Have you ever seen a cake pan at the store that’s so adorable on the shelf, but when you got it home, you had no idea what to do with it? Sometimes, you absolutely love the shaped cakes that the cake pan produces, but decorating them is kind of tricky since they have so many grooves. Nordic Ware actually has quite a few shaped cake pan sets, all of them intricately detailed, but they can be so much fun! Even if you do not have this specific cake pan, you can use other pans such as mini bundt cake pans for this project instead.

MINI GIFT CAKES FOR MOM

Recipe Adapted from William Sonoma Test Kitchens

MINI CAKE INGREDIENTS:

—1 cup unbleached flour
—2 tablespoons cornstarch
—1/2 teaspoon sea salt
—1 cup unsalted butter
—1 1/4 cups fine sugar
—1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
—1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
—4 eggs at room temperature
—1 tablespoon lemon zest

STEP BY STEP MINI CAKE INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the mini gift cakes pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the electric mixer bowl beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest on medium until smooth and creamy, approximately 4 minutes.
4. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
5. Add the vanilla and lemon extracts. Beat until incorporated.
6. Add one third of the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
7. Add 2 of the eggs and beat until blended.
8. Add the next third of the flour mixture.
9. Add the last 2 eggs.
10. Beat in remaining flour until blended.
11. Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter among the 6 cake wells.
12. Bake cakes for 18-20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
13. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use a small knife to loosen the cakes from the side of the pan.
14. Invert the pan to remove the mini gift cakes.

LEMON BUTTERCREAM

LEMON BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS

—3 cups sifted powdered sugar
—1/2 cup unsalted butter
—3 tablespoons organic shortening
—1/4 teaspoon salt
—1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
—1 tablespoon half and half

STEP BY STEP LEMON BUTTERCREAM INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, and salt for about 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and half and half.

2. Once the mixture comes together, scrape down the bowl. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and the lemon extract. Beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl again. Beat on high speed for 5-6 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy.

3. Divide the frosting evenly among three prep bowls. Leave one bowl white. Color one bowl pink. Color the last bowl yellow. Fill three piping bags with the yellow, pink, and white frosting. For the piping decorations, I used a Round Tip (No. 3),  a small Star Tip (Wilton 16), and a small ruffle tip (Wilton 101).

FROSTING TECHNIQUES:

STARS OR ROSETTES: To make small stars, place the piping bag at a 90 degree angle to the part of the cake you would like to put your design. Press and release. To make a rosette, squeeze out the icing to form a star. While keeping pressure on the bag, raise the tip slightly as you drop a line of icing on top of the star in a tight, complete circle.

RUFFLES: Hold your icing bag at a 45 degree angle with the wide end of the tip lightly touching the cake and the narrow end facing away from the cake. As you keep the wide end against the cake, move your wrist up to pull up the icing. Next, move your wrist in an up and down motion to make the ruffle pattern.

To make the frosting look flat, use the round tip, and smooth it against the area of the cake that you would like flattened. I did this to make the ribbon area.

Do you have any special traditions for Mother’s Day? What is your most memorable Mother’s Day gift?

Making fondant letters is about as easy as it gets. For some, it’s like fondant work 101. But, what about making 3D letters with the same mini letter cutters? If you’ve ever tried this, then you know that cutting a thick letter out of fondant is a little bit trickier! The fondant gets stuck in your cutter, and by the time you get it out, it no longer resembles the original letter. Luckily, we’re here to show you it is possible!

Today we’re thrilled to share a couple of simple tricks to not only making 3D letters, but also how to add a few extra touches of flair and character. This tutorial is coming just in time for you to do some lovely lettering on a cake or cupcakes to celebrate your mom!

You’ll Need:

• Mini M cutter
• Small circle cutter
• A round piping tip that is about half the size of your circle cutter
• Fondant
• Petal dust
• Small stiff paintbrush
• Paring knife
• X-Acto knife (with a clean blade used only for fondant)

Directions:

1. Roll out your fondant to about 1/3″ thick, and make an indent into the fondant using your M cutter.

2. Cut out the top and sides with your paring knife, and use the X-Acto knife for trimming out the smaller spaces.

3. Turn out the bottom of your letter to give it a less basic shape.

4. To make the O, use the same method as above. Use a circle cutter that is as tall as your M cutter. Use a smaller round piping tip to cut out the center. Once cut, pinch the O to turn it into an oval.

5. Dip just the very tip of your small paintbrush into the petal dust and outline your letters. Brush lightly over the whole letter once it’s outlined to soften the color.

6. Let dry at least two hours or overnight. Letters can be stored for up to one year if kept at room temperature in a dry space such as a pantry or cupboard. Make a whole alphabet of letters to keep on hand!

What is your mom’s favorite dessert?

For all of you glamorous moms out there, this one is for you!  You are all superstars and deserve something with a little extra sparkle this Mother’s Day.  Today, we are sharing this shimmery, chic Mother’s Day Cake Topper.  Place the topper on any simple cake to jazz it up for your mother or for any of your mommy friends.  Nothing says you care more than pink, sparkly edible glitter!

You’ll Need:

• Edible glitter, in your color of choice
• Tinted fondant or gum paste
• Small rolling pin
• Cornstarch for dusting
• Sharp craft or paring knife
• Template
• Clean paintbrush
• Water, gum glue, or corn syrup

Directions:

1. Make a template: Pick your favorite font and print out the letters you want to create, or draw your own.  Cut the template out of card stock or heavy paper.

2. Dust your work surface lightly with cornstarch and roll out your fondant or gum paste to 1/4″- 1/8″ thick.

3. Place your template on top of the rolled fondant.  Using a sharp craft or paring knife, cut out your letters.  Try to slice straight down, so the fondant does not pull and distort.

4. Moisten your clean paintbrush with water, gum glue, or corn syrup and paint the surface of your letters.  Gum glue is recommended, but the water or syrup may work as substitutes.  Do not use too much liquid, or the fondant may become messy.  Only paint one letter at a time, so they do not dry out too quickly.

5.  Carefully shake or sprinkle moistened letters with edible glitter.  Set aside to dry.

Whether it’s cookies, cupcakes, or ice cream, we’re all dessert lovers–men and women alike! We all like to be appreciated, and sometimes, all that takes is the creation of a sweet treat. From heart shaped macarons to classic red velvet cake, we’ve picked out some of the best desserts to use to say “I Love You” to your parents, your siblings, or, of course, that special someone.

Does this just look like a plain box of Chocolate Truffles to you? Well, look a little closer and you might notice that this box of chocolates is completely edible! This special box is made out of red velvet cake and fondant–perfect for any chocolate lover.

(via Bakerella)

If you don’t have enough time for a big, elaborate cake for that special someone, you can take the easy way out! With this recipe for Raspberry Napoleons, you can still create a simple, yet special, dessert for someone you love.

(via Picture The Recipe)

Four layers of perfectly moist and fluffy cake? With the time and effort you’ll spend making this Vanilla Blackberry – Mascarpone Cake for Two, your loved one is sure to appreciate you.

(via Sweetapolita)

A lot of chocolate with a little bit of bourbon? Share this sweet Chocolate Bourbon Fudge with your friends and family, and the gratitude will be pouring in.

(via How Sweet It Is)

For many restaurants, a Molten Chocolate Cake is their quintessential dessert, especially for dessert lovers on a date. But now, with this recipe for Easy Molten Chocolate Cupcakes, you can make that dessert at home!

(via Stephen and Nat)

What could be a better dessert for date night that creamy Creme Brulee. Complete with a carmelized heart, these Cupid’s Crème Brulees are sure to show how much you care.

(via Hostess with the Mostess)

We all know how special breakfast in bed can be. Make these Pound Cake French Toast Stacks with Sweet Goat Cheese Mousse and Warm Balsamic Roasted Strawberries to show just how much you appreciate your special someone.

(via Mississippi Kitchen)

We all know hearts are the symbol of love. Take it up a notch by making Raspberry S’more Heart Macarons!

(via Pizzazerie)

There’s nothing better than sharing a piece of red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting with the person you love. And with an extra sprinkle of cake crumbs on top, this Red Velvet Cake couldn’t be any sweeter.

(via Hello My Sweet)

Spring flowers are beginning to bloom, and it’s time to break out all the pretty pastel colors.  Have you ever wanted to make spring flower cupcakes, but piping buttercream flowers seemed a little bit too intimidating? Luckily, we have a quick, easy, and fun solution for you.  No need to worry about finding a bunch of different decorating tips. No need to color frosting in all sorts of different colors. All you need to do is pick out some of your favorite, fresh spring flowers!

Spring Flower Cupcakes

You’ll Need:

• Spring flowers of your choice. Make sure the stems can fit through your straws.
• Fun straws
• 12 of your favorite cupcakes
• 1 batch of Buttercream
• Avocado Food Coloring by Americolor
• 1 medium sized pastry bag
• Large plain round tip (Bakery Crafts 8PT shown here)

**The buttercream recipe link above makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes.

Assembly:

1. Bake your cupcakes and allow them to cool on a wire rack.
2. While the cupcakes are cooling, make and color your buttercream.
3. Cover your buttercream and set it aside.
4. Prep your flowers. Wash the stems and remove any leaves.
5. Cut your straws to the appropriate height, depending on how high you want the flowers above the cupcakes.
6. Slide the flower stem into the straw. If the stem comes out of the bottom of the straw, make sure to cut the flower shorter.
7. Cut the tip off of the disposable pastry bag, and slide your decorating tip into the bag.
8. Fill your bag with the avocado tinted buttercream. Pipe in a circular motion at a 90 degree angle above the cupcakes.
9. If you need help with how to pipe a pretty cupcake, head over to this great tutorial: Making a Pretty Cupcake
10. Once the cupcake is frosted, insert each straw with a flower into the cupcakes.

See, I told you it was easy! There are so many fun things you can do with these cupcakes. This is the perfect idea for teacher luncheons, an easy way to dress up a table for tea, or to give as Mother’s Day gifts.

My favorite spring flowers are Gerber Daisies. What are you favorite flowers?

Who says cake is the only confection suitable for a birthday celebration? Kids love cookies just as much as cake, and often, they might just request a giant one iced with their favorite frosting and served with a scoop of ice cream for their yearly celebration.

But, of course, you can’t have a birthday party without the sprinkles. So today we’re sharing a birthday cookie that’s filled and covered with them! This cookie is ridiculously easy to make, and the sprinkles can be customized to suit any theme or special occasion (like red and pink for Valentine’s Day or black and orange for Halloween).  We’re partial to the look of a classic vanilla birthday cake with chocolate frosting, but feel free to swap things around by using a different cookie recipe or variations of frosting.

Once the dough has been made and baked, you need to allow the cookie to cool completely before icing it. For this reason, we suggest baking the cookie a day in advance if time allows.

To decorate, fit a large piping bag with a large star tip and fill it with your desired frosting. Pipe a border around the perimeter of the cookie and cover it with additional sprinkles. You can write a message on the cookie with the same icing, or take the another route and insert candles that convey the same message.

Easy, right? We can’t imagine a sweeter way to say happy birthday to someone special this year.

Sprinkle Skillet Birthday Cookie

Cookie base adapted from Anna Olson

You’ll Need:

For the Cookie:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup assorted colored jimmies
• ¼ cup assorted colored sprinkles

For Decorating:

• Chocolate frosting (or the frosting of your choice)
• Candles
• Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 10” cast-iron skillet.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, and salt.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until evenly blended. Add the sprinkles and stir just until combined.
5. Using damp hands, press the cookie dough into the prepared skillet making it as even as possible. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set but still soft.
6. Allow the cookie to cool completely before decorating.

What are some of your favorite birthday cake alternatives? Pie? Brownies? Ice Cream Sundaes? We’d love to hear about it!

Are you excited for spring? I know I am, and here at Best Friends For Frosting, we’re ready to gear up with colorful, spring themed desserts like these M&M’s Easter Blondies. It seems like the year just started, but Easter is right around the corner. And you know what that means–Easter candy is hitting the stores like crazy! I couldn’t resist the pastel M&M’s staring at me in the candy aisle. I just knew that they would make such a fun Easter themed dessert!

Sweet, rich blondies seemed like the perfect way to package these colorful M&M’s, and they turned out incredibly good. The blondies are soft and chewy, like the perfect cookie in bar form, with a deep caramel-like brown sugar flavor. The crunchy M&M’s mixed in add a nice balance of texture, and a layer of milk chocolate on top brings out the smooth chocolate-y flavor of the M&M’s. These blondies are the kind of dessert that kids will love and adults will enjoy too, taking a classic candy and making it a little more sophisticated–in a delicious way!

M&M’s Easter Blondies

Blondie base adapted from: Alice Medrich via The Food Librarian

Makes 16 blondies

You’ll Need: 

For the Blondies:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cubed
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup pastel Easter M&M’s

For the Topping/Decoration:

• 7 1/2 ounces Hershey’s milk chocolate (or similar), cut into squares or roughly chopped, divided
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/4 cup pastel Easter M&M’s

Directions: 

For the Blondies:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line an 8″ square pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on at least two sides that you can use to lift the finished blondies out of the pan. If using foil, lightly grease the foil with a nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the cubed butter for about 30 seconds, until totally melted. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the brown sugar until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and fold in just until evenly incorporated, with none of the dry visible.
4. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading in an even, flat layer over the bottom of the pan and reaching every corner and edge. Smooth out with an offset spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top looks set. You also might notice the blondies pulling away from the edges of the foil or parchment. I wouldn’t recommended baking the blondies for longer than 25 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the blondies to cool completely. If desired, you can speed up this process by putting the blondies in the fridge after 30 minutes of cooling at room temperature (either way, keep the pan on the cooling rack). Once completely cool, make the topping and decorate the blondies.

For the Topping/Decoration:

1. Place 5 ounces milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl along with 2 tablespoons butter, cubed. Microwave for 30-second increments at medium power, stirring in between increments, until both the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth (it will be fairly thick). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cubed, and stir in until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth again.
2. Spread the chocolate mixture over the cooled blondies in a smooth, flat layer using an offset spatula. It may help to lift the bars out of the pan before spreading the chocolate on top, but make sure to not go over the edges of the blondies. Transfer the blondies back to the pan once done. Shake the pan back and forth briefly, and rap it firmly on the counter a few times. This will help the chocolate layer settle smoothly. Scatter the M&M’s over the top; it helps to keep in mind where you’ll be slicing the blondies later if possible. Place the blondies in the fridge to chill for about 5 minutes, until the chocolate is starting to firm up but isn’t firmly set yet. Remove from the fridge and score the chocolate along the same lines that you’ll be slicing the blondies, working around the M&M’s. Return to the fridge until completely set.
3. Once the chocolate has set, lift the blondies out of the pan. Slice into squares, dipping a knife in hot water and wiping it dry between each slice. Push any M&M’s in the way to one side; if they come loose, just place them back on top (because the chocolate drizzle applied after will hold them on). Place the cut blondies on a large sheet of parchment paper.
4. Fit a piping bag with a coupler to fit a small round tip (such as Wilton #5). Rubber band the bag right above the coupler to prevent the melted chocolate from coming out early. You can also just snip the edge off the piping bag once you’re ready to drizzle, if desired. Place the remaining 2 1/2 ounces milk chocolate in the bag and place it in a microwave-safe cup. Microwave for 30-second increments, squishing the chocolate to help it melt between increments, until it has melted completely. Add the piping tip and remove the rubber band, or cut off the very tip of the bag if not using a tip. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the blondies, and let it set. Store the blondies in an airtight container and serve at room temperature.

I used Easter M&M’s for these blondies, but you could use any flavor or color for any occasion.

What’s your favorite Easter candy? Peeps? Jelly beans? We’d love to know!

What could possibly be better than finding that pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? St. Patrick’s Day is on the way, and when we think of leprechauns, we definitely think of rainbows! Today we have Mindy Cone of Creative Juice here to share how to make Rainbow  Macarons!

Bright, colorful rainbows make us think of spring, and being a kid again. When I made these fun Rainbow Macarons, I just couldn’t help but smile. I love using sprinkles and candy to give traditional macarons a more modern and whimsical look, and that’s just what I did with these festive treats. Serve these colorful macarons at your St. Patrick’s Day get-together, or your upcoming spring barbeque, and you’ll be sure to shine.

Rainbow Macarons

You’ll need:

• Plain white macaron shells (One of my favorite recipes is from Bravetart)
• Vanilla Bean Buttercream
• Mini M&M’s
• Edible white or pearl luster dust
• Food paint brush
• White nonpareils
• White sugar pearl sprinkles
• White royal icing

Directions:

1. Pair similar sized macaron shells and fill them with vanilla bean buttercream. Place them in the refrigerator in an airtight container to chill for an hour. While this is not a necessary step, it will help keep the macarons from sliding around as you handle them during decorating.
2. Remove your macarons from the refrigerator. Using the royal icing, pipe a small rainbow shaped semi-circle directly on the top shell.
3. Using red, orange, yellow, green, and blue mini M&M’s, create the rainbow shape.
4. On each side of the rainbow, pipe a small amount of royal icing, and use a combination of white nonpareils and sugar pearls to create the cloud. As you layer the sprinkles, it will create a 3D cloud effect.
5. Allow the icing to set and then use a damp food paint brush to apply the edible luster dust to the macaron shell for an added iridescent shine.

See? You can’t help but smile!

What dessert makes you think about your childhood and makes you smile?

If you’re not quite in gear for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration quite yet, don’t worry. Here at BFFF, we’ve got you covered. Today, we’re showing you an easy, fun, and unique way to decorate cupcakes for this special green themed day.

We’re excited to show you how to make these polka dot patterned fondant shamrocks with edible bling, because everything is better when it sparkles, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. This is a fast and easy cupcake decoration for school celebrations, home parties, work, or just for some family fun!

You’ll Need:

• Shamrock shaped cookie cutter
• Small circle shaped cookie cutter or decorating tip
• White fondant
• Green fondant
• Edible glitter

Directions:

1) Roll out white fondant and cut out your preferred size of polka dots. Go as big or as small as you want, but keep in mind that the smaller your dots are, the more time-consuming your pattern will be, and taking too long can result in dried fondant.

2) Roll out green fondant and spray it heavily (without drowning your fondant) with water or vodka (vodka will dry faster than water). Line up your polka dots in your desired pattern. You can make a patterned space for up to 6-8 toppers at a time, but if you plan on making more than that, roll out new green fondant to use for another batch. Using your cookie cutter, cut shamrock shapes out of the fondant.

3) Let the shamrocks dry for a minimum of 4-6 hours until completely dry. When you touch the green fondant, it shouldn’t stick.

4) Once the green fondant is completely dry, carefully paint each polka dot (doing only one topper at a time) with water or vodka. Do not let the water touch the green fondant.

5) Dip your finger in edible glitter, and dab glitter on to each wet polka dot. Let the glitter dry just until they are not sticky to the touch (about an hour). Once dry, your shamrocks are set to use on cupcakes, cookies, or a festive cake. Dress up Oreos, brownies, or cake pops with smaller shamrocks for even more fun.

You can use this pattern and technique to create toppers for any occasion. Use different color and shape combinations for any holiday.

The sky’s the limit, so have fun with it!

What is your favorite part about St. Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! I’ve been making plans since Valentine’s Day, and I’ve been spotting adorable DIYs all over the place. Whether you’re planning on hosting a little get-together with friends, or gifting a bit of lucky gold, we’ve got you covered. With all of the creative ideas out there, today we’re sharing some of our favorites for this shamrock inspired day.

These easy little Four-Leaf Lucky Clover Bags make for the perfect goodie bags. Fill them with chocolate gold coins or other fun treats.

This Shamrock Wire Wreath would be perfect to hang up on your door, but I also think that it would be a perfect hanging accessory to place above a dessert table! Pick out different shades of green to make different colors and sizes.

If you’re looking for a fun DIY that would be perfect for your favorite drinking buddies, try these Homemade Leprechaun Spirits! The non-alcoholic version can be perfect for kids when filled with a fun green lemonade or soda!

It can be easy to go a bit overboard with holiday decorating. Sometimes, you just need to keep it simple. I’m in love with this simple Shamwrock Wreath!

One of my favorite parts about decorating for a holiday is stringing up some garland! I love this St. Patty’s Day Garland with its many lovely shades of green!

Are you planning on creating any St. Patrick’s Day themed goods for your party? What do you plan on making?