Did You Know?

Did you know you can freeze cake? It freezes really well actually, sheet cakes, cupcakes, cake balls, even cake crumbs. And you know what else? Those big box grocery stores do it all the time. In fact, a cake made in your own house and frozen for a week or two is probably going to be fresher than those you get from the store. Frosted or unfrosted, it really doesn't make a difference. Did you make a whole batch of cupcakes and only needed half? Freeze the rest. Really. They defrost in about 30 minutes, which coincidentally is about the time it takes to whip up a batch of frosting, ice them, and get them to where they're going. Bingo, ready made cupcakes, you're now everyone's favorite person.
You know what else I have frozen? Cookie dough. I usually have logs of cookie dough in the freezer, ready to cut off a few for when those unexpected people show up. (Perfect since my cookie recipe takes up to 48 hours!!!) And you know what? Those big box stores get those in frozen too, and they can sit for weeks to months in the freezers there. How do I know this? I worked there. Don't get me wrong, those grocery store goodies taste darn good, but not quite the same as customizing them to your personal taste and getting them fresh from the oven.
Plus, you know exactly what went into your goodies, who touched them, and how long ago they were made. That's a win in my book over the grocery stores any day! So if you're one of those super people who take a day to cook for the whole week, try baking some goodies ahead too. I swear they keep in the freezer just fine for up to month! Perfect for the average busy family with no time whip up a batch of something every time one of the kids/husband/neighbor needs something.

Is It a Cupcake, Or a Cake? Both!

I love cupcake cakes. They combine the best of both worlds, like the easy single serve-ability from the cupcakes and a large decorating surface like a sheet cake. You can arrange the cupcakes into a super cute shape (like this golf course cupcake cake) or just as a sheet like I did with this Bronco's cake. All you need is a dozen cupcakes (or more, depending on what you want to arrange or how many you're feeding) of your favorite flavor, a batch of buttercream frosting, and some food coloring! Yay!
Find a board and cover it in foil, or go to WalMart and get yourself one of those cake boards. Before decorating, lay out the cupcakes in the design you want. This is the time to move them around, before they're 'glued' down. Once you have the design down, dab some frosting on the bottom of each cupcake liner and use that to 'glue' the cupcake to the board. Slap a generous amount of frosting on top of the cupcakes and start spreading it smooth. Pipe a border with a large star tip and voila! You have a blank slate for a cupcake cake!

No plates necessary!

For this Bronco's birthday cake I did the above, but before piping on the border I airbrushed the surface a lovely Bronco's blue and hand drew on the Bronco's logo. I outlined the horse in black and filled in with the white and orange. After piping on the celebratory well wishes, the border went on, along with some confetti sprinkles, and bingo! a fabulous cake!