Banana Cream Coconut Almond Tart

Author: Cassie Stevens

Pastry cream

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/3 cup milk

2 TBSP Cornstarch

2 tsp Vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk with half of the sugar. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring. Remove from the heat. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs with the cornstarch and the remaining sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gradually whisk in half of the hot milk. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream is thickened, 3 minutes; scrape into a stainless steel bowl. Cover with cling wrap. Set the bowl in the refrigerator until the pastry cream has cooled completely.

Tart Shell

2 cups flour

1 stick butter COLD and cut into cubes

pinch of salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 TBSP white vinegar

Enough Ice cold water to bring to a crumbly texture

Mix all but water in food processor, and slowly add water until it reaches the right crumbly texture. Wrap in cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to and hour to firm up. Take out flour the surface of your counter and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Line tart pan or pie pan if you have no tart pan. Freeze for about 15 minutes then line with foil and put in pie weights or dried beans inside the pan then place in a preheated oven at 350 F until slightly browned (approx. 30 minutes). Your oven my vary in cook times and temperatures. let cool

Spread the pastry cream in the shell in an even layer. Arrange the Banana slices in circles, top with sweetened flaked coconut and sliced almonds. Bake the tart for 30 minutes, until coconut and almonds and browned. Let cool slightly. Unmold the tart, cut into wedges and serve warm  with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or serve at room temperature 

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Campfire Cupcakes!

Author: Cassie Stevens

Visit Mrs. Stevens Bakery on Facebook if you are interested in a custom cakes for your special occasions.

Elmo Cake

Author Cassie Stevens

Visit Mrs. Stevens Bakery on Facebook if interested in a custom cake for your special occasion.

Wesson’s Elmo 1st Birthday Cake

Dora Cake

Author: Cassie Stevens

Visit Mrs. Stevens Bakery on Facebook if you are interested in a custom cake for your special occasion

Autumn’s Dora the Explorer 2nd Birthday Cake

Totoro Cake

Author Cassie Stevens

Visit Mrs. Stevens Bakery on Facebook if you are interested in a custom cake for your special occasion

Cora’s My Neighbor Totoro 2nd Birthday Cake

Party Potato Salad

Author: Cassie Stevens

My daughter has recently turned two years old. I threw her a big party. I wanted to make as much as I could myself. I took on a potato salad for the first time. It was blog worthy and a huge success at the party. I started by looking up some recipes on line to see what my basic ingredients were. I found one I liked and I referred to it for ingredients not necessarily amounts.

I started by dicing up my potatoes (about 5 -6 Cups). I used Red skin potatoes. I boiled the potatoes until softened but still able to hold their shape. I let them cool overnight in the refrigerator.

The next morning I added 3 hard boiled eggs that I mashed with a fork. Then I added 1 1/2 cups Mayo to my mixer followed by 2 good tablespoons yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons dried parsley, about 6-8 sweet gherkin pickles diced, salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1/2 cup chopped onion Mix up and add to potatoes and eggs.

Refrigerate 2 hours. Serve cold.

Potato Salad Recipe

5-6 cups diced red potatoes

1/2 cup diced red onions

1 tablespoon Garlic powder

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

6 – 8 mini sweet gherkin Pickles diced

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 1/2 cup Mayo

3 hard boiled eggs (Mashed)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp sugar

Mix your dressing ingredients together then toss lightly in potatoes.

DoTerra Orange Party Cakes

Orange Oil Infused Chocolate laced atop a Do-Terra Orange Oil Cake

Author: Cassie Stevens

I have been doing cakes and other treats for Do-Terra Orange parties for almost a year now. I love using these oils better than pure extracts for breads, cakes, desserts, and just about anything else. In the past year I think I have added Do-Terra Orange Oil to my sweet tea (which is really good by the way), whipped cream, Chocolate Shakes, Fruit Smoothies, and anything else I find interesting to add it to. It only takes a drop or two, that’s all you will need. Unfortunately, I have only worked with their Orange and Lemon oils.  Here are a few pictures and recipes of some party favorites. Enjoy!

Orange Chocolate laced Cupcakes

Start with your basic cupcake recipe:

1 1/2 cups flour (whatever flour you like best)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

Then add: 1/2  teaspoon Do-Terra Orange Oil

For Icing, Start with your basic frosting recipe:

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Then add: 1/2 teaspoon Do-Terra Orange Oil (add more if you think it needs it)

For Chocolate:

1 cup Chocolate chips (your flavor choice Dark, Milk, Semi-Sweet, etc.)

1/2 teaspoon Do-Terra Orange Oil

Mix and spoon into molds to cool or drizzle over cakes and cupcakes.

Do-Terra Orange Cranberry Cupcakes with Mandarin Oranges

Start with your basic cupcake recipe (above)

Once the batter is spooned into your cupcake papers add a dollop of cranberry sauce to center of cupcakes (about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon) bake as normal.  Frost with your basic frosting recipe (above) and top with a slice of mandarin orange. Viola! Delish!

Do-Terra Orange Cake with Mandarin Oranges

Start with your basic white cake recipe:

1 1/2 cups flour (whatever flour you like best)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk (whatever milk you like best) I have used almond milk in this and it is very good the texture of the cake is denser than using whole milk

2 eggs

1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons Do-Terra Orange Oil

 mix well, Bake 325 until toothpick inserted comes out clean cool and frost using basic frosting recipe (above) color icing with food coloring if desired garnish with mandarin orange slices

Valentines Day Fondant Cakes

Author: Cassie Stevens

I love how a good idea can consume me and keep me busy for days. I am a very creative, artsy kind of person and lately my outlet has been cakes.  I am learning how to use all my new fondant tools, so practice makes perfect. This cake I wanted to try fondant flowers on for size.  They say you are your own worst critic, and I can see all the flaws and how it could be better but these are the first three flowers I have ever made and they were cake worthy, so I had to use them.

Now, I know the petals still look a little thick, but I’ll get there. I think I did pretty good! 🙂

This is a red velvet cake on top and a chocolate devils food cake on the bottom with a marshmallow fondant shell and buttercream icing. Very delicious! So naturally I posted it up on my Facebook page to show it off. My Aunt seen it and wanted to send a cake just like it to her step-daughter Tiffany who has a Valentines Birthday (how cool is that).

I gratefully accepted the opportunity and looked forward to learning how I would ship a cake Via mail through a few states without ruining my work. So I made another cake just like it (a little different).

They both were very fun to make. This one went very fast though (because I knew what I was doing already).

So I boxed it up in a cake box, then reinforced it the best I could so it wouldn’t move.

The cake board was hot glued in place in the box and the cake itself was stuck with icing onto the cake board. Then this box was closed up and placed inside of another box and cushioned with about a billion tied up plastic shopping bags to cushion the box inside.

There was a note:

Awww……how nice!

I loved it simple and perfect.

I shipped the cake 2 day USPS as fragile and it arrived in perfect condition she said and of course she loved it. Tiffany told my Aunt that she was throwing out all the other cakes she got for her birthday and keeping this one. It was the best! YAY! Sucess ❤ it!

Nailed it! Now, I have some experience shipping cakes. I can’t wait to open my bakery!

Mistake Cake (or Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Breakfast Cake)

This morning my girls (very adorably) demanded pancakes for breakfast. So I took out my trusty pancake recipe and started mixing.

Problem. I used baking SODA instead of baking POWDER. But then, I added the baking powder, and, oh my goodness… I tried one pancake and it didn’t work. It just fell apart all over the place. It also tasted like baking soda. Blech!

Here’s something you probably already know about me by reading my posts; I can’t waste anything – especially food. So I tried to salvage it. I thought it probably wouldn’t work, but I had already messed it up, so what the heck, right? To my left was a baggie of ready-made oatmeal – my version of the instant packages. It had oats and raisins, some sea salt, and cinnamon/nutmeg. I keep these made up and ready for my husband to grab in the mornings. All he has to do is add a cup of water to quickly make a healthy breakfast for the girls. I poured that in the mix. Then I wanted something else. I couldn’t put my finger on it! Looking in the fridge I saw some apple butter looking kinda lonely. I chucked it in, stirred it up, and hoped for the best.

40 Minutes later…

Well, hey, it worked! I made a beautiful little breakfast cake! It’s also pretty healthy. Yay!

Without further adieu…

Mistake Cake (or Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Breakfast Cake)

Ingredients:

2 Cup spelt flour

1 Cup rolled oats

2-4 Tblsp coconut sugar (depending on your sweetness preference)

1 tsp nutmeg and/or cinnamon

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

2 Cup whole milk

1 Cup applesauce (I used apple butter!)

4 Tblsp melted butter

2 Tblsp melted coconut oil

2 large eggs

1 Cup raisins or other favorite dried fruit (optional)

Directions:

Mix everything together however you want with a mixer. It doesn’t really matter what order because I totally “invented” this by messing it up. Pour into a well-greased pan.* Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Mine was an oval pan. You can use this handy conversion chart to check the time for your pan. The chart works well for this cake. Want to make a heart-shaped Mistake Cake? Go for it! 

Have fun!

Love, Veronica

Christmas Snowball Cookies

Author: Cassie Stevens

Snowball Cookies! They are also known as Mexican wedding cakes (or cookies) and butterballs; however, they are perhaps most commonly called snowball cookies for their powdery white spherical appearance and for appearing around the winter holidays.

Whatever you know them as, these cookies are a tasty holiday treat.  I love making cookies around the holidays. Christmas is such a busy time of the year. Making homemade keepsake ornaments. Finding and decorating your Christmas tree. Hanging all your holiday decorations. Making homemade personalized gifts.  Cooking and baking special holiday treats. Writing and sending Christmas cards, and everything else I didn’t mention. Yes, this time of year is a busy time indeed. Even so, I always will find time to sit down and enjoy a few cookies with a hot cup of coffee or a cold tall glass of milk.

A wonderfully nutty and sweet little cookie. These cookies are very easy and simple to make, and simply scream the holidays. They also make wonderful gifts for anyone.  Made with only five ingredients. I start by setting out 2 sticks of salted butter to soften about a half an hour before I am ready to start. Then mix 2 cups flour and 1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts) and set aside. Then grind 1 cup walnuts in your food processor until finely ground and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar then add vanilla extract and the other dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Preheat your oven to 325 F. Once all the ingredients are well mixed grab your cookie scoop. Scoop and roll each cookie and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. These cookies wont melt much so you can place them fairly close together. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.  Once cooled roll in powdered sugar and place in fridge to finish cooling about ten minutes.  Roll them in powdered sugar again and keep on counter top as long as they will last, they go fast. Or, box them up in a few tins and send them out as gifts.

Ingredients;

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups nuts

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup butter (softened)

1/2 tsp salt

 

Process: Preheat oven to 325 F. Soften 2 sticks butter. place flour and half of the walnuts in a large mixing bowl. Place the other half of the walnuts in a food processor and grind until fine and add to large mixing bowl. Cream butter and sugar together until white and add to mixing bowl. add vanilla and salt then mix well. batter will be stiff. Scoop with a cookie scoop and roll into a ball with your hands. Place on a parchment lined baking pan and bake for around 20 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack for 30  minutes. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to cool.  Roll in powdered sugar again and keep on your counter.

 

Happy Holiday’s and Merry Christmas Everyone!