Funfetti Cake

My husband has two favorite cakes, Angel Food and Funfetti. I was on Pinterest on day and found a recipe for Funfetti Cake without using the box mix. I couldn't wait to try it so imagine my excitement last week when I asked Brandyn at work what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday and he said, "Well my favorite is Funfetti." I was happy to hear I was finally going to get to try the recipe I found. Last Saturday I gathered all of my ingredients and set to work. A few tastes told me that I'm not a huge fan of Almond Extract and to always follow my instincts and add more vanilla. I got the mix finally where I liked it and then set out to add the sprinkles. Who doesn't love sprinkles?! So I measured out the 1/3 cup sprinkles, poured them in, stirred and then wondered where the sprinkles went. That was not enough sprinkles! So in went another 1/3 cup and then finally a few more shakes of the container and I was happy with the sprinkle distribution through out the batter. Into the oven they went and patiently I waited. Once they were out I let them cool and finally put them into the freezer. I wasn't planning on decorating them until Sunday and of course it was hot out so the freezer seemed like the perfect place to store them. Sunday I whipped up a batch of Buttercream. Why have I never tried frosting the cake when it's frozen before?! It was so much easier and so less crumbly! I did not have to do a crumb coat. Within 30 minutes I had a completely frosted and decorated cake! All and all it was a success.

The Basic Buttercream Icing

A few years ago my friend, Amy, and I took a cake decorating class at Michael's. It was something fun to do together and I never really expected to use the skills I learned. The buttercream icing recipe I use is the Wilton's Buttercream Icing. I do not use shortening when making it though. I hate the taste and greasiness of the shortening. My basics are butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. I have found that I only like the flavor of the CH powdered sugar and what brand butter you use makes a difference too. 

My Favorite Chocolate Cake Recipe

I don't use a box mix for my chocolate cake except on rare occasions. So most of the time I use this recipe that I found on bigoven.com with a few modifications.

Ingredients
2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups All purpose flour
2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
I never measure my vanilla and always use at least double what the recipe calls for.
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
I use half Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa and half Hershey's Cocoa
1 cup hot coffee Freshly brewed
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 large Eggs
1 cup milk
If I have half and half or even better heavy whipping cream I use that instead.
1 stick Butter or margarine unsalted recommended
2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa
3 cups Powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
If I have half and half or even better heavy whipping cream I use that instead.
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
I never measure my vanilla and always use at least double what the recipe calls for.

Preparation Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray two 9 inch round baking pans with non stick cooking spray. I refuse to use cooking spray on my cake pans. Always, always use Crisco and for this cake I dust the pans with cocoa Combine first 6 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the hot coffee and mix well with a spoon (batter will be thin). Pour batter into pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting. Frosting: Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistancy. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Things are changing!

It's been an interesting month. I started working part time for Stonewater Massage. Steph is in progress of expanding her business. I was honored when she asked me to help! I am trying to handle the administrative part of running the store and keeping her sane. I can totally see her vision and what she wants to do! I just wish she could afford to hire me full time. That will come I'm sure. I just need to be as supportive as possible and be patient!

Courage Center's 5K Your Way

A few months ago Amy and I started walking. The more we walked the easier it got to go further distances and I realized that I really do enjoy walking. I happened upon the Courage Center's website and clicked on fundraising opportunities and there staring me in the face was information about a 5k walk. Something in me said "I have to do this!" It was right around this time that I met Kassie. Kassie is the daughter of a friend of mine. I met Lana when Troy worked at Lifecore. She's the type of person that if you need something done, Lana will do it. I have also learned that you should not get in her way when it comes to her children. Kassie currently resides at the Courage Center. She was being treated for a condition called AVM. During her last treatment there were complications. The doctors had very little hope, but they didn't know Kassie. Kassie is a fighter! She has over come every obstacle that the doctors said that she wouldn't. Meeting Kassie and seeing her determination gave me the inspiration to set the goals that I did for Team Kassie and myself. Here we are 11 days before the walk and have not yet reached our goals. I am hoping that I can get the people around me motivated to support this great organization. Like Kassie I am a fighter! I will not give up! I need to reach those goals! I can't do it alone. If you are reading this please consider making a donation on our team site http://5KYourWay.kintera.org/teamkassie and make even a small donation!
To read more about Kassie's story please visit her caring bridge site http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kassieharms

Wow! What a weekend!

If you know me you know that I LOVE to scrapbook! I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Creative Memories Regional Convention this weekend. It was a total of 15 hours of Creative Memories information and products. Over the last 7 years I have had four different Creative Memories consultants. I will always credit my first consultant, Jean Heisterkamp, for showing me what Creative Memories is all about. Unfortunatly, life got in the way for a little while from 2007 to 2008 and I had not seen or purchased Creative Memories products. I got sucked in to a lot of different "Propaganda" and I still use a lot of non-Creative Memories products, but my newest consulant and good friend, Amy Jones and her husband Bert have renewed my love for Creative Memories! So, this weekend I learned what being a consulant is all about, what new products are coming out and actually got excited about digital scrapbooking! "So, are you going to sign up as a consulant?" I heard a lot this weekend. My answer to that is "No." But why, you ask? I love scrapbooking, I love Creative Memories products, I think it's a great company, I love making albums for other people and I love watching other people learn the joys of scrapbooking. That makes me the perfect consulant they say, I heard alot of consulants say this weekend that those are the reasons that they are consulants. So "Why Do You Not Want To Do This?!" I want to be a customer. I want to see my consulant succeed. I want my love of scrapbooking to NEVER feel like work. I want to use my "proaganda." I want to scrapbook. So, that's what I am going to do. I am going to help my consulant(s) meet her/their sales goals, I am going to let them share their excitment of the new products and I am going to just scrapbook. So, what's the point of all this you ask.. This is my way of saying Thank You! To my current consultant(s), Thank You! To my past consulants, Thank You! To every consultant and leader I met this weekend, Thank You!

A little about what is been going on.

I am trying to change.. I am looking for that person I used to me. You know the one.. liked to play games, was 80 pounds lighter, didn't always feel like having to be the responsible one. I think my problem mostly comes from work. I feel like I have to be the responsible one that takes care of everything. How did that become my job? When did taking the brunt of the customers', employees' and buildings' bitching become my job? I am burnt. I know I am. I am hoping that the fact that I am getting back into scrapbooking and working out will help. I have reconnected with some really great old friends and met some awesome new ones. I feel like these friends won't take advantage of me or expect everything to be all about them like my friends in the past have. I am also trying to reconnect with Troy. I feel like I have taken him for granted for a while. Like I just expect that he's going to always be there. I am trying not to think that any more and I am trying to think of his needs and wants too! It's made for some great times together. I am trying to work out and eat better. I really want to lose at least 50 pounds. I really need to. For health reasons. I don't want to end up a diabetic. And if I don't get this weight off that's the direction I am headed. I am also trying to make some time for me. To read, scrapbook, work out or what ever I feel like I need to do! Hopefully this will work for me!