The recipe I used for the cake is Martha Stewart's White Cake. White because it has only egg whites and no yolks (or "no yellows" as I couldn't remember the word yolk when describing it yesterday...). The recipe says it yields 3 9-inch rounds, but I used 4 8-inch rounds, though they weren't completely full, which was fine. 4 layers is a LOT of layers...
I am very proud of my first attempt at fancy cake icing for my own birthday cake this week. Matt and I went out to dinner on Thursday for my actual birthday, but since we were headed to my brother's house to celebrate the following evening, I decided to make a birthday cake! The recipe I used for the cake is Martha Stewart's White Cake. White because it has only egg whites and no yolks (or "no yellows" as I couldn't remember the word yolk when describing it yesterday...). The recipe says it yields 3 9-inch rounds, but I used 4 8-inch rounds, though they weren't completely full, which was fine. 4 layers is a LOT of layers... You will need a lot of butter (though to be fair some of that was for the buttercream icing) And room temperature eggs... And of course good old cobalt KitchenAid mixer Adding the colours was not that challenging. I added the pale pink to the entire mix, poured about a quarter of it into the first baking pan, added some more colour and mixed, poured, etc. Oh by the way, I have Wilton brand gel food colouring - it makes the cake and icing less runny. There is an actual pink colour, it's not red. I would suggest investing in the colour set - I've had them a long time and you only need a tiny amount to get a lot of colour. Once it's cooked, it doesn't look as pretty because of the slight browning of the outside due to the flour llining, but if you scrape off a bit you will see that indeed the inside cake is the perfect pink colour! Ghetto but effective way of warming up butter without melting it, haha. The icing is Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream with Vanilla Bean. The vanilla bean part just entailed slicing open a vanilla bean and putting it in the egg/sugar melting mixture (the first step in the recipe), and then removing it along with any large pieces once it was all melted together. You can use vanilla extract too, but this just adds more vanilla flavour to it. You NEED to make sure that for both the cake and icing, that the butter is room temperature, especially the icing. I made enough icing to ice between each of the layers and ice the sides, but then I only did a bit of fancy icing before I ran out. The butter I had sitting out for the second batch was not as warm so it made for a lumpy buttercream. Luckily a quick Google search led me to using my hair dryer to warm the buttercream while it mixed which completely smoothed it out! The above is what one batch of buttercream did. With so many layers I ran out, but I just made another half-batch which finished the job. I tinted it a bit darker to do the middle layers once the top was done, then again to do the bottom. I used the exact same method as I did for the cake. Note to people - gloves may be beneficial... Yeah it lasted for a while... And now for a ridiculous amount of beautiful cake pictures - I am very proud!!!! The piping was done using a Wilton 2D tip. I literally just squeezed down and pulled up. Really simple and quick - honestly. This tip also makes pretty roses if you swirl it, but this was my first try so I stuck to the basics. OOoooooOOOOohhh almost too pretty to eat... ...almost... It was really tasty...though again, 4 layers is a lot of cake... 6 people only polished off that much - definitely will serve 15 easily!
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I looked back to see that though I did a post for Adam in 2012, I did not in 2013. Sorry little brother! Wishing you a great birthday! I love you, despite your annoying habit of buying everything you want and having absolutely no ideas for birthday presents, and despite the fact that every time you give ME a present, it is sealed with hot glue and impossible to open without using my teeth like a savage. Here are some Instagram pictures from the past year of him (as I still have yet to recover my hard drive!) Our joint birthday/Olympic party celebration a few weeks ago This past Christmas Eating smoked meat in Montreal this past summer A bit tipsy with balloons in April Plus some older ones... Oh his wedding day in July 2012 UOIT grad (him commerce, me education) in 2007 His prom! 2003? Haha, Halloween...probably 2003 or 2004? Birthday...not sure what year. 2006? Punta Cana in Spring 2004 Last gem - Fall 2001. First day of school. I did that to his hair...
Every year we go to my uncle Sean's house (on my dad's side) for dinner and to see all the extended family. Didn't take a lot of pictures, but here are a few: Ice storm beauty I made a friend... His name is Lucky! Cousins and uncle singing? Brothers Classic Adam Most of my pics are of other people taking pictures...that is bound to happen with such a large family! Lucky cuddles
In early December, we went to the Distillery Christmas Market to see the sights and then went out to dinner with Matt's family. Since Jamie and Hope usually go to England for Christmas, we wanted to see them before they left and exchange gifts. Wine tasting - yes. Too many families taking over the gingerbread for me to pose...so here are some random people instead... It was REALLY busy this year! Despite being SO COLD! Christmas at the Distillery is beautiful. Mulled wine - not for me. Warm apple cider? Yes. After the Market we went to dinner at Osteria del Ganzi on Jarvis. It was pretty good, though very empty. Girls picture on the stairs. Please understand that there were multiple families staring at us while they at their dinner just below. Awkward. HERE are the Christmas Market pictures from last year.
Since we didn't have people over for Christmas Eve or Day, but we had decorated and cleaned, we were feeling a bit let down without playing host. We debated doing a New Year's Eve dinner, but we know that it's tricky. Most of our friends and family lay low, were out of town, or already had plans. These kind of things need to be planned well in advance. I also know, personally, that I like to have an easy way home, but be able to drink, and not be freezing cold taking TTC with a party dress. So home is best for us. Last year's meal - braised duck poutine (leftover duck from Christmas Eve) This year, just like the past few, we make a great dinner and cuddle up together to watch movies. A few years ago we were hooked on Dexter. Last year we watched the first two Godfather movies (how had we not seen them before?), and this year we just watched the movie "Don Jon" - directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt - it was pretty funny and well done. Not to be taken seriously but still really good. We made sea bass with creme fraiche, fingerling potatoes, and artichoke. I attempted to make a chocolate terrine, but timing was off. I started it before I realized I didn't have whipped cream, and by the time I got it, the chocolate had hardened (couldn't reheat as it had eggwhites in it), so it was pretty much a fail. Since it needs 12-24 hours in the fridge, we were out of luck. Matt went to the rescue and got some delicious mousse tarts from Bobbette & Belle, a bakery near us. So anyway, back to the lack of hosting. We decided to invite our siblings over for a New Year's Day brunch. Jamie and Hope got back from England the day before so knew they wouldn't want to do Eve, but would come the next day if we could watch the Winter Classic. Adam and Jessica were up for it, and Meg was AT the Winter Classic so didn't come. We made easy food - tried and true which are cozy brunch foods. French toast souflee made with brioche (I made the day before and just cooked it that morning), the bacon, cheddar, potato bake we did on Christmas morning (easy and delicious), did a fruit salad with winter fruits - citrus, apple, pear, pomegranate (made this for a brunch last year), plus some prosciutto and melon. We also did a hot chocolate station, had coffee and tea, and the hangover cures of mimosas, Caesars, and beer. The setup was fun - I was going to leave all the Christmas stuff, but Matt and I always clean it up on New Year's Eve day to start the year fresh and clean, so I cleaned up and just left a few silver and gold sparkly pieces to keep it festive but not Christmas-y. Here are the decor pictures: Painting from Home Sense, LOVE Print from Madebygirl Okay, I just mean the type of hot chocolate...nothing else (talking to you, Jamie). Runner is from West Elm Silver chargers are from The Bay, gold are from Dollar Tree (score!) This candle from Bath & Body Works is both festive and smells delicious! My grandma's neighbour was throwing this mirror away, can you believe it? She asked for it and kept it for us - I love it! Pineapples mean welcome! Matt is smiling but probably saying on the inside "please put down the camera and help me!" To prove to my brother that my fridge isn't just full of beer and butter (we were going away one summer after I had made a lot of buttercream icing and bought too much butter, haha) Mimosa & Caesar station All in all it was fun decorating and hosting. We had some good food, some great company, and watched the longest hockey game ever, haha. Maybe we'll make this an annual tradition! Plus it gave us an excuse to clean the house top to bottom and it was a nice clean start to 2014! Happy New Year everyone!
I wish I could post pictures from Christmas Eve, but I actually did not take any. We had a lovely evening at Matt's parents' place with family. Delicious salad, tortiere pies and baked Alaska, plus the obligatory sweet and cookie trays. Exchanged gifts - my highlight was a LABEL MAKER! Yes, my in-laws know me extremely well. Christmas Day we went to my parents' house with my family. First up, decor. These pictures are a mix of ones I took and Adam - once he got a handle of the 50mm lens he took some great shots! Blessed. My cabbage patch moon ornament - my favourite. Bird watching From my year in teacher's college Precious moments are featured heavily on the tree I love this one - Adam took it! White Christmas Next up is the family shots - my mom got us all Sochi Olympic gear, and wanted to take a family picture. Actually it was my idea. My uncle Brian was completely against it. After a while I was annoyed that people weren't cooperating - yes, I can be very demanding, I know - and didn't want to do it anymore, but we got through it. We started on the stairs but my dad's tripod doesn't go portrait so it wasn't framed well. This was a test. There we go. My cousin Andrew is such a ham (as seen as above and below) My pretty mom Adam, the professional photog. Portrait time! Adam starts off with his serious face (above), then mocks Jessica (below) Christmas cracker crowns
My aunt Karen got married last Saturday at the Toronto Wedding Chapel at Yonge & Eglinton. It was an intimate affair of less than 30 people and here are some pictures I took (though I tried my best to stay out of the photog's way so there are some odd angles, haha). Enjoy! Pre-Ceremony Ceremony Signing of the Register Little Details Drink and be Merry First Dance Cutting the Cake Dinner & Dancing
This past Thanksgiving weekend Matt and I headed up to the cottage as usual, but this time it was just us kids. Specifically, us plus Jamie and Hope and their friend Jordan. So we had to cook all of Thanksgiving dinner without any parental advice, but it was really fun! Fall salad - arugula, apple, craisin, toasted pecans and toasted pumpkin seeds, cranberry relish vinagrette Jamie did the turkey Stuffing (and bacon from the turkey) There was also root mash - potatoes, parsnips, celeriac pureed instead of just potatoes Daily dose of Moose Oh yeah, I also have a post of just pretty leaves coming up...
My mom threw my aunt a wedding shower last weekend, and here are a few pictures from the lovely afternoon of ladies and tea parties: My last minute addition - chalkboard welcome. I wish I had had more time to do pretty fonts! Bunting party! Jessica made lavender sea salt scrub using her own garden lavender - smells wonderful! My mom, the hostess - beautiful in pearls! Present-opening room That wicker chair has been used for so many showers! Matt picked some great flowers for me when I was running out of time Devil's food chocolate cupcakes with buttercream - yum! May have gone bunting overboard... Now it's a real tea party 2 tea services - we were serious David's tea fall variety pack - I recommend pistachio cream - delicious. Prepping lunch and drinks Lemon-lime sparkling water cocktail with rosemary The hostesses My aunt Karen in her signature colour The ladies The bride-to-be with her maid of honour Haha, little cousin Alyssa made a bra out of wrappings Love the gold - very Princess Leia Last one (I don't think my mom knew I was taking a picture)
My aunt Karen is getting married in October and she asked me to take a few engagement pictures of her and her fiance Ian. At first I told her no and freaked out a bit because although I LOVE taking pictures, I am in no way a professional, I don't know how to use Photoshop, and I just didn't want to disappoint her with horrible pictures. She assured me that they just wanted a few shots and that I should try it out, and so I agreed. I actually had a lot of fun doing it! Although the pictures are in no way professional, they at least capture a little bit of the love I saw today which made me really happy. We took the pictures at Mount Pleasant Cemetery (in the gardens, relax). Here are just a few of the pictures I took: They hadn't seen me yet The one above is my favourite! She has a pretty iris claddagh ring with an emerald It looks like Ian is dripping from the fountain here Oh wow - the hair and the wall are great together (I see my grandma and my mom in her) Had to include a random bike and basket Ian was trying to make Karen skip - she was having none of it. This made me laugh a lot. Crazy lovebirds... Yes, a bit morbid but I was testing the light and it turned out really well.
There is an even better one but it says "Barber" on it and I didn't want to freak Hope out! |
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