My Resolution: Bake More!

Though my real resolution is to eat more cupcakes get abs, I don't quite know how realistic that is. So, I want to bake more (and Ryan interjects- cook more!). I think this is more achievable, not to mention is the opposite of getting abs, because it requires zero physical effort, unless you count the arm pain that follows holding an electric mixer up for five minutes straight trying to get a fluffy icing. I've baked a good amount, but not quite enough. I've mainly been focusing on cupcakes/frosting, but hopefully I can branch out to others, i.e. cake pops, decorated cookies, fondant creations, etc.

I started out the first of the year with, brace yourself, a STIFFish FROSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Talk about a good sign. Here it is:

As you can see, it's still not the amazing fluffy stuff you see at professional baking places. I'm most envious of those who compete on Cupcake Wars. They make it perfect everytime! I brought these beautiful cupcakes to work and of course I was berated because, "Bleighton!!! We're all on diets!". To which I replied, "Don't worry, they're calorie and sugar free.... ;)". Yeah right, I wish. They still ate them, though. Including myself with no abs and all.

I used the same recipe I've been using this whole time, I just added more and more powdered sugar. I think the recipe called for 4 cups... I put 8. I was crossing my fingers, hoping it wasn't going to give me a toothache from being too sweet. But, to my surprise, it wasn't! The other change I made this time was adding heavy cream. Milk is much too runny and even though I didn't add any to the second batch that was still not stiff, it didn't turn out the way I wanted. So, adding the heavy whipping cream made a HUGE difference. Next time, since I finally bought it, I'm going to use crisco. Some people have told me that they use both crisco and butter, so I'm going to try it.

Now, this one may shock you, but I just realized that I'm not using butter when I make my frosting. Sure, I'm using something that looks like butter, tastes like butter, smells like butter, but truly isn't butter. That could be THE biggest reason why my frosting has been lacking in fluffiness. Unless someone can enlighten me and let me know that it's just fine to use it!!! We've always had the tub-o-butter [margarine] in our fridge.

Not once in my life have I not called it butter or used it when recipes called for butter. Though, we do buy the butter sticks in the summer for corn on the cob, duh! Deep down I knew it wasn't "real" butter, but I used it anyway because it had become habit to use.

Thus, I come to my point- Baking Tip #7: "For baking and cooking: Butter is the best for baking, because its high fat content (80% fat) yields the best results, such as tenderness and flakiness. Whipped butter or butter-oil spreads will not give you the same results as butter, so do not use them in your baking -- though they may be fine for most cooking." (Article Here) Double check your ingredients. This may sound dumb, sometimes I am, but make sure you have what the recipe calls for. The fact that I haven't had been able to make a fluffy, delicious frosting could be because I've been using this imposter butter. Now, I like margarine so I will continue to use it when cooking and maybe in some cake mixes, but after I try it with my frosting next time and it turns out perfect, I probably won't use it ever again to make it.

What's your New Year Resolution? Are you still sticking with it?

(I am!)

Until later,

Baker in Training