As you fall, remember that you are part of a beautiful story that did not start when you were born.
Remember that you are the universe exhaling, a breeze waiting to blow across a field of tall grass.
Remember, you are part of a beautiful story that did not start when you were born.
As…
If you ever find yourself looking at the person next to you and wondering if you can do better, leave.
Because they can definitely do better than you.
I am vengeful, by nature.
Hurt me, I will turn your world up side down. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.
Mini Cakes
I wanted to practice some cake frosting techniques so I decided it would be best to make a couple of mini cakes to practice with than to make a bunch of large cakes that would go to waste because we wouldn’t be able to eat all that cake. I made these tiny cakes in a tin can and they came out so cute! Not bad for my first time. And how adorable are the cake stands? I just used some cups, a chalice looking thing, and saucers I already had.
I used a chocolate cake batter with a butter cream frosting for the filling and and a Crisco frosting for piping the designs. At first I tried to pipe the designs with the butter cream frosting but it would always start to turn soft and turn into a blob even though I refrigerated it a few times so I preferred using the Crisco frosting because it stays stiffer and holds its shape better, and it tastes pretty good too. I also used some raspberry jam in 2 of the cakes frosting’s because I wanted a rosy color and didn’t have that color of food coloring.
The three techniques that I used are some of my current favorite techniques that I see being used a lot recently, the rosette technique, the ruffle technique, and what is being called the “cloud cake” technique. I don’t have a lot of experience piping frosting but I thought all three techniques are doable even for a beginner, though the cloud cake technique is by far the easiest of the three and requires the least skill. Besides doing a crumb coat I didn’t really frost the cakes because once you pipe the design you won’t even see it, except for the ruffled cake which I did a thin layer of frosting in addition to the crumb coat because the ruffles need something to stick onto or else they’ll just fall forward flat.
Chocolate cake: (use half the recipe)
{Makes about 4 tin can cakes}
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup of cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
- 1 cup of hot boiling water
- Heat oven to 350° F.
- Remove the label and clean out four 12 oz tin cans (I used evaporated milk cans). Grease and flour the cans and cut out circles from parchment paper and place at the bottom of each can.
- In a bowl sift all the dry ingredients together. Then add all the wet ingredients, except the hot water.
- Mix ingredients on low for 1 minute to incorporate, then increase speed to medium for 2 minutes. Add hot water and mix on low for another minute. (This is a runny batter)
- Evenly distribute batter between the cans and make sure not fill it more than halfway because the cakes rise a lot. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes until the cans are cool to the touch and run a knife along the sides of the can and remove the cake. Let cakes on a cool completely before frosting.
- When you’re ready to frost cut off the rounded tops with a serrated knife and cut the cakes into layers.
Butter cream frosting:
- 3 cups of confectioners sugar
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup of milk
- Beat everything together until smooth. Add any additional flavorings or food coloring if desired.
- To make the Crisco piping frosting substitute the butter for 3/4 cup of Crisco.
*Edit - I forgot to add how much cocoa powder to use. I’ve updated it.
