Cookies and Cakes

FINALLY!!!!  No-sugar added cut out cookies!!!
I have been waiting YEARS for this breakthrough - I have gone through POUNDS of flour trying one failed recipe after another....
THIS ONE WORKS - AND IT'S SOOOO YUMMY!!!!!!

I found a recipe in an old Country Living Magazine, but it used molasses - so I gave it a try with agave nectar instead, and removed some water - and it's great!  I went ahead and used the ginger, I like ginger, but I think these would be really good with just the cinnamon and cloves as well.  Now that I have a base recipe that works all kinds of ideas are running through my mind.............


Gingerbread Cut-Out cookies

6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup Splenda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup agave nectar (I used light, but I imagine any would work)

Blend dry ingredients in a medium bowl, blend wet ingredients in a large bowl - stir dry into wet slowly to make sure it all mixes well.  When a semi-firm ball forms refrigerate until it is firm enough to roll out.  Lightly flour surface and rolling pin - roll to just above 1/4 inch thick, cut shapes and bake in 350 degree oven on parchment lined cookie sheet for 8 minutes.  These are great warm, and super great room-temp.  Makes approx. 54 cookies.

Black Steam Train Birthday Cake

Easter Sugar Cookies

Birthday Party Cupcakes - so simple, so pretty.

Cupcakes for my husband's office - Company colors of white and blue.

Cake for my husband's office - I had to photoshop the top because it had the company name on it.

Another company cake with the company name photoshopped off of the top.

Cupcakes, green frosting, and yellow candy melt softballs.

Softball and Baseball Sugar Cookies.

Office workers - aren't they sweet?  (a bit bug-eyed, but who isn't after too much company coffee?)

Volcano cake on dyed coconut grass.  When the candles were blown out it looked like the volcano was smoking - too cool!

Softball Field Cake for the Coach's birthday - I did the cake and the dirt (fondant) infield, my daughter did the bases and baselines. (still a bit wet from application in this picture)  I think her homeplate and pitchers circle are great.

Watermelon Cake

I needed the cake to be denser than cake mix cakes usually turn out to be, so I added an extra egg and a package of pudding mix to the batter. (and some red food coloring.)

I baked the cake in my "antique" (aka garage sale) pyrex bowl at 325 degrees for 80 minutes .  I was worried about it sticking, but honestly, it was the easiest cake from pan removal I have ever done. (I did use a very generous amount of non stick cooking spray.)

I let the cake cool before removing it from the bowl, and then I wrapped it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge overnight before frosting.

Making the fondant - 4 c. marshmallows, 4 c. powdered sugar, 2 T. water - melt the marshmallows in the microwave and use a stand mixer to add powdered sugar.  A trick is to add the gel food color to the water - it's so much easier than working color into completed fondant.

All Done.  This was the best part of the project - seeing the inside of the cake - my daughter actually put down her computer to come help me with this cake, it was that much fun - and that makes the time and the dirty dishes all worth it.

My daughter wanted a Hawaiian Luau theme for her birthday party.  I make my kids give me several weeks notice on the decided party theme so that I can shop for deals rather than just hit the party store.  I got these plastic figures brand new (McDonalds toys) from a garage sale free box.  I opened the packages and both hand washed and ran the toys through the dishwasher before putting them on the cake. (I was maybe a bit over protective, but that is my job as mom, after all.)

This is a 13X9 cake on the bottom, with a round 9" cake on top of that, and another round 9", cut in half with both sides stacked up on top of that -  the back of the cake  had a 4 layer "cliff". - I used wooden skewers to hold it all together.

Halloween Cookies - I like the ghost best, bottom right.  (I love the swirls.)

Christmas Cookies decorated with food color and a paintbrush - no frosting.