Cake and Summer Break


Hola! The last few days I've been busy with house chores and many other home activities that have prevented me to update this blog. I am enjoying this vacation time with my daughters, family members that are visiting and the beauty of the surrounding nature in our farm/ home. In addition to all that, I also had a small accident with a kitchen knife and now have a cut finger with stitches that makes it very hard to type. Until my finger heals, I'll take a blog break. I'll will be replying to all emails and comments as soon as I can, please bear with me and pardon my delay in the last week.



Since I haven't had time to bake lately, I picked this cake from the photos archives that goes perfectly with the Bible verse I share today. I did it about two years ago, but for one reason or another had not shared it. It's one my favorite cakes because of its simplicity and the way I placed rosettes.

To get the recipes I used for this cake, click on the following links:
For the flowers or "rosettes" I used tip # 18, but you can also use tip # 15 or # 16. 
To form rosettes: Hold your pastry bag at a 90˚ angle, apply some pressure to begin to squeeze out frosting starting at the center (9:00) and move tip clockwise forming a tight circle rosette that ends at the starting point (9:00), stop pressure on the pastry bag and lift tip. You can also make them rotating counterclockwise. Check out some other Royal Icing Rosebuds I did a while back.


I made small leaves using tip # 67, but can also be done with # 352.
To form the leaves: locate the tip on the point where you want the base of the leaf to be, apply pressure to the pastry bag and begin to from the base of the leaf, while decreasing the pressure lift up and out to form the leaf point. As soon as I can, I'll work on a video of "how to on leaves" to share with you.

Note: These two techniques can be made with different recipes, either buttercream, meringue or frosting.
 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.~ Proverbs 10:12

You're welcome to visit my other blog, Delights and Wisdom, and share your favorite post there with your friends.


Happy Summer,

Kitchen and Baking Products



Cook and Bake with LOVE :)

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Pancakes recipe


Don’t you hate it when you go look in the pantry for something, only to find out you’re out of the product you are looking for? Having to run out to the supermarket, especially at breakfast time is a bummer, so if you are ever out of pancake mix, here's a recipe to make some delicious pancakes from scratch!


It's summer vacation time, take it slow, sleep in late if you can, and enjoy this morning treat.


 

Chocolate Chips Pancakes

 
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
4 Tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cups milk or buttermilk
2 Tablespoons melted butter or oil
⅔ cup chocolate chips
Maple syrup, to serve

Preparations: 
1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add eggs, milk, and melted butter. Let stand for 5 minutes, then add chocolate chips.

2. Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and grease lightly with Pam spray or butter. For each pancake, place cup of mixture in the pan and spread as much as possible.

3. Cook for 1-2 minutes until you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake. Turn and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm until serving. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

4. Place 2 or 3 pancakes on each serving plate, served with maple syrup.

Yield: 8-10 pancakes.


 
Variations:

  • You may also add a peeled and shredded apple together with the chocolate chips or omit the chocolate chips and just add apple and cinnamon.
  • You could substitute the milk with buttermilk.


There will be circumstances and people that can bring out the worst in you, but you have the freedom to choose if you let out the best or the worst of you. That’s your decision.