Zucchini Bread

Yes, another zucchini recipe! This bread is one of the main reasons that I made zucchini a part of our garden this year! It was the first thing I made after picking our first two zucchini.

Zach isn't a huge zucchini fan and won't eat any kind of baked good that has zucchini in it. So ya know what that means, I had all three loaves to myself! And I didn't mind a bit!

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar (1 1/2 cups for muffins)

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup raisins ( I don't put them in)

1 cup walnuts. chopped

2 cup zucchini, grated or shredded

1 can (8 1/4 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained

3 cups flour

Beat eggs with electric mixer. Add oil, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, baking soda; beat all together. Stir in raisins, walnuts, zucchini, pineapple and flour. Mix well. Spray 2 loaf bread pans with non stick spray. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. For variety you can add diced dates, prunes, grated chocolate or apricots.

To make muffins use less sugar and bake at higher temperature. 375-400 for 15 minutes.

Easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

If you love chocolate cake, you must try this recipe. If you don't love chocolate cake, this recipe may just have you changing your mind. No lie. I tried this recipe a few years ago and bring it out ever summer when my garden starts to produce an abundance of zucchini. It is so moist and delicious.

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 cup sour cream

1 chocolate fudge cake mix with pudding in the box, approx 18.25oz.

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 medium zucchini, about 1.5 cups shredded

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt cake pan. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter until light; beat in eggs and flavorings. Beat in the sour cream and cinnamon; then slowly beat in the cake mix. Stir in the zucchini, chocolate chips, and pecans.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate to cool completely. Frost the cake or dust with powered sugar.

I add a whole bag of chocolate chips and omit the nuts when I bake this cake. I drizzle a few ounces of melted chocolate over the cake after it has cooled. Mmmm, good.

Source: Easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Bake on!

M

In Honor of Dave Ramsey

I created these cupcakes using the same technique I used on Katie's bridal shower cupcakes, to celebrate the final class of Financial Peace University. My husband and I attended this 13 week course this summer which emphasizes saving your money! If you haven't heard of Dave Ramsey or FPU...check it out!!!

Kathryn E.'s Bridal Shower

Here is an array of cupcakes that I made for my best friend's wedding. My instructions were to include red velvet and a variety of colors. I end up with red velvet, lemon and chocolate cupcakes with a variety of colored frostings. I created the decorative words by piping dark chocolate candy melt. I piped a heart, "love", "I do" and "A" as a monogram.

Bake on!

M

Miami Heat Cake

This cake was made for my nephew's 13th birthday party. He requested a Lebron James jersey from the Miami Heat. I created the cake using a cookie sheet as my baking pan. I made 2 cakes using the cookie sheet and filled the chocolate cakes with an oreo filling. I cut out the neckline of the cake and then covered it in white frondant. I have to give my husband credit for creating a template of the letters and number for me which I then cut out of red fondant. I traced the edges of the letters using a black edible marker. My husband also created the NBA logo found in the upper left hand corner of the jersey. He took a white piece of fondant and drew it freehand using the edible markers. I think the birthday boy was quite pleased.
Bake on!
Michele

Aargh, Matey!

This pirate cake was created for my nephew's 5th birthday party. I used 2 eight inch cakes layered with filling to create the pirate's face. I covered the whole thing in a flesh tone fondant and then added the accessory pieces. What a success!

Bake on!

Michele

Bridal Shower Tea Party Hat Cake

This hat cake was made for a bridal shower tea party. All attendees of the bridal shower wore a tea party hat. We constructed this cake using 1-10 inch cake as the base or brim and 2 layered 8-inch cakes. We fondanted the cakes separately using the brown ribbon to hide the seam. We achieved the brim my extending the fondant beyond the 10 inch cake instead of trimming it at the edge of the cake. We added the daisy, feathers, and pearls for accessories. Though they aren't edible, they did add a nice finishing touch.