I made these cupcakes for a birthday party. As usual, I went with Hershey's perfectly chocolate chocolate cake and a ganache frosting. For the rose, I used a Wilton 2D tip and swirled from the inside to out. Lately, I've been really into playing around with fondant. They just make the cutest cakes, but I don't think I could ever wrap an entire cake with it until it can magically taste ok. I'm not even asking for good, just not gross. Until then, it's little fondant cutouts...
Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa (natural)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.
VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.
CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.
Chocolate Ganache
From Savoury, Sweet, Life (with an excellent tutorial)
8 ounces of chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup heavy cream
*optional 3 tbl. of flavored liqueor
Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and stir until completely mixed and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze. The longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set. Typically I stick mine in the refrigerator so it is slightly cold before whipping. For piping or frosting, allow the ganache to completely cool and set up. When you are able to spoon the ganache and it can hold its texture, it is ready for piping
For my final cake, I decided to go with the stacked route rather than use the columns. It seemed a little less Wilton retro style...or at least I hope. Since MMF is a lot softer and dries slower than normal fondant, I was so happy it actually worked for the roses. You just have to hold the rose between your fingers while forming it instead of the sponge for better control. One advantage of the MMF is how easily it sticks when pressed together so you can skip the step where you brush clear vanilla?? (Wilton is really trying to sell their products because water so couldn't work..haha) to hold the petals together. One less thing to worry about always makes things a little easier especially since MMF is really delicate and tears easily. It took me a lot of practise (at least 2 movies (Knowing + Twilight) worth of time and some reruns of classic basketball playing at 1am) to finally get through my 38 roses. I wasn't even paying attention to Knowing, but I probably won't see it again after that weird ending and Twilight.. well even though it's not the best movie, I'm totally addicted and couldn't help watching it even those I've already seen it..many times.
Anyway, the sad part was, it took me about 30 roses in until I got the hang of it so these don't look as pretty as I would have liked. I can't wait to start course 4. I don't know if I'll be able to get away with using MMF, since we use gum paste, but I'll definitely give it a try. My instructor always says to me 'You have your own way of doing things.'
Marshmallow Fondant Recipe from What's Cooking America
16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 to 5 tablespoons water (I used 2 tbsp)
2 pounds icing sugar (I didn't use all of the sugar)
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)
Make sure you grease every bowl and spoon/spatula the marshmallows come in contact with first. I also find that if you stir in the sugar with a spoon/spatula until it doesn't seem so liquidy before kneading it with your hands, it's less sticky and hot.
Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix. (I stirred this with a spatula until it formed a large mass)
Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. (I did all this in a large bowl that I greased)
Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands.
Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.
It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.
Prepare the fondant for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
MM Fondant will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make two (2) batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant can be prepared well in advance.
"What is this? Is it Wilton?"
"No"
"What is it??"
"Umm..."
"What is it? Did you make this? Marshmallows?"
"Umm... yes"
"Well then, that's why. Feel yours and feel hers. See the difference? That's why I said to use Wilton fondant instead of making your own because I would rather have something that always works instead of making batches that fail half the time."
"Yes, that's right, even though I covered the cake with no tears, it still failed." - I wish I was brave enough to say that.
O boy, now that was pretty embarrassing in front of the entire class. I also happened to be standing up too... talk about being at the centre of attention. Embarrassment wasn't the only thing I was feeling after being confronted like that with 9 pairs of eyes staring at me. I was so stunned at the time, I couldn't even think of anything to say except for feeling like I did something really bad by not buying the fondant. The worst part was after I successfully covered the cake with no tears, it still felt bad because oh wait, this isn't store bought. That's like saying we shouldn't bake scratch cakes, pie crusts or yeast breads because they're not always bound to turn out. I totally understand that the classes are designed so that we use the products, but to be humiliated in front of everyone like that felt really unfair. It's not like I was parading around my homemade fondant to encourage others to make their own. I have to be honest and say that I'm not completely satisfied with my cake (being a little bumpier than I would like), but I think it has to do more with my decorating skills (poor frosting job and rolling out the fondant way too thin) than the MMF because I've seen so many amazing MMF cakes.
Making the marshmallow fondant was a lot easier and less messy than I expected, but you have to make sure everything is properly greased (bowls, spoons, anything that comes in contact with the marshmallows). Most recipes do the kneading on the table, but I wanted to keep cleaning to a minimum. Instead, I greased a large metal bowl so that I wouldn't have to scrub shortening off the counter (a huge pain!). Also, no matter how much I clean the counter beforehand, it still feels dirty to me. Anyway, the MMF came together pretty quickly and tasted like marshmallows except doughier. I can't imagine snacking on the entire ribbon/bow, but I can definitely see the appeal of fondant when it comes to decorating. Just in case you are interested in making your own marshmallow fondant (but beware.. there is a 50% failure rate..haha), I got it from What's Cooking America
Marshmallow Fondant Recipe from Here
16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2 to 5 tablespoons water (I used 2 tbsp)
2 pounds icing sugar (I didn't use all of the sugar)
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)
Make sure you grease every bowl and spoon/spatula the marshmallows come in contact with first. I also find that if you stir in the sugar with a spoon/spatula until it doesn't seem so liquidy before kneading it with your hands, it's less sticky and hot.
Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.
Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. (I did all this in a large bowl that I greased)
Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands.
Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.
It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.
Prepare the fondant for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
MM Fondant will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make two (2) batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant can be prepared well in advance.
