If you have elementary-aged children, you know about Minecraft. Okay, that's not true at all. I know nothing about Minecraft, but many of my kids' friends do. And this birthday cake was for one of them.

What You Need:
Square Cake (This is two layers of 8" square)
Chocolate Ganache Icing (2 cups)
Buttercream Icing (1-2 cups) - colored dark green

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Looking for a sweet gift idea for your Valentine? I'm here to help!



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This recipe is amazing.
I found it in the Busy in Brooklyn blog a few months ago when making a special S'mores treat for my sister's wedding festivities. I changed it just a little, as I like a little more s'moresy goodness on top.

I highly recommend making it only when you have somewhere to take it, or you may end up eating the entire batch all alone! It is also called "S'Mores Crack," and for good reason!

What You Need:
2 sleeves honey graham crackers
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
2-4 cups mini marshmallows

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My hubby is a chocoholic. For his birthday, it's always a challenge to come up with something new that is chocolatey enough for him.This year, brainstorming brought me this...

A chocolate cheesecake with Guinness, chocolate chunks and a pretzel crumb crust.

What You Need:
For the Crust:
4 cups of pretzels to crush, or approx. 3 cups crushed pretzel crumbs.
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (melted)

For the Cheesecake:
3- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (6 oz.) Guinness -or similar- beer
3/4 cup (6 oz.) melted semi-sweet chocolate
3 Tbsp. flour or 2 Tbsp. corn starch
Optional: 3/4 cup chocolate chunks

For the Chocolate Ganache Swirl:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (4 oz.) semisweet chocolate

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Happy New Year! How about a fun New Year's Resolution you'll enjoy?! Learn to Decorate Cakes this year. I just happen to have many, many classes that will help you to do just that!

WILTON CAKE DECORATING CLASSES

You can join me any month at the Hobby Lobby in Woodbury for Wilton Cake Decorating classes.
Wilton classes are taught all over the country, and are really a great place to start if you are a home decorator. You learn all of the basics of cake decorating, cupcake decorating, icing and more!

Upcoming Class Dates:
Tuesday evenings in January - Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27
Wednesday evenings in February - Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25
Thursday evenings in March - Mar. 5, 12, 19, 26
Sign Up at the Hobby Lobby Store (9895 Hudson Road Woodbury, MN 55125)

COMMUNITY EDUCATION CAKE DECORATING CLASSES

If you don't have four weeknights in a row, I also teach one-time cake and cupcake classes through Community Education. If you click the date/school, it will take you to the registration page for that class.

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This is the best, easiest, quickest, cheapest gift for the baker in your life.
It's called "pan goop." I found it on another baking blog when I ran out of my favorite, Wilton's Cake Release, and I needed something to grease my cake pans with.

This stuff is a-maz-ing! It works perfectly, and it's SO easy and cheap to make.

What You Need:
1 cup shortening
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour

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My boys and I made these homemade hot cocoa gifts for their teachers this year. Just because I thought they needed it, I also threw in a mini bottle of schnapps to flavor their cocoa. They work with second graders all day. They deserve it!

What You Need:
1 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder
1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

* Note: You could use all of the original Hershey's unsweetened cocoa, and you may cut back about 1/2 cup of the sugar.

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