Whatever Whimsy

Feature in Bird's Party Magazine

2011-09-06T13:11:00.000-04:00

As many of you may know, I recently collaborated with Marcie of Celebrating Moments by Marcie on a layout for a fun online party mag called Bird's Party Magazine Fall Edition. What an honor it is to be a part of this fabulous magazine. It is full of lots of fun and creative fall decorating and entertaining ideas, so be sure to check it out! And it's free and full of lots of great resource links!

Now, I contributed several delicious sweets for our beautiful dessert table and want to share some of the recipes and techiniques I used to make all these fun fall desserts.

First I would like to give you the recipe for Pumpkin Buttercream I created as it appears in the magazine on page 75. It really is scrumptious! (Don't tell anyone but I found myself eating the leftovers on store bought gingersnaps which I microwave for 15 seconds to make them soft and chewy again...soooo bad, but oh soooo tasty!)

Pumpkin Buttercream

by Marilyn Higgins of Whatever Whimsy

This tasty frosting works great on on gingerbread cake, as well as, adding a spicy accent when swirled onto chocolate cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup shortening (Crisco)

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 lb bag confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Orange gel food color (optional)

Cream together softened butter, shortening, pumpkin, vanilla and spices in a stand mixer. Slowly add confectioner's sugar a little at a time. Mix until nice and fluffy. Adjust consistency with a little milk or added confectioner's sugar.

A few drops of orange food color can be used to get a brighter burnt pumpkin color (as seen on featured cake). This is optional. Basic recipe will have a lighter more natural color.

Another Recipe

When my friends and family got to taste test all the yummies from the display after the shoot they loved everything, but one item kept coming up as an overall favorite, the Pumpkin (Orange) Cream Cheese Truffles. Now, I adapted a recipe that I found at Whole Foods but with a few important changes to make them my own and to ease in preparation. Everyone loves the unexpected burst of orange flavor that is such a refreshing twist to the usual spiced pumpkin flavors of the season. So I have added "Orange" to the name because it just belongs there!

Now for the recipe not shared in the magazine for all of my blog friends! Try it and let me know what you think! Enjoy.

Pumpkin Orange ~~Spice~~ Cream Cheese Truffles
by Marilyn Higgins of Whatever Whimsy

These tasty truffles have a beautifully bright orange flavor that is a very refreshing change from the classic spiced pumpkin of the Autumn season.

Ingredients

24 ounces Vanilla Flavored Coating,( 8 oz for filling, the remaining 16 oz for dipping)
(can substitute vanilla flavored chips)

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

3/4 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, reserve some for garnish

2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

Melt 8 oz (4 squares) vanilla coating in microwave safe bowl at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Place this in mixing bowl of stand mixer with remaining ingredients. Mix until well incorporated.

Freeze for at least one hour or until firm to the touch.

Scoop using a small cookie scoop or by rounded teaspoons and roll into balls. Freeze balls for 1 hour until set. Melt remaining vanilla coating and use for dipping. Remove from freezer, dip in vanilla coating and place on wax paper. Quickly garnish with gingersnap crumbs. Freeze until ready to serve.

Preparation Tips:

When zesting an orange use only the bright orange top layer for great orange flavor. The white, pith, underneath is bitter and not desirable in most baked goods.

Also, use a microplaner instead of a regular zester. This tool makes a much finer zest, resulting in stronger, bolder flavors!

If you are finding your pumpkin balls are softening too quickly before dipping, remove only a couple from freezer at a time.

I plan to give more tips and recipes for other featured desserts over the next few posts so keep your eyes open! Blessings to you all!

2011-04-12T10:37:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to say that I have lots of pics posted to my Whatever Whimsy fanpage on Facebook. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, I post there much more often! www.facebook.com/whateverwhimsy Blessings Sweet Friends!

2011-04-12T08:44:00.001-04:00

Again, I have been neglecting this blog. [Sorry!] Life is full! Family, homeschooling, housework, ministry, and confections are all keep me busy! I have been creating away and have so many projects to share!

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Spring is here and isn't it Grand! I am sitting here listening to the rain as I type and am in awe of God's creatioon and the beauty of Spring out my window. The grass is green, the magnolia and daffodils are in bloom and the Maple trees are budding. Thank you Lord for new beginnings and fresh starts! Oh, how I need them!

One fun and exiting endevour I want to share is my recent colaborations with Marcie from Celebrating Moments by Marcie. She is an event designer/stylist and does beautiful work! God brought us together when my husband and friends hired her to design the decor and dessert buffet for my 40th birthday party a couple of months ago! [Yes, I am officially 40! And yes, I told my husband I was not doing decorations for my own party! ....in comes the amazing Marcie.] Here are a few pics.

I really loved the wish tree! How sweet to have messages from all my friends and family. Many thanks to my wonderful husband and sweet friends for making it such a touching and memorable celebration!

Fun, right! Marcie and I hit it off right from the start! Actually I met her online first, when a mutual friend posted some pics she had done for a Valentine display. {link} I fell in love with her style, creativity and personality from the moment I first saw this post!

And I can't forget to mention the Super Cute cake made by my close friend Stacy. She did a Fabulous Job!

I have had the pleasure of making some fun desserts for a few of Marcie's latest displays. We really have been having a great time together. I think we are a perfect fit! God is sooooo Good!

Chocolate bird pops, coconut cupcakes, chocolate raspberry cake balls, and of course, a cute little bird cake, these all from a Vintage Bird dessert display we put together for a local bridal show. And yes, these custom bird cookies below are edible! Having fun with some new technology that I am incorporating into my confections. Might just have to start selling on Etsy! Well, I have so much more to share, so I will post again soon. Please take a moment to check out more pics on Marcie's blog. Her most recent post has a couple more of my custom confections. It's exciting to see what God has in store! Blessings Dear Friends!

{P. S. Marcie, thanks for letting me share your wonderful photography!}

2011-01-17T10:49:00.000-05:00

It's been forever since I last posted. Actually, it's been over a year! I started homeschooling Sept of '09 and there went the blog. So it's a new year and a new chance to start sharing my projects and thoughts. It is snowy here in Maryland so I thought I would share some snowflake creations.

First some snowflake fondant cookies. I used basically the same techniques as previously posted for fondant cookies, just used snowflake cutters.

Second, I created some fun beaded snowflakes magnets for a kids project for an Orphan Hosting Farwell party. They were a hit and super simple. These could easily be made as ornaments but that season has passed for this year!

I will post directions to the snowflake magnets if anyone is interested. Let me know with a comment.

2009-09-19T22:50:00.000-04:00

Mini "Candy" Apples

Here is another Fall treat for you. I originally found this idea in Family Fun magazine a couple of years ago. Here is a quick tutorial on how to make these fun miniture treats.

First, use a melon baller to scoop out small balls of apples. Be sure to get a small amount of peel on the top of each ball.

Next, put half a lollipop stick in each apple ball. Dry each apple ball with a paper towel. If your apple ball is not dry the coating may not stick well.

Now, dip the apple balls in your choice of melted coating. I used chocolate almond bark here, but you can use any of the wafer coating chocolates. Melted peanut butter or butterscotch chips work well too, and look like caramel. Lightly sprinkle with topping of choice. I used Betty Crockers Parlor Perfect Praline Crunch (you can find these with the ice cream toppings at the grocery store) but you could use jimmies, coconut, or whatever else suits your fancy.

Place your dipped apples to harden on a piece of wax paper. You can chill these in the frig if you would like, but I would not make them more than a day in advance. Same day works best!

Here are my finished treats!

Yum, Yum!

2009-09-19T19:58:00.000-04:00

Life has been busy here at Whatever Whimsy. Sorry that the entries have been few and far between. I have lots of projects to list as I have time. Hope you are all letting your own creative juices flow!

Autumn is my favorite time of year, with crisp cool air and colorful landscapes. It gets me in the mood to create!

I've been playing around with those fondant cookies again. Look what I have come up with for Fall. These use the same process as before. The only change is that I used purchased chocolate fondant for the brown which added a little more fun and flavor. The cookie cutter used are from Wilton from two different fall sets.

Here are a couple bagged and bowed and ready to give. I think these would make great favors for place settings at Thanksgiving! Fun and Festive! I think the acorns would work great with names piped on the bottoms to show who sits where.

May God Bless you Abundantly

Happy Autumn

Fondant Covered Cookies!

2009-07-11T13:46:00.000-04:00

As I said, I was playing around with some of my leftover marshmallow fondant and decided to try my hand at putting it on some plain ole' sugar cookies. I amazed myself with the results! It was so easy and fun.

Here is what I did:

I started with baked sugar cookies. (Don't tell anyone, but I made mine from a mix the day before) You could even buy store made ones and just decorate to save time. Next roll the fondant on a silicone pastry mat. I cut out the circles using a biscuit cutter, but any round cutter (or even a jar lid would work.) Just look for something the size of your cookie or slightly smaller.

Then I used this cute butterfly cutter to cut out a shape from one color and traded it with another color (In this case, blue and orange). I did all the switching on the mat and then just transferred it to the cookie and pressed down slightly all around to get it to adhere to the cookie. I did not put anything on the cookie to get it to stick, it will on it's own. Also, make sure not to put sugar on the cookies before (or after baking) or you will not have a flat surface to work with.

Now, on the swirly love cookie, I used a clean, acrylic stamp to emboss/stamp a design onto the fondant before transferring it to the cookie. I love, love, love, how this turned out!

On the blue 5 petal flower, I used a small cutter for the petals and made the lines on each petal using a wooden skewer. You can make this shape with a round cutter, by first cutting out a circle and then overlapping the circle slightly with the same cutter to cut off just a small piece of the edge.

I finished the lot by adding dots and writing with some white buttercream frosting, also left over from the baby shower cake making expedition!

I hope this inspires you to create something of you own!

Have a Blessed and Fun Day!

"Who of you by worrying can add a single

hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27

Let Them Eat Cake!

2009-07-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

Here is my latest cake.

A commisioned baby shower cake to match the "Alphabet Soup" nursery decor line. This was a fun cake to make! I am including a recipe for Marshmallow Fondant, which has become a real favorite of mine. It takes a little time to prepare, but it is so much fun. It's like Play Dough for cakes!

Marshmallow Fondant

1 16 oz. bag mini marshmallows

3 TBSP water

1/2 cup shortening

2 lbs confectioner's sugar

Heat marshmallows and water in a large bowl in the microwave for about 3 minutes, at 1 minute intervals, stirring in between. Transfer marshmallow mixture to stand mixer bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Add 1/2 of sugar and 1/2 of shortening to bowl and mix on lowest speed with dough hook. Once incorporated, add remaining sugar and shortening. Turn onto silicone rolling mat and knead until smooth with hands well greased with shortening. Color using paste food coloring. Now you are ready to roll and create!

Lot's more on playing with fondant to come, I am sure!

Here are a few letter and number cupcakes I threw in for good measure. Cute, cute, cute. Now, you have seen fondant on cake, you've seen fondant on cupcakes, what next.....?

After finishing my cake I was playing with the leftover marshmallow fondant on, did you guess it?, ...sugar cookies! Be sure to come back for the fabulous results! I am soooo very excited to share how these came out! I really think I am on to something!

Remembering What the 4th is Really About

2009-07-03T23:13:00.000-04:00

First off I need to say:

May God Bless America and All our Troops serving to Let Our Freedom Ring here in the USA, because Freedom is not Free!

Now, I was going to post about this other favorite blog another day, but after reading today's entry I really just had to share it today. I absolutely LOVE, Bakerella! (Thank you Beck for sharing this site with me.) She is one creative baking mama! She has such fun, fabullous, and creative baking ideas. You must really go see for yourself!

www.bakerella.com

You must go and read July 3rd's entry on her site. You might even need a tissue!

I have tried my hand at several of her baked goods and have had a blast making them. I am especially fond of the cake pops and thought I did a pretty good rendition of her valentine's box of chocolates cake. The cake I made is posted below. Go check out hers (February posting) and let me know how I did.

Enjoy the site!

Best Bloomin' Blogs:

2009-07-03T20:03:00.000-04:00

Here is my first of many future posts on my favorite blogs. This one is for all you creative cats out there, or wanna be creative cats. The site is "One Pretty Thing" and the creator makes lists with thumbnails of all kinds of fun creative projects she finds around the web. She has all kinds of lists, from Kids Crafts Roundup, Daily DIY, homemade goods, and holiday decorating ideas, to name just a few. I love to just window shop for ideas.

Absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this site!

www.oneprettything.com

Scroll down on her site for some last minute ideas for the 4th.

God Bless America!

2009-07-03T18:59:00.000-04:00

Here is my first real entry in honor of the upcoming holiday. A new tradition in my family is to make a homemade ice cream cake for our Fourth of July celebration. Here is a link to a great recipe I found in a Family Circle mag a couple of years ago. Luckily they have the recipe online at there website. It is absolutely delish! Who doesn't love ice cream cake????

http://www.parents.com/recipe/layer-cakes/layered-ice-cream-cake/

Now, here are some tips:
1. First, I omit the Oreos on top and replace them with fresh raspberries, blueberries, and/or strawberries. I also add some little flag pics and you have a dessert worthy of any Independence Day celebration.
2. Make sure your pan is very cold. Actually put it in the freezer for a few minutes before starting.
3. Work close to the freezer, and only take one or two ice cream sandwiches out at a time. You want them frozen solid. (If you have a deep freezer, this works best!)
4. You may also need to put the pan in the freezer every few minutes to keep everything nice and frozen, especially on a warm day. If it gets melty, you won't have nice neat stripes from the ice cream sandwich cookies.
5. Last tip: You can switch up the ice cream flavors to your liking and add hot fudge and/or crunchies to the center layer to make it even more fabulous!

Let me know what you think. And remember this is my first attempt at this blogging thing, so I hope there aren't too many errors!