Strawberry Gooey Butter Cookies (Inspired by Cookies & Cups)

 I used to be one to always try new things.

If something sounded good at a restaurant, I was up for trying it!

They I'd be disappointed and wish I'd have stuck with my tried and true favorite meal.

If I found a new recipe, I jumped at it!

But now...I'm more cautious.

Something has to REALLY jump out at me for me to try something new.

 When I saw this recipe for Strawberry Gooey Butter Cookies by "Cookies & Cups", I KNEW I had to try it!

First off, just the name of it reminded me of one of my favorite "old-fashioned" recipes I grew up with that my mom always made..."Gooey Butter Cake".

When I saw the word "strawberry" added to it...I KNEW I had to try it!

 Well...let me tell you...

These cookies are GOOD STUFF!

You've got to try them!

They are like little mini strawberry cakes!

If you don't follow "Cookies & Cups" blog, you need to!

She's great!

You can find the recipe for these amazing cookies on her blog right here.

Now go try these...and come back and tell me if you don't think they're the best little strawberry cookies you ever ate!

And then be sure to thank "Cookies & Cups" for sharing this awesome recipe!

Valentine's Cake Truffles

 I always feel so behind during each of the holidays compared to all of the other bakers.

I see the cakes, cookies, and other treats being posted weeks, even months, in advance.

Me, I'm lucky if I get mine posted BY the holiday itself, or even after in some cases!

But then again...I don't just bake.

I work a full time day job 55+ hours a week in the early childhood field and am taking medical transcription classes...

So maybe that will excuse my tardiness...just a wee bit?

Hehe!

I haven't had a whole lot of orders lately, so I've mostly been baking for fun.

My husband requested some cake truffles.

 What are cake truffles?

Basically they are cake pops without the stick!

Many people refer to them as "cake balls"...but I never liked that word.

(Always thought it sounded rather crass.)
Then one day, my good friend and fellow baker Sandra who's work I admire so much, told me that she referred to them as "cake truffles".

I LIKE IT!

Sounds MUCH more classy!

"Elegant" Sandra says...hehe!

I have to agree.

Cake balls...NO...Cake TRUFFLES...YES!

LOL!

 When making cake pops and cake truffles, I do mine a little different.

I don't use the traditional cake/icing mixture.

I am not a fan of very "rich" sweet desserts.

And the traditional cake pop mixture was just too gooey for me.

So for these, I used my BabyCakes machine.

BabyCakes cake pops and cake truffles are strictly cake...which I love.

For these I used a Funfetti cake batter (white with sprinkles) and then dipped them in white chocolate.  For half of them I added some pink tint to the white chocolate.

Add a few red/pink sprinkles...and...voila!

Valentine cake truffles!

 

Happy New Year! 2013!

As usual, I am behind schedule "fashionably late".

That sounds much better, hehe!

So here are my New Year's cookies I made.

 

I did these for (as luck would have it)...

A "belated" New Year's party!

 

I used my favorite cookie recipe and this time, instead of using royal icing...

I used glaze.

I am beginning, like my husband, to enjoy the flavor of glaze MUCH MORE than royal icing.

I also love the smooth texture that you get EVERY SINGLE TIME with glaze.

With royal icing, it's always a gamble for me.

I always have "some" kind of issue...too thick, too thin, bubbles, cracking, etc.

With glaze, I just get a nice smooth surface, with a lovely sheen, and smooth texture...

EVERY SINGLE TIME!

 

 

I did use royal icing to pipe my designs and lettering though.

I think that is going to be the new way I decorate ALL of my cookies.

Glaze for flooding...royal icing for piping intricate details.

Royal can be made thicker and is perfect for those tricky details.

This was also the first time I tried ColorMist!

I used a gold and a silver.

It came out really well for a first time try!

I was really happy with the pretty metallic shine I got!

 

I was very pleased with this batch of cookies in general.

Everyone at the party was too!

Happy 2013 my friends!

 

 

 

 



2012...The Best Of The Best...

 

Can you believe 2012 is over?

Me either!

I thought I'd put together a little collage of a few of my favorite projects I worked on this past year.

Some turned out well...others...not so much...were learning experiences, hehe!

I look forward to another year of baking and decorating.

I hope to continue to grow as a baker/decorator.

I hope to learn new things, challenge myself, try new techniques, and expand my skills.

If I can ever help you out with a dessert, gift, etc...feel free to give me a call, e-mail, or message me!

And don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

I wish you a very happy, healthful, successful 2013!

God bless!

Melody



Slice & Bake Coconut Cookies (recipe as promised!)

I have been finding so many new recipes on Pinterest.

Yet I never seem to find the TIME to MAKE the recipes!

Well, being Christmas time...and baking season...

I decided it was time to not only make the traditional "stand-bys" but to try a few new things as well.

This one comes from www.bakingbites.com .

As promised by the original blogger, if you enjoy the taste of coconut, you'll love these!

Many people have a thing about the texture of coconut.

They don't like the texture, but like the flavor.

The great thing about these cookies is that you really don't even get the texture of the coconut.

All you get is the wonderful flavor!

So, without further ado...here is the promised recipe from Baking Bites.

Slice & Bake Coconut Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup butter, soft

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Whisk together flour, paking powder and salt in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar, then add in the egg and vanilla. Beat until light and well combined, then beat in the coconut. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture.
Once all the flour has been mixed in, divide the dough into two parts, shape into logs (2-inches in diameter) and wrap tightly in parchment or wax paper. Freeze for at least 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice cookies off the frozen logs with a sharp knife, making each cookie no more than 1/4-inch thick. Place on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are just lightly browned.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes about 2 dozen.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Thanks to Baking Bites for sharing this on your blog!

My family loves it!

Christmas Cookies 2012

I am "FINALLY" done with all of my baking orders for the holiday season!

Now I can concentrate on my family's cookies, LOL!

They've been waiting very patiently for theirs!

Just thought I'd share a sampling of what I've been working on.

The first photo is a cookie pop bouquet that I did for a client's daughter's preschool teacher.

I love doing bouquets!

 

 

This was a snowflake/mitten platter I did as a gift for a client.

I put together platters as gifts for all of my clients this year.

 

Some fun snowmen and snowflakes!

 

The finished platter!

 

A "Silver Bells" theme...

 

This platter was all stockings/candy canes!

 

This platter was a variety of Christmas tree shapes and sizes.

I also used little colored chocolate sprinkles as the lights on these trees.

I don't usually decorate much with "embellishments" but thought these would be a fun addition.

 

These reindeer were all over the internet this year so I had to try them out.

This was a repurposed gingerbread man cutter!

They were a lot of fun!

 

And lastly...I always like to do something non-conventional.

I enjoyed doing these "modern" trees.

Who says Christmas has to be green and red?

I'll probably be adding a few more Christmas goodies before the season ends...stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Cuppies!

I started my baking journey with cake decorating.

Yet somehow...

Last year, I got "sucked into" the COOKIE WORLD as I like to call it.

I have been baking and decorating more cookies than cakes and cupcakes.

So...

When I decided to make these Christmas cupcakes for my son's Christmas party at a friends house, it took a bit for my "cakey"skills to resume!

I did a chocolate cake and a classic buttercream icing.

I have a "bajillion" (is that a word?) Christmas sprinkles, so I had a blast hauling all of those out and decorating with those.

I asked my son how they tasted, and he said, "I don't know, I didn't get one!  They went too fast!"

Well, that made me feel good!

Guess the other kids liked them!  Ha!