Easy Peasy Cupcake Tower DIY

This is an inexpensive, but sturdy method for building a cupcake tower. I have tried a few different ways before, but by far, this is the easiest and most sturdy one that I have built, so I wanted to share it with you all.


I always use foam core for making my cake boards, and there is usually about a 5-6 inch strip left over. Thinking I can use it for future use, I typically save them. Now I found that use! I needed 4" wide pieces of 1/2" foam core to create the platform for the tower; and using left over pieces of foam core can really save on the cost.

Another way to save on the cost is to use a craft store coupon. Also, Hobby Lobby and Michaels frequently run sales on foam core.


Here is the list of supplies you will need for the project:

1/4" Foam Core (2 boards)
1/2" Foam Core
Exacto Knife
Pencil
Ruler
Cake Pan (to use as a tracing guide)
Straight Pins
Craft Glue
3/8" Ribbon
Wrapping Paper, poster board, or foil (Opt)
Adhesive spray (Opt)

1.) Begin by deciding what size and how many tiers you will want your tower. An easy way to get a mind's eye view is to stack cake pans. For my project, I chose 18", 13", and 8" rounds.

2.) Using your cake pans as a tracing guide, mark your circles on 1/4" foam core, then carefully cut them out with the exacto knife. Take your time on this step, cutting the circles as perfectly as possible. This really effects the presentation.

NOTE*(At this point, you can cover your circles with a pretty paper, poster board, or foil. Just spray with adhesive spray, then cover front and back.) Since the one I was made needed to be white anyway, I just left it "as is".)

3.) Mark and cut the 1/2" foam core into 4" strips. These will create the platform. Again, measure twice and cut carefully, as the cut of the platform effects the stability of the whole tower.

You will need two of each length for every upper tier.

  The length is the strip will be "diameter minus 2 inches". For instance, since I chose 13" and 8" upper tiers, I needed two each platform strips measuring 11" and 6".

4.) Butt the strips together and mark the center. Then measure 1/4" from center on each side.

With a ruler, trace a two vertical line 2" in length from the edge of the strip, as shown.

Cut these two inch strips out, creating a notch.

Place the notched side of platform strips together and insert, creating a stand.

Stack your stand and check stability.

 If it is not stable, then your cut was inaccurate.

 Remeasure the width of your strips, shore it up and recheck the stability.

5.) Cut the ribbon into 5" lengths. Glue to the edges of the platform. Run a bead of glue around the edges of the rounds, then attach ribbon.

6.) Mark the center of each round. Push a straight pin through the center of each tier. Run a bead of glue onto the tops and bottoms of the platform and insert pins into center for perfect alignment.

Remove pin. Allow to dry.

Here is the Cupcake Tower set up for my great-nephews' birthday Ninjago tournament. Just ignore the fact that I didn't manage to get the top cake centered!! Sheeesh! The good news is that my little guys didn't notice or didn't care!!

Have fun. Be Creative. Your cupcake tower will be hit!


Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson All rights reserved 2013
Any material from this website cannot be republished or reproduced in any form without permission from the author.

Black Cherry Fudge

This recipe begin as an experiment. 

Having found fresh black cherry juice at the market, I began to search for

recipes including it as an ingredient. I found very few.  

But the taste of the juice was so good, I just had to try to use it in a recipe,

 especially with Valentine's Day on the calendar! 

 I started by working with my old tried and true "Never Fail" fudge recipe and adjusted the ingredients.  While mixing the cherry and evaporated milk, the color turned a disappointing light brown, so I added red powdered food color. You can also use red liquid color until you reach a pink color.  The color, while cooking,  turned a very deep red; but by the time the other ingredients were added, it became a pleasant shade of pink. 

The end result was a creamy, sweet fudge with a nice blend of tartness from the dried cherries. After tasting the mixture while cooking, I opted for the almond extract. I highly recommend using it to flavor the fudge. It really compliments the cherries.

 Try it and let me know what you think!

Black Cherry Fudge

Ingredients

1/4 cup Black Cherry Juice 

Evaporated Canned Milk

1-1/2 cups Granulated Sugar

2 Tablespoons Butter 

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Red powdered Food Coloring

1/2 tsp Vanilla or Almond Extract

1-1/2 cups (9 oz) White Chocolate chips

2 cups (4 oz) Mini-Marshmallows

3/4 cup Dried Cherries

1/2 cup Slivered Blanched Almonds

Instructions:

Begin by preparing an 8x8" pan by generously rubbing the bottom and sides with butter.

Chop cherries into fine pieces. 

Mix together with slivered almonds in a small bowl; Set aside.

In a measuring cup, pour cherry juice to measure 1/4 cup. 

Add evaporated canned milk to the cherry juice to measure 2/3 cup. 

Stir in food color.

Pour into a 2 quart saucepan. 

Add butter,sugar and salt; stirring continuously

 over medium heat until mixture starts to boil.

When the mixture begins to boil, stir constantly for 6-8 minutes.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in vanilla or almond extract, mini-marshmallows,

 and white chocolate chips until completely melted. Stir in cherries and almonds.

Pour into  prepared pan, and allow to cool completely.

Cut into squares and enjoy.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Recipe and Photos by Jacque Benson

2012 all rights reserved
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Let's Call it even!-Strategies for Baking Even Cake Layers

One thing I love as a baker is when the layers come out of the oven, not only

evenly baked, but level too!

Through the years, from here and there, I have picked up a few great tips 

for baking those even layers.  Through teachers, books, the internet and even Mom, I

have garnered a few tips along the way.
Hopefully these tips may help you become a happy baker too!

I start by cutting parchment paper to fit the inside of the pan. Using parchment paper helps keep the bottom of cake from baking too dark a crust, releasing the cake from the pan very easily.

Directions Here
for correctly cutting parchment liners.

Another tool I use is Baking Strips.
Before mixing the batter, just soak the strips in water for about 1/2 hour, then wring out excess water.  These will be wrapped around the perimeter of the pan and will help to bake very even layers without humps.

The third baking tool that is essential for even baking is a heating core, especially when the cake pan measures 10" or more.

There are two type methods to ensure even baking in the center of your cake layer.

The first way uses a commerical heating core. 

You can find these anywhere that sells Wilton supplies.

1.  Prepare the pan and the heating core by either greasing the bottom and sides with vegetable shortening, then flouring the sides lightly;   (or spray the bottom and sides with a prepared baking spray, such as Bake Easy, Baker's Joy with Flour, Baking Pam with Flour.)

2.Place a precut parchment paper over the bottom of pan. Grease or Spray the parchment paper lightly and place the prepared (greased and floured) heating core in the center of the pan.

 3. Wrap the pan with damp Baking Strips, and secure with pin.

 4. Pour the batter into your pan evenly, as well as into the heating core.

The second way to add a heating core to your pan is to use

an inverted stainless steel Flower Nail.

 1. Grease and flour pan...or spray with Baking Spray.

 2. Push Flower nail into the center of precut parchment paper.

 3. Place on bottom of pan, and lightly grease or spray parchment paper and flower nail.

 

4. Pour the batter evenly in pan, already prepared with secured dampened baking strip.

 5. Bake the cake layers in oven, leaving plenty of space for even baking air flow.

No matter what the recipe says, for the average cake, I check at 28 minutes. 

Most cakes are fully baked with the 28-30 minute time frame, depending on the size and depth of the pan, as well as the density of the recipe.

 6. When cake layers are fully baked, remove from oven onto a baking rack.

After about 5 minutes, remove the heating core by lifting out of the center.

 Cover the pans with waxed paper and invert onto baking rack to cool completely.

 Once the layer is inverted, lift the flower nail from the center.

The parchment paper enables the removal without destroying the center of the layer.

 Allow the layers to cool completely. See how beautifully even they are?

 Place the cake from the heating core in the center, then cut even with

the height of the layer.

This is a german chocolate cake.

Once completely cooled,it will be filled with coconut pecan filling.

No leveling needed, nor humps cut from the middle.

 

Once filled, it was iced with a milk chocolate ganache.

After chilling well, the cake was glazed with a bittersweet ganache.

So by adding a few steps at the beginning, 

I was able to eliminate a few messy steps before stacking the cake!

Happy Baking!

Tutorial and Photos
by
Jacque Benson
2011
All Rights Reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Butter Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt ( omit if using salted butter)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 drops orange oil 

2 cups+2 Tblsp all purpose flour

1/3 cup finely ground pecans or almonds

Large Gumdrops ( discard the black )

Colored Sanding sugar

With an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugar. Beat in egg. 

Add vanilla and orange oil. Gradually mix in flour.

Mix ground almonds with confectioners sugar. Add to dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well for easier handling.

If when rolling or cutting with cookie the dough becomes too soft, simply chill for about 10 minutes.

When ready to roll out, divide dough into 4 pieces. 

Place between sheets of wax paper and roll very thin, about 1/8".

 

Remove the top sheet of wax paper.

Using a 3" Blossom cookie cutter, cut Flower shaped cookies.

Lift away excess dough, gathering scraps. 

Wrap unused dough in plastic wrap and keep chilled, 

repeating process until all dough is used.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

 Flip cookies onto parchment paper and gently remove wax paper.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.

While cookies are baking, cut gumdrops

horizontally about 3/4 way down using clean scissors.

 

Place the gumdrops cut side down on plastic wrap.

Set aside.

When edges of the cookies become a golden brown,

remove from oven and slide parchment with cookies onto a cooling rack.

Immediately place the gumdrops, cut side down, in the center of the cookies.

 While still warm, sprinkle the perimeter of the cookies with 

a colored sanding sugar. I chose pink.

 Remove from parchment paper with a spatula onto a cooling rack

and cool completely.

 Arrange on a pretty plate and enjoy the glittering cookies.

You know how fairies love sparkly things and sweets, so leave

a few out for them tonight too!

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson

Copyright 2011

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.