought I would make it a yearly tradition.  I am going to pop these little rainbows and gold into their lunches this Friday.

For more St.Patrick's Day Recipes click here and here
For some of our fun family St Patrick's Day Traditions click here.

Rainbows in a Bag for St Patrick Days
submitted by Melanie~The Sister's Cafe

Rainbow Twizzler Twists
Rolos
celephane bags
ribbon

One bag of Rainbow Twizzlers will make 5 bags.  Take a handful of Rolos and put in celephane bag.  Take one of each color of the twizzlers and line them up.  Bend them like a rainbow and place in bag over the gold Rolos.  Tie with a cute ribbon.  ENJOY:)

Recipe Source: Maple Memories via Our Best Bites

Mardi Gras King Cake (and party ideas)

With Mardi Gras coming up next week, I thought I would share with you this delicious King Cake and some fun ideas for hosting a party.  We have hosted several Mardi Gras parties over the years and they are always SO much fun!  The first one we did was right after my Mom returned from a conference in New Orleans.  She brought us back lots of Mardi Gras beads,  beautiful ornate masks,  feather Boas and lots of Cajun spices and mixes.  We decked the table out in purple, green and gold,  invited some  friends over for some Cajun food, handed out the masks and boas for the ladies and a fun tradition was born! To give you  a little history, Mardi Gras, also called 'Fat Tuesday'  is the last day of feasting before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday each year. Medieval Christians used up their eggs, butter and milk that day to make delicious baked items and pastries like the King Cake, since all of these items were forbidden during their Lenten abstinence.  Since we do not practice Lent and Tuesday night being a school night, the actual date for Mardi Gras is never a good time for a party.  Instead we have picked a weekend fairly close to the actual date for our celebration. Last year my party was in March, no one seemed to mind:)

Menu Ideas:  When I do this party I let my friends who offer to help bring a favorite appetizer, salad, cornbread, rolls or dessert to share and then I make one or more of the following:

*Creamy Jambalaya Pasta
*Red Beans and Rice
*Shrimp and Grits (recipe coming this weekend)

Mardi Gras Party Tips:

*Send out invitations and ask your guests to wear traditional Mardi Gras colors--Green, Purple and Gold
*Go to a party store, craft store (Hobby Lobby has lots of stuff), or your local Dollar Store and get Mardi Gras beads (green, purple, and gold), masks (last year I got hilarious Mardi Gras mask/sunglasses at the Dollar Store and set them by each persons place at the table) and boas for the ladies if you can find them.  The masks and boas could be saved and used every year!  OR you could have all the stuff out and let your guests create their own masks with beads, feather and glitter:)
*Set your table and decorate with the colors Purple, Green and Gold.
*One game we did with the beads:  You pick certain words that are forbidden--such as Mardi Gras, New Orleans, whatever you want--when a guest says the forbidden word they have to give up their beads to whoever catches them.  The winner is the person with the most beads at the end of the night.
*During dinner tell your guests or play a simple trivia game about the history of Mardi Gras that you look up online.  There is TONS of information.
*Finish dinner with the King Cake: one of the wonderful traditions of Mardi Gras, and probably the most delicious:)  You could share this fun King Cake history before you serve it:

"On the Christian calendar, the 12th day after Christmas is celebrated as the
date that the gift-bearing Magi visited the baby Jesus. This day, January 6, is
known by several names, including "Epiphany", "Twelfth Night", or "Kings Day".
The celebration of this event has evolved over the centuries, with each culture
adding its own unique rituals. The New Orleans tradition, borrowing heavily from
European influences, is believed to have begun in the 1870's. As part of this
celebration, it is now traditional to bake a cake in honor of the three kings -
the King Cake. King Cakes are oval-shaped to symbolize the unity of faiths. Each
cake is decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors - purple representing
justice, green representing faith, and gold representing power. A small baby,
symbolizing the baby Jesus, is traditionally hidden inside each King Cake.

In New Orleans, King Cake parties are held throughout the Mardi Gras season.
In offices, classrooms, and homes throughout the city, King Cakes are sliced and
enjoyed by all. Like the Biblical story, the "search for the baby" adds
excitement, as each person waits to see in which slice of cake the baby will be
discovered. While custom holds that the person who "finds" the baby will be
rewarded with "good luck", that person is also traditionally responsible for
bringing the King Cake to the next years party."  (Source )

King Cake
submitted by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe

*Just a note: This is really more of a cinnamon roll than a cake.  If you want you could substitute a cinnamon roll recipe for the dough or I have used my Buttermilk roll recipe for the dough .  Also, if you do not like cream cheese, you could just do a cinnamon sugar mixture over butter like traditional cinnamon rolls.

This recipe makes 2 cakes

PASTRY:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
4 1/2 tsp or 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
1 (8oz) package of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tb flour
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tsp milk

BROWN SUGAR/ CINNAMON MIX:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tb ground cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped pecans (opt)

BUTTER CREAM GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 Tb softened butter
1 tsp vanilla, almond or rum extract
2-3 Tb milk

Purple, Green, and Gold Sprinkles

1 small plastic doll (find at party supply or craft stores)
DIRECTIONS:
Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

To Make Cream Cheese Filling:   Combine the confectioners sugar, flour, vanilla and milk together until creamy and light.

Roll each of the dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so).  Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the dough (half on each) and then sprinkle with the brown sugar / cinnamon mixture.  Roll the dough tightly jelly roll style, starting from the long  side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings.  Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet, seam side down.  Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. If using, push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the Butter cream Glaze and sprinkle on the purple, green and gold sprinkle in 1/3 sections.

Recipe source: Adapted from  Allrecipes

Monster Mash Cupcakes and Marshmallow Monster Pops

Some of you might remember from this post that I have two cute little monsters with birthdays just one day apart... and in December no less!  (I know... what were we thinking, right?).  They turned 3 and 1 this year, and to celebrate we threw a Monster themed birthday party that turned out to be a blast.  Seriously, I recommend it to all you boy (and even you girl) mamas out there.  I had monster coloring pages for the kids when they first arrived at the party.  Then the games consisted of a monster hunt where I hid little pictures of monsters all over the house and the kids had to find them and feeding the monster (I made a bean bag toss into a monster's gaping mouth).  I considered letting the kids build their own monster cupcakes... but I have light carpet and limited space, so I decided against it.  I mean, keep the party fun for Mom, too, right?  The cupcakes were so much fun to make.  I got a kick out of putting together each unique little guy.  And those monster marshmallow pops were not only pretty easy, they were adorable!  And a serious hit with kids to boot.  (I linked to all the ingredients on amazon if that helps, but you can pick up most of these ingredients at Wal-Mart, too).

Monster Mash Cupcakes and Marshmallow Monster Pops
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

For the Monster Mash Cupcakes:
Cupcakes
Frosting in various bright colors (Icing paste works a lot better than regular food coloring for bright colors)
candy melts in various colors
Wilton Candy Eyeballs (or make your own with white candy melts and mini chocolate chips for pupils... I did both)
Disposable Decorating Bags
Lollipop Sticks

One color at a time, microwave the candy melts at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the candy is melted.  Transfer into decorating bags with small round tip or ziploc bags with a small hole cut out of the corner.  Pipe horns, arms, mouths, noses and eyes on wax paper or a silpat.  Use sprinkles or edible glitter immediately if desired.  Allow to harden in a cool place.  (If you place the wax paper or silpat on a cookie sheet, you can transfer the piped designs into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to harden.)  This can be done ahead of time.

Pipe the various brightly colored frosting onto the cupcakes using an extra large round (1A) tip (or the extra large star tip is cute, too).  Place a dot of frosting on the cupcake and pull away, repeating until your cupcake has a spiky appearance.  Just do it quick since the frosting doesn't need to be perfect.  Decorate with the previously made candy horns, arms, mouths, noses and eyes as desired.

For the Marshmallow Monster Pops:
marshmallows
candy melts in various colors
Wilton Candy Eyeballs
Disposable Decorating Bags
Lollipop Sticks

Place a lollipop stick into each marshmallow.

One color at a time and in separate bowls, microwave the candy melts at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the candy is melted.  Immediately dip the marshmallows into the melted candy, sparing the top.  Immediately place three eyeballs on the fronts of the pops.  Place the dipped marshmallows pops on wax paper or silpat to harden.

If needed at this point, remelt the partially hardened candy of different colors in the bowls at 50% power at 30 second intervals until melted again.  Then transfer the melted candy into decorating bags with small tips or ziploc bags with small holes cut in one corner.  Pipe "hair" on the monster pops by starting at the stick and piping a strip outward to cover the exposed marshmallow, repeating until covered.

Source: I saw this idea on tip junkie and winged it!

Dragon Birthday Cake

I made this fun cake a few months back for my son's 2nd birthday. I'm always a little nervous until I have a finished product in my hands but I actually loved how this one turned out! My 2 year old got a big kick out of it! I got some pretty funny pictures of him pretending to be a dragon too, roaring and trying to eat the whole cake without any hands. It was a good night:) I would definitely make this cake again. The icing used for the scales is time-consuming but very easy and totally worth it. And with a little creativity and a few minor changes in the decorating, this cake could easily pass for a dragon, dinosaur, alligator etc. Bonus! The biggest advice I could give, and this goes for any birthday cake, would be to start early! Most of the time I try to bake the cakes the night before and freeze them overnight, and I can get right to work the next morning. Give yourself lots of time (just in case) and creating a special cake for your little one becomes so much more fun and a lot less stressful!

Dragon Birthday Cake

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 (9-inch) round cakes, prepared
3 (16-oz) tubs of white frosting, if you go really heavy on the frosting you may want to buy an extra tub just in case
Green food coloring
Pastry bag, wide star tip & wide round tip
Chocolate sugar wafer cookies, cut on diagonal and paired with second cookie on the long side
2 blue M & M's for eyes
Red licorice, cut into triangles for teeth
16 chocolate chips

1. Using a cake mix or your favorite recipe, bake 2 (9-inch) round cakes in a well greased/floured pan. Allow to cool completely before removing. Very carefully remove from pan. You may now freeze the cakes for easier handling while shaping if you wish and have the time but it isn't necessarily essential, just makes the cake a lot easier to work with.

2. For the body, cut the first cake in half and sandwich the halves together, flat sides facing, with a layer of frosting in between. Set the cake upright with the cut side down, using a few dabs of frosting to stick it to the serving plate, if needed.

3. For the appendages, use 2nd round cake to shape different body parts (see diagram below) and attach to the body using frosting or possibly toothpicks if needed. Crumb coat the entire dragon with a light layer of frosting. Doesn't have to be perfect but worth the extra step. This was one of the most difficult steps for me as the cake I used for the appendages was quite soft and crumbly at this point. If you have time, stick it in the freezer for a bit beforehand and your life will be a little easier.

(These may not be exactly the right proportions, I just wanted to give you an idea of what I did.  I probably made the tail just a little bigger than drawn below)


4. Tint the remaining frosting green or any other color you prefer, reserving 1/2 T. white frosting for the placement of the eyes. Using a pastry bag with a wide, star tip and working from the bottom up to just below the top of the head cover the dragon's head and tail with peaks of green icing. Switch to a round tip, and cover the feet and head of the dragon with streaks of green frosting.

5. For the final touches, add chocolate wafer cookie back plates, chocolate chip claws, 2 blue M & M's for the eyes, and red licorice for the teeth. (Note: I didn't use any but if you choose to use toothpicks at all, be sure to remove them when serving the cake:)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake

 

I had one precious homegrown, garden zucchini left.  My last one.  {Sigh.  I already miss summer and fresh produce.} I was debating... this? this? maybe this?  Then my sister-in-law, Teneil, stopped by work one night raving about a double chocolate zucchini cake she had just made.  PERFECT!  And what a cake this turned out to be!  Dense, moist, chocolaty... and quick!  I love finding good zucchini recipes, don't you?  Without fail, some of those garden zucchinis get left on the vine until they are gargantuan.  Then I go into a zucchini bread, soup, side dish flurry.  And now I can add a yummy cake to that list.  But I wouldn't wait to make until next summer to make this chocolaty cake.  It's too good.  I think this cake is best served slightly warm with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, but it is pretty good with cinnamon cream cheese frosting, too.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 cups of shredded and seeded zucchini
½ cup buttermilk
1/3 cup of oil
½ cup of chopped nuts (optional)
½ cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (I like using mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 13 x 9 cake pan.  Mix all ingredients except nuts and chocolate chips on low speed for 2 minutes.  Pour ingredients into cake pan and top with nuts and chocolate chips.  Place in preheated oven to 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted middle comes out clean.

Jack-O-Lantern and Mummy Cake Pops

What's not to love?!  These pops are the cutest things ever.  I've made them a few times now, and they are a serious hit.  The first batch I made, I had a bunch leftover after my family enjoyed them.  So my 2 year old and I took some to his friend's family... but I still had more!  So I went for a walk in the neighborhood.  Only two kids in sight.  So I gave them each one.  Then it was the craziest thing.  Kids started materializing out of nowhere!  They were running toward me from up and down the street.  I think kid's have a sixth sense when it comes to treats.  Luckily I had exactly the right number of cake pops to go around.  The kids LOVED them.  Later, Brittany and I made them for a short Halloween class we taught.  They were a hit again.  So I think it is safe to say, if you make these babies... they are going to be a HIT!  (PS The directions are long, but these really are not hard. I just wanted to be very explicit with the directions to make sure your cake pops are a success!)

Jack-O-Lantern and Mummy Cake Pops
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 cake (homemade or from cake mix, baked in 9 x 13 pan)
Frosting (homemade or one jar of store bought)
'Chocolate' Candy Melts - white and orange (If you live in Utah, I usually get my melts at Orson Gygi.)
Edible Ink Pen
Lollipop sticks
Green Tic Tacs
mini chocolate chips

1.  After the cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into a large bowl or your Bosch/Kitchen Aid.
2. Start with approximately 1/2 cup of frosting and add it to the cake.  Continue adding frosting until the cake forms a "dough" that can easily be rolled into balls.  I would say I usually use 1/2- 3/4 cup of frosting.  Your probably will not need the whole jar if you are using store bought frosting.
3.  Roll mixture between your palms into quarter to half dollar sized balls and place on cookie sheet.  Wax paper or silpat lined is easier so the balls won't stick.  Should make between 45-50 balls.
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  For the microwave, heat the chocolate at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until the the bowl no longer feels warm, then heat in 30 second intervals at 50% power stirring in between until the chocolate is melted.
5. Dip the tip of your lollipop stick in a little of the melted chocolate and insert into the cake balls.  Insert about halfway.
6. Chill in the refridgerater uncovered for a couple of hours to firm up.  (I am told you can also place them in the freezer for a little while, but I haven't tried it.)
7. Once firm, carefully insert the cake ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered.  Once covered, remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off if needed.  Don't tap too hard or the cake ball will fall off, too!
8. Immediately insert the green Tic Tac for the jack-o-lantern stem OR insert the mini chocolate chips for the mummies' eyes.
9.  Place in a styrofoam block to dry.  Sugar filled glasses works great, too!
10.  After you have dipped all the cake balls in white chocolate, go back and pipe white chocolate onto the cake pops to look like mummy wrappings.  (I think it is easier to use these bottles instead of a piping bag)
11. Once dry, draw jack-o-lantern faces with an edible ink pen and allow ink to dry.

Tips:
1.  Don't cover the cake balls when they are chilling.  The moisture that gathers on the outside of the pops can make the chocolate crack after you dip the moist pop.  Keeping the balls uncovered while chilling allows the outside of the ball to dry off to prevent cracking (don't worry, the inside will stay moist).
2.  Use the candy melts!  I tried chocolate chips (white and chocolate), and the chocolate ended up being too thick and it was hard to get the balls looking smooth.  The thick chocolate also made some of the cake balls fall apart while I was trying to rotate them to cover.  I also tried almond bark, which was too thin.  The cake balls wouldn't stop dripping.  Even after I waited and tapped them off, the chocolate still ended up running down the stick.
3.  If you are up for it, the thick melted chocolate from white chocolate chips was perfect to do the mummy wrappings.  So still use the white chocolate melts for dipping the cake pop, but then use the thicker white chocolate chips for mummy wrappings if you feel like melting yet more chocolate!
4.  If you forget to insert the chocolate chip eyes or the tic tac stem while the chocolate is still soft, don't worry.  Just dab the end of the tic tac or the back of the chocolate chips in melted chocolate and stick them on.  Not as clean looking, but I doubt anyone will notice.
5. Don't worry if they aren't perfect, they'll be a hit even if your pumpkins are nobby and your mummies faces are not quite round.

Recipe Source: Basic cake pop recipe adapted from Bakerella.

Coconut Tres Leches

Okay, so this cake should really be dos leches.. or maybe even uno leche since I'm not sure the cream of coconut counts as a milk!  But it tastes just like a coconut version of tres leches.  So... I'm calling it coconut tres leches! This cake is seriously to die for.  We are coconut lovers at my house, and we can't get enough of this cake.  Imagine moist, sweet, coconut bliss and you've about got it.  Plus it is better made ahead of time so the cake has time to soak in the flavors, so this is a great dessert for when you're having guests for dinner.  I make it the night before and then frost it sometime the next day.  If you like a thicker layer of whipped cream on the top, use 2 cups of whipping cream and bump the powdered sugar up to 1/2 cup.  Sometimes I use as much as 1/3 cup of powdered sugar per cup of whipping cream, but I decreased it to 1/4 cup powdered sugar in this recipe because the cake is pretty sweet.  If you're in a hurry, Cool Whip would be okay, too.  Thank you to my cute friend Karissa Holzer for introducing me to this seriously amazing cake.

Coconut Tres Leches
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

White Cake (prepared as directed)
1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 - 14 oz can cream of coconut*
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Shredded coconut

*Cream of coconut is in the mixer section of the grocery store, not the international food section.  Do not substitute coconut milk.

Prepare the white cake mix as directed.  While still warm, poke holes all over the cake with a bamboo skewer.  Whip cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk until smooth, then pour mixture over cake.  Cover and refrigerate a few hours to overnight so the cake can absorb the milk mixture.  Whip the whipping cream with the powdered sugar and spread over the cake.  Top with shredded coconut.  Cut and serve!

 

Racetrack Cake

I made this adorable Racetrack Cake for my son's first birthday.  We had a Racecar Party!  Cars were definitely his favorite toys at the time, so the theme seemed fitting.  At first I planned on having just a small get-together.  Well you know me, I start gathering ideas, and I just can't seem to help myself from throwing a big, over-planned-but-worth-it PARTY!!  We ate hamburgers and chips and the kinds of food you would find at a racetrack.  I made 2 racecars out of big cardboard boxes and divided the guests into teams and had a obstacle course race with prizes for the winners (at first I was just going to have the kids run the race but at the last minute I made the adults participate and there is only one way to describe what happened next...HILARIOUS!)  We had a tire toss, colored wooden racecars, did cake and presents, and handed out a goodie-bag full of racecar paraphernalia to each kid (gotta love Oriental Trading:) and called it a night.  Phew...  The party turned out to be a so much fun (if I do say so myself!) and of course this cake was at the fore-front of the decorations.  It looked so festive and actually impressive, which is very  funny to me because it might just be the easiest birthday cake I've ever attempted.  In other words, complete success!!

Racetrack Cake

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: Family Fun

2 baked 9" round cakes
3 cups white icing
1-2 cups finely crushed chocolate cookie crums
2-3 cups green-dyed coconut
White Good & Plenty candies
Checked Paper or ribbon
2 toothpicks and tape
New toy cars, washed with soap and water

Using a favorite recipe or box, bake 2-9" round cakes according to package directions. Make sure to grease cake pans well. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pans. If time allows, you may even want to freeze them, which makes them much easier to handle. Cut a small semicircular notch from one cake, then position the cakes as shown below.

Using white frosting, apply a quick crumb coat to the cakes. If you have time, RE-FREEZE the cakes! It makes it so much easier to ice. When ready, cover the cakes generously in white frosting.

Place a small bowl in the center of each cake and sprinkle cookie crumbs around it to create the track.

Remove the bowls and softly press dyed-coconut onto each icing circle, then press the remaining coconut onto the sides of the cake for grass.

Lay white Good & Plenty candies in a dotted line along the center of the track.  Line the perimeter of the track with white Good & Plenty's as well.  If you run out of candies, you may also use a pastry bag to pipe a white icing border around the edge of the cake.

Create racing flags by taping small square of the paper or ribbon to the toothpicks and place them on track along with the race cars.