Don't let all your Halloween sugar highs come from prepackaged candy. We found 17 awesome, creative desserts, all sure to inspire you to create your own spooky cookies, cakes, and more. From the elaborate — we're loving the Dracula-esque cookie sandwich with marshmallow teeth — to the simple (you can make Nutter Butter ghosts in just a few minutes), these treats might be scary, but they're also supersweet.
I still manage to learn a little something new each day.
Today, it was that the memory card from my camera could be inserted directly into my laptop. Yesterday, it was that a manicure can mean the difference between a finger and no finger when you're chopping a lot of vegetables. And earlier this month, it was the revelation that is a layered icebox cake.
I've never seen a dessert that proffers such a large payout, given the minimal effort. Seriously, spread out cookies like tiles, lay them thick with whipping cream, and repeat until towering. If you're feeling particularly mischievous (and I usually am), shower the top with shavings from your favorite chocolate brand.
Exhibit a little self-restraint (the hardest part!), stick your masterpiece in the fridge, and the next morning, you'll open the icebox to find the the most gorgeous layered cloud of a dessert that you've ever seen. You know you want the recipe . . .
Every feast needs dessert, and a light, tart lemon curd cake is the perfect way to finish an evening. The flavor of the cake is reminiscent of Madeleine cookies, and it's layered with a sweet and slightly sour lemon curd, then topped off with a simple zesty frosting. If you've never made curd, don't fear: it's surprisingly hands off. For the ultimate lemon flavor, pick up aromatic Meyer lemons (if you wanted to get creative, you could use other citrus, such as limes or grapefruit, too). Serve this cake for British afternoon tea or as a final dish of your Olympics viewing party. Indulge in this zingy cake when you keep reading for the recipe.
With the Fourth of July on the horizon, there's no dessert more patriotic to make than a classic flag cake. This treat is easier to prepare than you think, and it's the perfect way to show your stars and stripes. Watch the video to learn how it's done, then print the recipe after the break.
I love using color to brighten up my baked goods, but sometimes the idea of adding drop after drop of artificial food dye makes me cringe. So with St. Patrick's Day coming up, the hunt was on to find a natural coloring agent to turn my baked goods a lovely shade of green.
Historically used in Japanese tea ceremonies, matcha is finely milled green tea powder that today finds its way into mochi, soba noodles, ice cream, candy, and pastries to impart a light tea flavor and intense green hue. Although it's not a traditional Irish flavor, I thought I'd test the luck of the, well, Japanese and add it to my Springtime Bundt cake.
Taking the Asian influence a step further, I substituted mochi rice flour for the regular all-purpose flour, which made it denser than the fluffy Bundt cake of yore but a little chewy and texturally interesting. A layer of chocolate gives your palate more to mull over while you chew.
Ready for this different take on a Springtime cake? Just keep reading!
Well, you should, because this moist chocolate-beet cake recipe is one of the most delicious and interesting desserts I've had in a long time. Beets happen to be one of my favorite vegetables because of the earthy taste and vivid color, and the fact that this recipe artfully transforms the root into a luscious cake is just really cool.
There are more steps to this recipe than most cakes, because the beets have to be cooked, but the result is worth it: it's a moist, decadent chocolate cake. I could taste a hint of earthy, beet flavor (that I loved), but others claimed they tasted nothing but rich chocolate. Keep reading for more!
Last weekend I went to a birthday party where the guest of honor was surprised with a homemade cake! Each layer was a different flavor with various fillings, from red velvet to milk chocolate to Oreo. The cake looked professional and tasted amazing. I asked the baker if she was interested in the cake business, but she said no, and that she just really enjoyed making cakes for her friends and family. I couldn't agree more! While mine aren't as elaborate as hers, I bake special occasion cakes several times a year. How about you? Are you into cake-making?
Whether your wedding dessert of choice is a three-tiered wedding cake, homemade pies, cupcakes, or macarons, you need a picture-perfect way to display your big day's saccharine delights. And when it comes to cake pedestals, I'm seeing everything from vintage to modern and rustic to girlie designs. Don't be afraid to use mismatched styles and colors on a dessert table, or try grouping a variety of pedestals in a monochromatic palette. Here are 15 of my favorites, dig in!
Start sharing your big day with our community. Just head to the Wedding Talk group, click "new post," and check the wedding content box.
Photo by Jill Thomas via Source
This week you can't look anywhere without being bombarded by information about the royal wedding. One thing I keep thinking about is the two wedding cakes. Kate has chosen a classic fruitcake, while Prince William's groom's cake is made of chocolate biscuits. I wonder: is fruitcake really Kate Middleton's favorite type of cake or does she have to serve it because of royal traditions? Since I've got cakes on the brain, I'm dreaming of my ultimate wedding cake. It would either be chocolate or dulce de leche with a light and creamy frosting. A second choice would be a delicious princess cake with marzipan dome.
How about you? What is your favorite kind of cake?
"What's my baby doing on the cake platter taking a nap?" Oh snap! That's a cake! Every baby shower deserves a special dessert but these er... take the cake? Forget the diaper cakes or the diabetic friendly flower pastry. Shower hosts can serve up a frosted newborn on a silver platter.
On the hilarious and uber-creative blog spot Cake Wrecks, we found some unsettling baby confections. What could be creepy about a baby cake? Well for starters, some of them have a doll buried under icing making it look more like a deathbed than a bassinet. And what happens when it comes time to eat the dessert? No guest wants to see the sugary lil toes sliced off for their nibbling pleasure. The bakers are certainly skilled in the decorating department, but maybe a crib full of stuffed toys would have done the trick.
What do you think about these babylicious cakes?
