Mini Cakes

When I first saw this idea last year, I knew I would try it. Unfortunately, there aren't many reasons to make single-serving cakes. (I know, you shouldn't need a reason! :D) Usually I only make cakes for birthdays or holidays, which usually include quite a few people. However, with my husband heading back to school this semester, I wanted to make him his own school treat!

My idea for the cake started off like Bakingdom's pencil cake, but I quickly realized that I couldn't do chocolate very well that way (and chocolate was a requirement), and I also would have to do quite a few colors of frosting...so unfortunately that creative spark died.

So I just decided on a regular chocolate cake, with some kind of decorate chocolate frosting. Easy enough, right? Ahem....wrong. I followed Oh Happy Day's mini cake instructions, using a chocolate cake for two recipe from Daydreamer Desserts. The cake itself reminded me of my favorite chocolate cake recipe, so if you're looking for a smaller cake, this one is great! The instructions for mini cakes said to fill the empty tin cans a little over half full. But, if you plan to do this, I would do a test run first. I don't know what cake recipe she used, but my cake expanded so much in the oven and poured all over the sides of the can!

This is what happens when you spill cake all over :(

Clearly, not my baking day. Strangely, since I used a small cake recipe, I actually still had batter left. I had one overly-full can still in the oven (which probably baked for almost an hour when all was done), and I filled another can 1/3 full and baked that- probably about 30 minutes. I let both cakes cool for forever, then finally dumped them out and (thankfully) they were both all cooked!

Lovely can cakes. This cake recipe was delicious

I cut the cake into 4 layers. I love how tiny they are

I still wanted to decorate pretty, but I gave up those dreams about two seconds in. By that time, I was tired of baking and I wanted to get to eating! So I guess I will practice my decorating skills later. I learned so much on this project though, so it was totally worth it. I learned to only fill things 1/3 full, because its much better to have a short cake than one spilling over the sides. Plus it helps lower the cooking time. I also learned that I have a sugar problem. Actually, its more of a butter phobia actually. When I make frosting, I originally follow the correct ratios for a basic buttercream. But when I need to make more or make it stiffer, I only add sugar, not butter. I used to wonder why my frosting was so sickeningly sweet every time...well this frosting was the worst of all. It was so sweet, but I didn't realize how bad it was until we were eating it up. My new goal is to find a buttercream recipe, follow it, and get over butter. If I keep cheating while indulging, it just never turns out good! Overall, I love mini cakes. Definitely will make these again! 

 

My original cake design. Didn't happen...

Cake design for me- purple ombre. I need stiffer frosting for this next time..and more patience

Healthiness Challenge

I've been doing an 8-week healthiness challenge with my mom and sister. We get points each day for doing good things like exercising, eating fruits/veggies, drinking water, and not eating treats. I only have 2 weeks left and I really feel like I've learned a lot. I learned that I really do see results when I exercise regularly. I learned that eating mostly fruits and vegetables for all my meals is awesome and makes me feel great.

However, there are still some things I haven't mastered, and I am scared of what will happen after the 8 weeks are up. What happens when I can eat anything I want for meals without having to write it in a food journal? More importantly, what happens when I'm "allowed" more than one treat day per week? My current treat days usually include eating treats at every meal, since hey, I've got to take advantage of the one day!

I overeat---all the time. Every meal, every opportunity. I never realized it growing up, because I just thought everyone got seconds and thirds of everything. I can eat cookies and brownies and any treat like nobody's business. And if it's free food...that's when I truly have no restraint.

The main reason I wanted to do this challenge again (we tried before, but didn't make the full 8 weeks) was so I can develop a healthy, manageable lifestyle about food and exercise. So I guess I want to set some ground rules for my transitioning back to a "normal" life (clearly this challenge wasn't that unusual in my life...but it has kept me in check in a lot of ways).

1. Exercise. Just do it! It makes me feel so good about everything, and it does make a difference- but it takes persistence. Also, when it gets too easy- step it up. A little more will make me feel even better!

2. Desserts- enjoy one. This is what scares me most about myself. I inhale treats like I do air. It's okay when desserts are offered to me- just have one. Enjoy it, savor it, and move on. It's okay to make treats, but do it for a treat, not as something I "deserve."

3. Overeating. People don't have seconds at every meal. Just have one portion- and again, savor it. Food will still be there tomorrow, and the next, and forever. I can make the meal again. I don't need to taste while making it, and I don't need to lick every bowl clean. If I'm thinking too much about food, it probably means I'm not filling my life up with enough other good things. Don't obsess, and don't don't don't become defensive. Share the food with others, and give it up. It will make me feel better.

Fhew. It feels so good to finally write out those rules. I can do it- 3 simple rules. My main food problem has always been self control. And with these next 2 weeks of the healthiness challenge, I'm going to try to improve that control. Yes food will always be what I love to make, plan, eat, and what I crave and think about so often. But, I will feel better when I'm enjoying the little bit rather than gorging on too much.

I love feeling healthy.

Corndogs and Mozarella Sticks

I have really not been in the blogging mood lately. :( I have been making delicious food (I don't think I could ever not be in the mood for that!) And I've been trying to keep the crafting alive, but I just have no desire to post about any of it. I promise I'll try to get out of this rut in the next few weeks, but I must warn you- many of the upcoming posts are more "wish list" posts than actual craftiness. The holidays are coming up, and I have never had the time/money/inclination to decorate for them. Well, this year is different! I want to go all out for fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and winter, so I'll be posting my plans and ideas!

I did make an awesome meal last week of corndogs and mozzarella sticks. Because, since we're already having fried corndogs, why not add another unhealthy fried food, right? :) We had the amazing Costco hotdogs in our fridge, and although I've never been a super huge fan of corndogs, I figured homemade ones might just be awesome- and I was right!

Mozz sticks, polish dogs, and beef dogs

All the hotdogs ready for a swim!

My first fried corndog

I was planning to use Pioneer Woman's corndog recipe, but she used pancake mix, which I never keep on hand. So I found some random corndog recipe on the internet...mixed the two recipes...and followed Pioneer Woman's instructions for cooking. They were amazing! My husband was so surprised that they actually tasted "like real corndogs." That's success right there. I think the gourmet hotdogs definitely made all the difference, and frying them was actually pretty easy (I always always shallow fry, because deep frying scares me so much! But I'm trying to get over that fear, and I think this recipe definitely helped.)

As for the mozarella sticks, I have been eyeing this recipe for a while: Every College Girl's healthy mozzarella sticks. Yes, it's probably ironic that I fried the corndogs but baked the mozz sticks, but I was just following instructions! I had to bake mine quite a bit longer than 4 minutes like it says, but they came out gooey, stringy, and amazing. They were so easy (hurray for baked things!) that I'll probably make them again and again.

This is a terrible picture, but they were so yummy!

Sorry for all the terrible pictures :(