All things Gold

For the Gold Birthday party. 

We decided we needed gold awards, and treasure.  Instead of making all the awards gold, I decided to go frugal and had multiple colors.  They were a big hit everyone was pleased to have one pinned on them.  I of course made them in case there was any question in anyone's mind that they weren't homemade. 

I thought they looked pretty cute on the kids, and I was glad they didn't end up looking girly when the boys put them on.  For treasure everyone got gold crowns, which my son soon took off, for his more unique homemade crown. 

For the rest of the gold we had a treasure hunt via birthday boy's request.  The treasure they found was their gift bags. I couldn't find any gold gift bags I was impressed with, so instead I took lunch sacks and covered them in gold glitter.  I went with normal brown bags instead of white or anything else because it was a boy's party. The bag was filled with "gold," chocolate gold coins, winners gold metals, big plastic money, all stuff the birthday boy picked out.

I also caught Martha Stewart's article in a recent issue about Number Themed Parties, so we made a big gold 5 with balloons.

We finished the party off with white mini cupcakes with gold sprinkles.  I think mini cupcakes are better for kids, some kids only lick the frosting where other kids can eat two mini cupcakes, the amount of one normal size.

For course the party included a trip to the party store for gold colored supplies like plates and streamers.

Cookie Cake

We have a lot of parties and birthday celebrations during the middle of February, so in an effort to think of dessert that my family likes other than cake, I remembered my son loves chocolate chip cookies. Then I thought of a big cookie pizza cake thing. This was my first effort, and it was fun to make but needs a little perfecting and more chocolate chips. It was removable from the pan, but then I realized I didn't have anything big enough to put it on. I guess I need a bigger plater. My five year old was thrilled to see such a big cookie.

Mini Cakes

Mini cakes are my new favorite hobby. I've been interested in mini cakes for a long time now, made my first a year ago, but have recently become obsessed with the functionality of it, especially now that I have two mini (6") cake pans. I use two 6" cake pans from Wilton, with a box mix, then make cupcakes out of the left overs.  I have a beautiful small cake, more than enough cake for us to eat, with just enough left overs.  I freeze the cupcakes providing us with another desert on another day, preferably Monday night.  A mini cake fits on a dessert plate instead of a dinner plate.

Now I don't have to eat a whole cake in one week! I love it.  Plus they are so cute. Notice how that cake is smaller than my child's hand, and he doesn't even have large hands.

Valentine's Cards

I had a lot of squares of material with hearts cut out of them from my heart garland, so I recycled some of them to make valentine's cards.  I sewed the material on to paper to make the cards.  We bought packaged valentine's for the preschool class, but sent these to grandma's and such.

Valentine Birthdays

I teach two five years in church.  I technically have five kids, but two show up.  One of their birthdays is today, just like my hubby, so I made him cupcake cookies. He is now six.  The cookies turned out cuter than I expected. I was quite proud with myself.

I only made a few cupcakes because they were so much work, mostly I made valentine cookies.

Gold Sprinkles

Two weeks ago I made this cake. I needed to pratice my birthday idea for almost 5 year old. I think the gold sprinkles are perfect for our gold birthday party. 

My cake looks a little lopisided doesn't it? I think it is just the camera angle agaisnt the white, I don't remember it shapped like that.

I made whipped cream frosting for the cake, because I wanted it to be fluffy looking.  It was my first time making it and it was so easy!  Everyone liked it in my family, but the downside is the cake has to be stored in the fridge, which can take up a lot of space.  I won't make it for the party though because I'm making cupcakes I think cupcakes are easier for kids to eat.

Here is what the Joy of Baking taught me about whipped cream frosting.

Whipped Cream Frosting:1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream (35-45% butterfat content)1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugarChocolate Whipped Cream: To the above add1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus an additional 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) granulated white sugarRaspberry Whipped Cream:Make the whipped creamAdd: 1/2 cup (120 ml) lightly sweetened raspberry puree or seedless raspberry jamStrawberry Whipped Cream:Make the whipped creamAdd: 1/2 cup (120 ml) lightly sweetenedstrawberry puree
Whipped Cream Frosting: In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and wire whisk in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.For chocolate whipped cream: Add the cocoa powder and additional sugar to the above mixture and chill for at least one hour so the cocoa powder has time to dissolve.  Beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.For raspberry whipped cream:  Make the whipped cream but beat only until soft peaks form. Then add the sweetened raspberry puree, a little at a time, and beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Taste and fold in more sugar or puree, if required.For strawberry whipped cream: Make the whipped cream but beat only until soft peaks form.  Then add the sweetened strawberry puree a little at a time, and beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Taste and fold in more sugar or puree, if required.Makes about 2 cups of whipped cream frosting.Source:Beranbaum, Rose Levy.The Cake Bible. William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York: 1988.

Read more:http://www.joyofbaking.com/WhippedCreamFrosting.html#ixzz1DVrvk2q7