Exam time

It's beencrazy here recently with school, kids and work and the heat of summer.  I've been writing papers and trying to fit workouts in at every possible moment (not so easy).  Fallen behind on my triathlon training sadly, but trying my best to keep up.  I have been doing cakes, trying to get word out and expand my base a bit, so since I need to go do my paper, this will be brief.

After my first sweaty "wedding" cake with bad quilting on the base, I had to do it again to make sure I could do it.  Since I had learned some lessons, I got to a different one and tried some new techniques on it.  Worked well I think.

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Also, going on the trying something new theme, I wanted to try a buttercream exterior cake.  This cake is a "safe" cake, but the icing isn't (I used butter).  Since this cake was going out with me to a friends house while the kids were at daycare, I didn't have to worry about allergens in it, which was a nice change..  For one thing I missed real icing [insert feelings of guilt here] and also the "safe" buttercream isn't the greatest for the roses, which turned out okay for a first try on this cake.



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Finally, I was pretty nervous about this one because it was a special order cake for someone that wasn't friedn or family.  Good news is that it went over super well and shocked her.  The tricky part was all the detail on the side, since she wanted it to look like the company logo (for an employee of that company).  It was really small too, which meant that all the details were done by toothpick, because even a tiny paintbrush was too big (it was a 6 portion cake).

So those are my latest creations..  I'm pretty proud of them.  Since i'm trying to bring in some spare money to pay for supplies for my triathlon, if I get a few more cake orders, i'll be able to buy myself some of those nice bike shoes and pedals which would come in handy!

Now I drag myself reluctantly back to study Tennyson..

Wedding cake and cute consolation cupcakes

Getting started making cakes is a tricky thing.  Getting my name out there has proven to be more difficult than I thought.  With me in school full time and trying to keep a semblance of order in the house, I've really fallen behind on the "getting my name out there" thing.  One of the walls I'm running up against is that vegan cakes are kind of a niche market (along with allergy friendly cakes of course) and I'm having trouble marketing my "dairy-free, egg-free" cakes to the regular population because somehow people think that cakes without eggs and milk/cream taste like cardboard - which is untrue if they are done properly.

Another issue of course is that when I say I bake cakes, people like to see examples of cakes I have made, and it's hard for me to say - well, I've only made about 20 cakes, but I assure you I can do what you want from me.

In comes the wedding cake.  People REALLY want to see some examples of wedding cakes.  It is a very special day for people and I understand that they want it to be perfect, so they don't want to risk getting an ugly cake that tastes bad (my husband says he's been to his fair share of weddings where the cake looked amazing,but tasted horrible).  This brought me to a conclusion..  I had to make a wedding cake to show a bit of what I can do.  I'd done a tiered cake (2 tier) before (not this big though), so that wasn't new, but I'm using a new fondant and I was going to try the quilting technique along with my first gumpaste flower arrangement on the cake.  This meant of course that the cake would NOT be safe (gumpaste has egg-whites) and I wasn't going to risk just cutting a piece from the side without the flowers, so something had to be made to make the girls happy (I wasn't going to give cake to one and not the other, so they both got cupcakes).  Also I tried marble cake for the first time and was happy with the results.

So new things that I tried:
-New fondant
-Marble cake
-Larger 2 tier (5" round on an 8" round, both 4" high - 30 regular servings)
-Quilting
-Beading (where the quilting meets)
-Gumpaste flowers

Now the gumpaste flowers were FUN.  Some people hate doing it, but I had a blast, I just put in a movie and went at it, doing roses, cherry blossoms and some random flower I made up (looked a touch like a poppy I guess, but white).  The other fun thing about these was that they can be made WEEKS or even MONTHS in advance, as long as they are stored in a cool dry place in sealed containers.  I obviously didn't do them that far in advance, because I needed a specific colour scheme..

So that was the flowers, done..  Now for the cake.  The first Marble cake I ruined, mostly because I forgot it in the oven and it was overcooked..  Go me..  Second one was perfect (good thing, because I hate wasting food).  My huge issue was the day it was ready to be iced and decorated in fondant, it was almost 40 degrees with the humidity (which was very high) and fondant doesn't like heat OR humidity.  In retrospect I should have set up all my gear in our bedroom, the only room with AC, but alas, I thought I could get away with it.  It was not the case..  I learned lots of things doing this cake though,  I rolled out my fondant a bit too thin (probably a lot too thin depending on some peoples standards), I NEED A/C when working a larger cake with fondant.  This is of course because I iced it and it was gorgeous.  I rolled out my fondant and that was okay too but when it went on the cake, after working with it for a few minutes (and you never want to rush fondant) I noticed the icing underneath start to loosen up (get warmer) and it started melting a bit underneath the fondant, making my cake look droopy (BOO!)..  I was really disappointed..  Being somewhat of a perfectionist I have a hard time looking at these things and saying "It's okay - I learned a LOT doing this cake", I usually end up upset that it wasn't 100% what I wanted it to be.  The end result was okay, even after the icing melted under the fondant, it was just not as uniform as it should have been.  At least after going back in the fridge for the night, it looked better, it wasn't as shiny (what they call "sweaty").  I'd love to put it out there and say "look at this gorgeous wedding cake I made - I can do one for you too" but I cringe at the thought, because it wasn't perfect..  It was nice, but not perfect and I NEED it to be perfect.  Maybe in a few weeks I'll make another one, but I'll have to have people over to help me eat it because I brought it to my Dad's for dinner on Saturday (we were 4 eating it there), I left him 1/4 of the cake, gave a big slice to his neighbours, came home, gave a 1/4 of the bottom to my downstairs neighbours and a 1/4 to my next door neighbours (they'd better not blame me for getting fat), and we still had a ton to eat (we finished it last night, averaging 2 slices EACH per day).  That's a lot of cake.  This is one of those times I wish I had the capital to start a business, because I could do this all day - not practical though..

Okay, onto the conciliatory cupcakes.  I wanted something cute, and my oldest had being going on about duckies for a while (who knows why).  Since one of the batches I did for the big cake had leftover batter, I used it for 3 cupcakes, iced them with light blue icing and made little fondant duckies to go on them.  I loved it because they were pretty easy to make, appealed to kids and of course were 100% edible.  The duckies got eaten first, then the icing licked off, then the cupcake partially eaten, then of course we had 2 kids that were tired but on a sugar rush..  Great fun, but I still love watching them enjoy!  My oldest proclaimed today that the baby was hungry and wanted birthday cake..  Perhaps she is overhearing me wonder out loud frequently about what she will have for her birthday cake this year..  I haven't decided yet..  Here are the cupcakes:

My first video

Since my chocolate cake recipe is a bit touchy (if it is undermixed it's no good, if it is overmixed, it's not good either) I decided to do a video of the whole process.  It's my first one, probably not great, but it'll have to do.  Took me a while to set it up, and since I was solo in the kitchen, getting my tiny camear to the right angle to take a shot of it was tricky since I didn't have a tripod or anythign that fit that camera. 

I'm editing the video now on youtube, going through the whole process of cutting out the long boring bits.  It is a rather long video, but I guess you can skip to the interesting part if you'd like.  If the video goes over well, I'll make more eventually.  The time is a serious factor.

Also, please keep in mind that if you are using my videos for allergy safe baking, it is imperative that you verify all the ingredients with the manufacturer to ensure they don't contain any of the allergens you are avoiding.  The lack of a "may contain" warning doesn't mean they are safe and I accept no liability for an allergic reaction (it is the reason I will not put brand names that I use on the site, because they may be safe in one country and not another due to packaging facilities). 

Even when I bake cakes from home, I cannot 100% guarantee that there will be no issue, because I DO have these allergens in my house, but I bake everything as if it were for my own daughter, and take the utmost precautions to ensure that no cross contamination occurs.

Here is the video on me making the batter..  The recipe is included in the video, I hope it helps!

Happy cake making!  Keep in mind that allergy safe baking is harder than it seems due to cross contamination, which is why my cupcakes and cakes are available to order from my allergy safe kitchen.  You can contact me for details any time.

Colour flow icing

Figured I should switch it up a little.  I don't only do cakes/cupcakes, I can do cookies too, and I have a nifty recipe for brown sugar cookies, so I whipped up a double batch on Saturday.  Now, I can make cookies, but I've never been really good at decorating them, so I wanted to challenge myself.  I'd heard about colour flow icing, but never tried it out myself until Saturday.  I started off by making the cookies (long process because the dough needs to refrigerate for 2 hours before rolling).  After the wait, the rolling out and cutting was done, they went in the oven.  While they cooled I made my icing.  That was the most unsure part of this process, because I'd made these cookies before and liked them, but the colour flow icing recipes I saw all used Wilton's color-flo icing mix, and there is meringue powder in that (egg whites) so I can't use it.  I found a recipe that looked good and tried it out.  On Saturday I made green, black and yellow icing.  The results were okay, though I think the icing was a touch too thick, the cookies looked okay, but kind of amateurish, so I'm glad I had saved a dozen for tonight.

Saturdays cookies :



So armed with lessons learned on Saturday I sat down today, mixed up some orange, yellow, black and white..  The icing recipe was a bit too thin this time, so a bit runnier than it should have been, but it worked out okay..  I had learned a few things from playing around the first time (the best way to learn a technique in my opinion) and put those lessons into practise..

Here are today's cookies:

This one is my favourite of them all I think..

So I had fun again, I learned more again and realised how much I really want to be able to open a bakery(allergy friendly/vegan bakery).  Just wish I had the means to do so..  *sigh*

I'm crazy - Updated goals

My original goal when I set out to do the triathlon training was to get moving.  I made the goal before I hopped onto a bike or swam a single lap.  I had only been running a bit using C25k.  I had a wonderful dream of crossing the finish line in glory (okay, I still have that goal).  I started my pool training 10 visits ago, and already a distance of 1500m much easier for me, and the sprint triathlon only requires 750m..  After all, I used to swim a lot, having been a lifeguard AGES ago..  The biking, well, I used to bike a lot, I don't foresee that as being very brutal, since the course is flat..  The first time I headed out on the bike around here with slight ups and downs, I did over 5km..  The sprint triathlon distance is 20km bike..  The running is going well, just finished the 4th week of the C25k training.  Today I ran 5 minutes non stop TWICE in the 30 minute workout, and what's even better is that my recovery time on my walk intervals was much faster, I caught my breath faster and didn't feel like dying at the end..

So the sprint distance triathlon goal is being updated.  I have confirmed with the race that my distance can be upped to the Olympic distance triathlon, because if only for just the name change - it sounds SOOO much more bad ass.  The distances are double that of the sprint, so 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike and 10 km run.  I'm already training consistently at the pool doing the 1500m distance, and working on increasing my endurance by increasing resistance as opposed to distance to go beyond the 1500m eventually and to improve the endurance of my arm muscles so they are less tired at the end of the 1500m swim so the bike transition is smoother.

This week my training goes into block training.  That is when I train 2 of the events in one day.  For convenience factor only I've coupled the swim and run into a day, even though one wont follow the other during the event.  My week will look like this (unless something is up with the kids):

Monday (done this AM already) - 1500m swim, 30 minute run/walk
Tuesday - Bike (distance unknown - ride out till I get tired, take a stretch break, snack then head back), Zumba
Wednesday - 1500 m swim, 30 minute run
Thursday - Bike (same as Tuesday - try to go a bit farther)
Friday - (pool closed - cry) 30 minute run, Karate (pm)
Saturday - rest day
Sunday - Zumba

Now I consider the Zumba to be more of a social thing, my heart rate goes up a bit, but not much, so I barely count it..

It`s going to be a pretty crazy summer, with trying to train when it`s coolest out and school and the kids, but i`ll make it work.  I`m seeing results, and I LOVE that.  Now I need to go study, because I`m behind on my class.  That and I need a shower - it`s hot out and running in the heat is NO fun..

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For anyone interested, I'm raising funds for Soldier On and the Military Families Fund.  Donations can be made online.  Tax receipts are issued for donations over 10$ (I think).  Considering I have a cousin currently serving and my husband is former military, it's a cause that hits close to home (he will be running the race with me in September, which is 2 weeks after my triathlon).

https://www.giving.runningroom.com/hm/?sub=3&charityId=129&id=WTtRYQBmAmQ%3D&item=8&guest=1&lan=1

Thanks to my readers!

An expensive startup

I was thinking the other day about how when I start something, I like to go at it 100% and give it my all.  This could be said to be true for both my favourite hobbies at the moment, baking cakes/cupcakes and triathlon training.  I've been very reserved with my triathlon training stuff so far and so here is what I've put out so far

Actual running shoes (clearance rack - lucky find) - 80$
Running pants (I started training in April - it was colder also clearance rack) - 35$
Shorts (clearance) - 25$
Good tank top (clearance) - 20$
Running bra (can't skimp here, because nature didn't either) - 85$
3/4 length cheap walking pants - 15$
3 tank tops, cheap and baggy - 28$ (all 3)
Bathing suit (on sale) - 55$
Goggles - 24$
Bike (over 20 years old) - 50$
Tune up for bike - 50$
Bike seat that doesn't make me feel violated in all new ways - 30$
Helmet - 35$
Sunglasses (gotta love my Oakeys - not a typo.. ) - 15$
5k Army run entry fee - 30$
Triathlon entry fee - 105$
Wetsuit rental (oh yes - open water swims get cold) - 40$

I'm sure I forgot a thing or two in this list - and there are still a few things I need to pick up before race day (running belt with water bottle, good socks for the triathlon etc...)  I can't believe I've already spent over 720$ on this..  At least most of this stuff will be good for a long time.  I could look at it as being expensive, but I could also look at it like this.  It's for my health, for my family, for my kids, so I can be around to watch them grow up, so I can run beside them as they pedal off on their bikes for the first time without huffing and puffing for air.  It's about being a positive role model for them and not a hypocrite saying exercise then sitting on the couch all day watching TV, sipping coke.  It's a tiny investment and it will reap some of the biggest rewards of anything, and thinking about it, the pride I feel when I cross the line at the triathlon in September - this will have payed for itself 100%.  I will buy the photos and remember it with pride, even if I never go back and do it again, I'll have an amazing sense of accomplishment.

After having 3 kids and being 250lbs at the end of my last pregnancy (220 ish when the baby was all gone and the water retention dissipated), I got fed up of feeling like a blimp.  I still have the loose belly skin that jiggles WAY too much when I run, and I don't know if it will ever go back to being as firm as it was, even if I work out a ton - doesn't matter to me anymore, it's a badge of pride for having carried my three kids, the problem I had is that though after 9 months you give birth, the cookies and cakes and ice cream don't quite come off the same way, and I have a killer sweet tooth.

I started back at karate in December 2011, just 6 weeks after the baby was born, and since then (most of it being since I took up the running training) I have managed to get down to the 193ish range.  I dont' work by weight though, the scale lies.  The changes that I see are in the mirror.  First, the maternity pants didn't fit anymore, even though they always fit me between the other kids.  The summer shorts I bought before getting pregnant this last time literally fall down if I don't have a belt on.  I only have 2 rolls in the front and they are going away quickly.  The extra skin on the underside of my arm is receding a bit and firming up, my shoulders look stronger.  I took 3 pairs of jeans out of the pre-pregnancy pants bag - and now they are even getting loose.  My face is regaining a shape, my pouch under my chin has almost gone away.  Most of all, I feel great, I wouldn't trade this feeling for the world.  I have about 25 lbs to go to my personal target, and it is within grasp.

Today for the first time, thanks to C25k, I ran 5 minutes without stopping.  It was hard.. damn hard, but I did it.  I didn't give up, I pushed through the pain and was proud of myself at the end of the 5 minutes (that wasn't the whole run, just one short part of the morning torture session).  I call it torture, because in reality, it hurts, it's hard and I stink at the end, but I've got a stupid smile plastered to my face when I hear "congratulations, you have completed your run today" come into my headset.

I think almost anyone could do it - and everyone should.  This is one of those times when complacency can kill, and I have more reasons I ever thought I would have to live for.

Vegan Cheesecake?

I've been intrigued.  Since my husband loves cheesecake, I've been delving into recipes of vegan cheesecake.  I'm not a fan of cheesecake, vegan or not, so I have a harder time with this of course, because taste testing is much harder.  I found a recipe that is supposed to be very good, so I went out to the store to buy what I thought I needed, and whipped up the recipe.  It was horrible.  This is when I learned there is a difference between regular tofu and silken tofu.  It's really hard to find silken tofu in Quebec, but managed to find a place that has both it and the vegan cream cheese, so that's a good thing.  Flash forward 3 weeks and I make the same recipe, this time with the right ingredients, and it is much better.  The texture is very similar to cheesecake, but the flavour is obviously not very cheesecake-y because there's not real cheese in it.  I'm going to give this recipe one more try, using all the right ingredients, but taking out the lemon zest and using instead..  flavour oil...   I'm really learning to love these things, because it lets me put flavours to things that I wouldn't be able to get to taste realistic in the first place.  I went back to my allergy information chart and lo and behold the cheesecake flavour is safe, so I'll be placing an order soon on line and will grab 2 flavours I can't find in stores around here - the cheesecake flavour and the "Irish creme" flavour, both of which are safe (mmm)..  I will post more details on how it turns out when I try it using the flavour oil.

Now those chocolate caramel cupcakes were really good, though the chocolate/caramel icing could have had a touch more caramel flavouring in it, because it was muted quite a bit by the cocoa powder added to the icing.  Overall though, it was delicious.

That was an experiment that went very well in my opinion, and I will certainly be doing it again.  IN fact, I can officially say that this is my favourite cupcake so far..  The drizzle of dark chocolate shavings on the top just makes it look deliciously decadent..  and it certainly is...