Hank and Hunt has new goodies!

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Um.  Have you seen these new goodies from Hank and Hunt? Ridiculous.  Check out that metal cupcake stand!!!!!  What?!? And her printables...the ikat and confetti? Gingham! Sheer genius. Go buy them.  Right now.  Printies are like $5.  Less than Starbucks.  (ok, I never spend that much on a drink at Starbucks but I have to imagine that the big gulp size costs the same as a smart car).  So proud of Jenny and the products she is adding.  She is truly talented.  I want to be her when I grow up.

Sharon
image via Hank and Hunt.

A cupcake decorating machine!

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Okay, so maybe it is not actually a machine. But it totally has batteries and makes your life way easier. I was recently sent a Kuhn Rikon Frosting Decorating Pen to review. Have you seen this product? When I was approached about this item I was super excited. In my head, my cupcake and cake decorating is exquisite. In reality, not so much. I was super curious to see if my finished treats would be something I would proudly call my own. The minute I got this pen, my 4 year old son, O, HAD to try it. And when I mentioned it to my friend, Kristin of Meringue Bake Shop, she was interested in it too. So I thought all three of us should try it and give our opinions. I invited Kristin over and set out baking cupcakes and frostings. My son has food allergies so I made sure to bake some allergy friendly chocolate for him and since I was baking for a professional baker, I decided to to also prepare my best recipe, Betty Crocker Cherry Chip - seriously, look in to it, yum!

So the kit comes with one "pen" and three cartridges that you fill with icing. It also includes four decorating tips and a "filler" for adding extra goodness to the middle of your cupcakes. The pen is designed for use with ready made frosting (right up my alley!!!) so they include three plates for filling the cartridges as well. I wanted to make my own vanilla buttercream as well as using store bought so I easily filled one of the cartridges with a baby spoon. I'm pretty sure an offset spatula would have worked too, but the baby spoon was the perfect size!

Kristin helped me fill another cartridge with the Cherry Chip frosting. It's amazing how easy it is (I should note, as long as whatever frosting you are using is the perfect room temperature it is super easy. If the frosting is harder, filling becomes quite messy...). You put a cartridge in the filling plate and press down evenly on the top. The pressure forces the frosting up into the cartridge. Then you just pop it in to the pen.

Here we loaded some caramel sauce to try out the filler. That worked like a charm. And how can anything with caramel in it turn out bad?

As you can imagine, when trying to do a post with a four year old and your 20 month old is running wild, my focus was not well, focused. I didn't get a photo of the finished cake that Kristin did, above. She tested out several of the tips and I thought they came out pretty cute. But I really prefer her normal decorations.

My son was super excited about her work. Or maybe he had had too much frosting. I think it is important to point out, also, that the day we did this, it was about 90 degrees outside and my air conditioner was broken. All of the frosting was a little more runny then usual and I will tell you, that on a previous attempt with the pen, the decorating effects from the tips held up a bit better.
The decorating pen was really easy for my son to use and I wouldn't think twice about having him use it to decorate cupcakes for his own parties. Is that considered child labor? He really enjoyed using it and I think it could have kept him busy for hours. He did enjoy squirting the frosting directly in to his mouth, though, so you may have to stay up on food safety and hygiene when kids are using it...

Here are some of my attempts at decorating with the Kuhn Rikon decorating pen. The two tiered cakelet was my only attempt from the night Kristin was over. With all the baby wrangling, this is the only one that I managed. I frosted some more the next day so I could really see how the different tips worked.

I think that I will use this pen to decorate all my cupcakes from now on. In my opinion, they look far superior to when I try to slap a nice simple coat of icing on the top with a spatula. Here are some things I learned about the decorating pen though:

-Be sure the icing is the right temperature to fill the cartridge. If it has been in the fridge, be sure to give it plenty of time to come to room temp.

-If it is too hot (above average temps here, not like 10 degrees hotter then normal) the designs will sort of slide so the cupcake will look good, but in a more abstract sort of a way.

-There are two speeds on the pen, slow and fast. Both are pretty fast. I think it just takes some getting used to it, but when you take your finger off the button, the frosting still comes out a little so you have to account for that.

-I much prefer this over decorating bags as you don't have to work the frosting down to the tip. The pen does it for you. And when you run out of frosting, or want to change flavors, you just pop in a new cartridge.

Clean up was awesome. And I will totally use this pen again.

Here is the final opinion from my four year old son:

"I tried to put the chocolate in the side of my cupcake and it didn't work very well (talking about the filler tip). I liked the pen. I would use it again. Mom, can we make some frosting today?"

and here is the final word from Kristin of Meringue Bake Shop:

"Using the pen was fun. I can see kids enjoying the shapes that come out of the different tips and feeling like they are creating their own cake show masterpiece. I think it's definitely something for older kids though because it requires patience, hand/eye coordination, dexterity and a level of cleanliness. But I could definitely see having the pen as an option for my cupcake decorating parties. If someone were to buy this, I would definitely recommend getting more tubes for frosting and another set of tips to help make the process of using it go a little faster."

Sharon

All photos are mine.

*I was sent the Kuhn Rikon Frosting Deco Pen for free. All thoughts, opinions and sugar highs are mine.

It's a wrap

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I aspire to make beautiful cakes. In my head I see myself baking the most tasty, moist layer cakes that are tiered and iced in a simple, yet elegant manner. Maybe some sugar flowers, maybe some ribbon. In my head they are always exquisite and take about 5 minutes. In reality, I am not a natural baker. What I mean by "natural" is that I have no baking common sense. It doesn't come easy to me and although I try to follow recipes exactly as they are written, I think my brain has a filter that blocks out the most important steps and keeps me from seeing them until after I have already done something incorrectly. Which is generally why I forgo scratch baking and use boxed mixes. Those are nearly impossible for me to screw up. But there really isn't a shortcut or anything easy about the decorating part of cakes. Sure you can use frosting from a jar, but even spreading that on to a cake is sometimes nerve wracking. How do I get it smooth? Where are all these crumbs coming from? Where is my off set spatula? What is an off set spatula? But once the initial frosting is on the cake, how do you make it special? There are plenty of cakes to look at on Martha Stewart but let me be frank for a moment. I feel like those cakes can only be made by actual artists. Or food stylists. I mean, half of those cakes probably use playdough instead of icing just to photograph well (ok, probably not, but it helps me to think that they are). So when I saw these Edible Cake Wraps I just about screamed for joy. The instructions seem simple enough, simply ice your cake and then take the decoration out of its protective bag and lay it on the cake. Lightly smooth with your hands and let the decorations sit for 15 to 20 minutes before peeling off the backing. The moisture in the frosting helps to transfer the image and the finished product will look slightly airbrushed. Each package comes with three strips of the design and costs around $10.29. They also have kits for tiered cakes that are coordinating colors and patterns and cost a little more at $18.95 and up. I haven't seen these in stores before but they can be bought online at The Party Works. I can't wait to try these!!!! They have some really cool, modern designs as well as traditional patterns. Has anyone ever used these? I'd love to know if they are really as easy to use as they say to save me from crying any more kitchen tears.

S-

A few fun new items from King Arthur Flour

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I have a few minutes so I wanted to let you know about a few products I came across in my latest King Arthur Flour catalog. There are a ton of other things I want you guys to know about but for now my posts have to be quick. With all the linking, etc. posts can take a looooong time to put together. Right now O is flying his dad's remote control airplane right next to baby M in the pack and play and it is just a matter of time until he becomes a landing pad and I'll have to ground all flights so here is what I love in the new catalog.

Tulip Muffin Papers. A cool, unique alternative to regular cupcake papers. A set of 24 for $4.95.

Candy Coated Chocolate Chips. Even a novice decorator like me can make a baked treat (or pancakes, etc.) look fun and delicious with the help of these bright toppers. About 2 cups for $7.95.

Swirl Cupcake Papers. Don't even bother to ice or decorate a plan frosted cupcake with these bright and cheery cupcake papers. They come in red, orange, green or assorted. 60 papers for $6.95.

Okay, that is it for now. I think I have time to check email before any crying starts.

S (by the way, I am totally listening to Pandora Radio in the background as I write this thanks to A's post. It is my new favorite!)

Who knew a hole in the head could be so cute?

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Sleep. Where have you gone? I miss you so. This post is being written by a very tired mom to be who can no longer sleep through the night and probably can't create coherent sentences either. But enough about me. Let's talk keepsakes. I have always been a fan of celebration plates. You know, those plates that you get to use maybe once or twice a year to eat your dinner or cake off of? The ones that are special to your family and it is super exciting when you get to use it? I am still on the market for the perfect plate for my young family, but I came across these really cute candle holders this morning on Droolicious and had to share. These are a bit more feminine than I would probably use, especially since I will have two boys very shortly, but I think they are super adorable. These 4" wooden picks come with a hole in the top of their head to fit a standard candle. These are a bit more whimsical than I am usually drawn too, but love them just the same. They are sealed so that you can wash any frosting off and use for birthdays, sick days, holidays, any day you want your child to feel extra special. At $30, it is an investment, but if taken care of properly, you can probably pass this on to your little girl's little girl. There are a few hair color and dress pattern options to choose from so hopefully you can find one that resembles your own little doll. I think this would be great to use at a baby shower and then gifted to the mom to be, or even would be great for a grandma to have for when she entertains the little ones. Buy it here at The Small Object. Okay, back to online Christmas shopping. I have to plan ahead for the cankles I will inevitably get. Don't want to have to drag those bricks around a mall to finish my Xmas shopping!

s-

The King is not dead

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I have been wanting to post about King Arthur flour for some time. I have seen a few of their items over and over again in various publications and think they would really bring a special touch to parties. Of course I have seen their flour at Whole Foods and also seen some of their baking pans, but had no idea the scope of what they do as a company. I love their individual pie slice pans. I love to do individual portions at parties and these are perfect! They come in a set of 2 for $10.95 or buy more and save more. Aside from using these as a baking dish, these would be cute to serve an appetizer sized salad or even just use them as serving dishes for nuts (unless nuts are the devil to your family like they are to mine on account of food allergies) or candies. These are certainly on my Christmas list because there are just times when you really crave a tasty apple crisp, but either don't have enough apples, or don't need to make a whole batch. The next product I think is amazing is the Airplane Pan (Bakes 6 planes at a time for $16.95). So cute. On my list of parties to have, is a flight themed party. Ever since In Style Magazine showed photos of a birthday for John Travolta I have been just waiting for the perfect opportunity. And think of how totally cute this pan would be for a kids airplane themed party. Oh, I can't wait!!! So because of these two products, I decided to look to see if they have a website and boy, do they ever!!! I quickly requested a catalogue and freaked out when it arrived. I want one of everything. You have to check out all the kids baking mixes (at least 6 different flavors to choose from $5.50 - $6.00 each), that not only would make a great gift, but would be totally perfect for a cooking themed kids party. And the Apple Cinnamon Doughnut Mix (makes 6 donuts for $5.95) and Doughnut Pan ($15.95)! Please! Why don't I have those already? They sell shot glasses made especially for dessert (set of 6 for $16.95) which would be perfect for individual portions of trifles or strawberry shortcakes (although I sometimes use votive holders to get the same affect and it is much easier on the pocket book). The catalogue is over 50 pages of kitchen gadgets, flours and wonderful mixes, pans, gourmet foods, etc. I have now found my go-to company for gifts. T, your birthday is right around the corner. I hope your new oven is prepped and ready to go.

s-

Retro inspired party fun!

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Recently A and I were in a Paper Source store. They had a great display for kid's parties and they had some really cute felt hats sitting out. I was just drawn to them. The colors were vibrant, the shapes were retro cool and I could totally picture our kids running around in them. So I had to check and see who they were made by. Some people care about clothing labels. Me, no, party products. I was pleased to see they were by Party Partners. I was familiar with the company as they are sold on Plum Party and you all know how much we love them! It was great to be able to feel the quality of the item that you usually only find online. So of course I had to check out the rest of their line and see just what they are up to. I love it all!!! They have several fun hats including tiaras, circus hats and baby bowlers. They have lots of tooters to choose from decorated in various ways. What I love about their products is that they are retro done in a modern way. Their products have a touch of humor to them, which I adore. Even their straws and party picks are great! I think A may have already posted about their surprise balls (like a mini pinata for each guest) and their most easily accessible products is probably the fun fringe (which I have seen in tons of stores). My favorite category by far is Halloween. If you know me at all, you know that I hate pretty much everything about that holiday on account of the fact that I am a sissy scardy cat. But I love this style of decoration. And if I am to be involved in any kind of way this October 31, it will be with these decorations only. They also have a Holiday section so be sure to check that out too and see how you can jazz up your humble abode this holiday season. And in the spirit of efficiency and savings, they are starting to put together party kits to take all of the guess work out of putting together a theme party. Right now the only kit available is the jungle theme and it rocks. Check it out. All you really need to add is some tableware and food and you've got yourself a party. You can shop directly from their website but also from Plum Party too. I heart Party Partners.

s-

Word to your cupcake

Cupcakes may be soooo five minutes ago to some people, but I think they will be around in a big way for a long time (not like they were really that obscure to begin with...). Cupcake decorating has gone to a whole new level with elaborate themes and presentations but being somewhat craft challenged I look for a much more simple way to decorate (when I go beyond the standard frosting, which isn't often). Cupcake picks are perfect for me. And there are a ton of options to choose from. You can custom make some yourself with specialty papers and toothpicks, or buy ready made plastic picks from a local party store, but then there is the wonderful wide world of Etsy (which I am in no frame of mind to tackle in this one post. It will have to be done at a later date). I found these boom box picks and immediately started to think of how I could fit them in to my next party (which is my husband's grandfathers 90th birthday party - you never know, he may find them nostalgic). You get 3 boom boxes for $2.85 and shipping is totally reasonable. The Peach Shop, the shop that sells these little lovelies has 185 other items for sale so you are gonna need to browse for yourself to see all the other awesome stuff they have. There is a little modern, a little vintage and a whole lotta stuff that I want to buy for my next party.

*Side note. My two year old in the repeating everything anyone says stage and it has made my brain mush. This post was not easy to write and I apologize for it's lack of...whatever it is that you may think is lacking. :)

s-

I heart Fancy Flours

Okay, here is the follow up to my previous post about dressing up a cake. My son is busy watching the "Smurts" (Smurfs) so I have a few minutes. I'll type fast. I first heard about the company, Fancy Flours, through a Martha Stewart vehicle. It may have been a wedding magazine, it may have been Darcy Miller's blog, I really can't remember. I just know it is a Martha favorite. And who doesn't want to copy anything Martha does? Half the type I feel that my crafty skill set is not capable of making her "Good Things," but I can certainly buy some of the same supplies that she does. Fancy Flours is a baker's paradise. And while I am not a baker, I can at least crank out a passable cupcake. I recently took a minute to look through the entire Fancy Flours online catalog. Holy crap. Most of the items I have never seen before. Which means I will be the first. A leader in cake pizzazz. Take the edible cake gems. They look just like large gemstones but are edible and I can think of soooo many ways to use them. For sure you would have to do a diamond ring topper for a bridal shower cupcake (and and 8 oz. package, which is approximately 80 pieces, is just $12.00). But the type and variety of products is HUGE! They have all kinds of colored or shaped sprinkles, decoratifs and other edible decor. They have edible gold and silver that can be added to bakery items and desserts. They have edible pearls and glitters in an assortment of colors. They have a ton of non-edible picks to choose from including holiday and themed varieties to suit any type of party. Now, let's talk about the chocolate transfer papers! The patterns are totally modern and awesome. My only fear is the lack of skills for actually using said papers and turning out a chocolate that would knock socks off. But the directions listed on the website make it sound super easy. This post could really go on for days with all the amazing products they have. I will list a few more here but you really should look through the whole catalog: laser cut cupcake wrappers, laser cut cake stand wrappers (genius!), an amazing selection of paper muffin cups (including leopard, meow), 3D cookie kits, flower waters and cake and cookie top stencils. Okay I have to stop. I am getting too excited. The website is really easy to navigate and aside from all the kick ass products, they also have a blog that shows ideas as well as recipes and newsletters that have all kinds of party ideas. In conclusion, I feel very confident that if I use any of the products on Fancy Flours to stylize my baking, no one will be concerned with the flavor of my baking, or lack there of. Fancy Flours, I salute you.

s-