I am a horrible blogger.
why? because I always say that I'm going to post more often, but I never really do.And for that, I apologize. I wish I could offer up some sort of elaborate explanation for why I haven't been posting, but there is none. The blunt and honest truth is that I've just been too freaking lazy to turn on my computer and type something. Well, some sort of truth is that I have been busy making lots and lots of Christmas truffles for friends and family members. Being that I am almost completely broke now, I decided to spend a set amount and just give everybody different kinds of chocolates. Sadly, I no longer have the chocolates to photograph for you, but I can tell you one thing. I am so sick of chocolate.....
Ridiculously sick of it. As in, if I even smell melting chocolate now, I will walk away with such intensity that I might knock some poor lady over on the street. But its ok! My food aversions don't last that long. Just yesterday I had chocolate in my ice cream =P.
If requested, I can post the recipes for those chocolates, but there will be a lack of pictures. Sad...they came out so pretty looking too after they were all decorated, boxed, and ribboned. I had about 5 different flavors: Bailey's truffles, chocolate chip cookie dough, honey nutella, peanut butter, peppermint, oreo. Ok, so maybe there were 6...I cant pre-count. So yes, if you would like the recipe to any of those truffles, just leave a comment and I will certainly get back to you....eventually...
However! these truffles are not the star of the show today. A Christmas Snowball...It seemed like a great idea for a cake to me. I had this...Vision...I guess you can say. I wanted to create a beautiful cake for an upcoming Christmas party, but I am a horrible horrible cake decorator. So in my vision, I came up with ways to hide the fact that I cannot decorate a cake. How to hide the nasty bottom of the cake where the frosting isn't even, how to hide crumbs in my top layer of frosting, how to pretend that the cakes are perfectly leveled...you know, things like that. In all the youtube videos of "how to frost a cake" they make it look so simple! And yet every time i try, I fail.But, alas, I have come up with a way to solve my problems! I will HIDE all of my mistakes! So simple, yet so artsy looking, that even I thought my cake looked pretty.
Wanna see? =]
why? because I always say that I'm going to post more often, but I never really do.And for that, I apologize. I wish I could offer up some sort of elaborate explanation for why I haven't been posting, but there is none. The blunt and honest truth is that I've just been too freaking lazy to turn on my computer and type something. Well, some sort of truth is that I have been busy making lots and lots of Christmas truffles for friends and family members. Being that I am almost completely broke now, I decided to spend a set amount and just give everybody different kinds of chocolates. Sadly, I no longer have the chocolates to photograph for you, but I can tell you one thing. I am so sick of chocolate.....
Ridiculously sick of it. As in, if I even smell melting chocolate now, I will walk away with such intensity that I might knock some poor lady over on the street. But its ok! My food aversions don't last that long. Just yesterday I had chocolate in my ice cream =P.
If requested, I can post the recipes for those chocolates, but there will be a lack of pictures. Sad...they came out so pretty looking too after they were all decorated, boxed, and ribboned. I had about 5 different flavors: Bailey's truffles, chocolate chip cookie dough, honey nutella, peanut butter, peppermint, oreo. Ok, so maybe there were 6...I cant pre-count. So yes, if you would like the recipe to any of those truffles, just leave a comment and I will certainly get back to you....eventually...
However! these truffles are not the star of the show today. A Christmas Snowball...It seemed like a great idea for a cake to me. I had this...Vision...I guess you can say. I wanted to create a beautiful cake for an upcoming Christmas party, but I am a horrible horrible cake decorator. So in my vision, I came up with ways to hide the fact that I cannot decorate a cake. How to hide the nasty bottom of the cake where the frosting isn't even, how to hide crumbs in my top layer of frosting, how to pretend that the cakes are perfectly leveled...you know, things like that. In all the youtube videos of "how to frost a cake" they make it look so simple! And yet every time i try, I fail.But, alas, I have come up with a way to solve my problems! I will HIDE all of my mistakes! So simple, yet so artsy looking, that even I thought my cake looked pretty.
Wanna see? =]
BAM!
Mind = blown. RIGHT?! I frosted the cake as well as I could, then just threw coconut on the sides to hide all of my mistakes/where you can see crumbs/the cake, and took whatever I had left of my dipping chocolate for the truffles, turned it into a ganache, and POW! a cake. =] I wish I had a better picture, but I was in a rush. dont hate.
In my vision however, I was going to top the cake with chocolate dipped strawberries, but right now, strawberries are running for 6 bucks a box. no thank you. Maybe if my wallet wasn't so empty I would consider it. and now...for the recipe!
In my vision however, I was going to top the cake with chocolate dipped strawberries, but right now, strawberries are running for 6 bucks a box. no thank you. Maybe if my wallet wasn't so empty I would consider it. and now...for the recipe!
Christmas Snowball Cake
1 Batch Red Velvet Cake, baked into 2 9-inch pans, cooled
1 Batch White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting (below)
1/2 Cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
approx. 4 oz dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
Coconut flakes
White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
3c. powdered sugar
4 oz. white chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla
2Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1. Melt white chocolate in 20 second intervals. with a wooden or plastic spoon, stir white chocolate after every interval to smooth. Once smooth, allow to cool to room temperature. (Metal spoons or forks might be too cold in relation to the chocolate, and will temperature shock the chocolate and you'll end up with a bunch of small hard pieces of white chocolate.)
2. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in vanilla and white chocolate and whipping cream. Beat at medium-high speed until well combined. Add powdered sugar 1 C. at a time until desired taste/consistency is reached.
Assembly
1. Place dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 c. heavy cream and unsalted butter. Heat until scalded but not boiling. Once heated, pour over dark chocolate. Let sit for a couple minutes, then stir till smooth.
2. On one layer of the cake, spread most of the dark chocolate ganache, reserving a small amount for drizzle at the top of the cake. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set.
3. Once ganache is set, remove cake from the refrigerator, and spread a third of the Frosting on top of the ganache. Top with remaining layer of the cake. Crumb coat the cake place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, or until hardened.
4. Remove cake from refrigerator, and use the remainder of the frosting to frost the cake. While still somewhat wet, press coconut to the sides of the cake. Drizzle the top with the remaining ganache. Top with chocolate covered strawberries if desired.
1 Batch Red Velvet Cake, baked into 2 9-inch pans, cooled
1 Batch White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting (below)
1/2 Cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
approx. 4 oz dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
Coconut flakes
White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
3c. powdered sugar
4 oz. white chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla
2Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1. Melt white chocolate in 20 second intervals. with a wooden or plastic spoon, stir white chocolate after every interval to smooth. Once smooth, allow to cool to room temperature. (Metal spoons or forks might be too cold in relation to the chocolate, and will temperature shock the chocolate and you'll end up with a bunch of small hard pieces of white chocolate.)
2. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in vanilla and white chocolate and whipping cream. Beat at medium-high speed until well combined. Add powdered sugar 1 C. at a time until desired taste/consistency is reached.
Assembly
1. Place dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 c. heavy cream and unsalted butter. Heat until scalded but not boiling. Once heated, pour over dark chocolate. Let sit for a couple minutes, then stir till smooth.
2. On one layer of the cake, spread most of the dark chocolate ganache, reserving a small amount for drizzle at the top of the cake. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set.
3. Once ganache is set, remove cake from the refrigerator, and spread a third of the Frosting on top of the ganache. Top with remaining layer of the cake. Crumb coat the cake place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, or until hardened.
4. Remove cake from refrigerator, and use the remainder of the frosting to frost the cake. While still somewhat wet, press coconut to the sides of the cake. Drizzle the top with the remaining ganache. Top with chocolate covered strawberries if desired.
I was very proud of this cake. It was was one of my first full cakes that I deemed presentable. The taste, was obviously amazing. The subtle taste of the white chocolate in the the frosting added a whole layer of depth to the classic red velvet cake. The chocolate ganache emphasized the soft chocolate flavor of the red velvet, and the coconut added a nice holiday texture.
Do you require testimonials of why you should try this cake?
friend one via text: "holy balls this cake is effing amazing!"
friend two via text: "My mom LOVED the cake, and so did I. Very yummy =]"
mommy: "YOU made this cake? its so pretty. and its so moist but not so sweet, which is good"
daddy: "yum."
TRY IT. you wont regret it.
kthxbye
Do you require testimonials of why you should try this cake?
friend one via text: "holy balls this cake is effing amazing!"
friend two via text: "My mom LOVED the cake, and so did I. Very yummy =]"
mommy: "YOU made this cake? its so pretty. and its so moist but not so sweet, which is good"
daddy: "yum."
TRY IT. you wont regret it.
kthxbye
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