Thursday, December 29, 2016

Ellis Turns One!


Boy it has been a ridiculously busy Fall and Winter. Between residency interview season and the holidays, time has flown by---I can't believe Christmas is already gone and we are only 2 days away from 2017. Well, just as fast as this season has passed, it feels like just yesterday that Dulce and Luis hosted their Little Man baby shower. Yep, that's right! Their little man is now one! Sweet, adorable, and stylish, he makes everybody want one just like him (and since you're probably wondering right now, no, we're not there yet 😉). And of course, another Rodriguez party means incredible style and decor. Dulce worked her magic again--this time with a woodlands theme. Check out that pallet backboard they put together! I was enlisted to help with the dessert spread (cupcakes and cake-pops). 




My goal for the night was to make deer and fox cake pops. As you can probably tell from the picture, the fox cake pops didn't make it; but I was able to turn them into these little owls instead! (Tutorial below)


The salted caramel mocha cupcakes were once again a hit. Darla from Bakingdom really has a winner recipe. It has been my go-to cupcake recipe for years--perfect for pretty much all occasions. 


Their cupcake size made them perfect for a cake smash. Ellis though they were pretty darn yummy too. 
We can't forget about these cute little strawberry marshmallow mushrooms and moose munch Dulce made! 
It was pretty amazing any of this actually made it into the mason jars. Just imagine fresh popcorn coated in a warm ooey gooey caramel and tossed with nuts and chocolate--impossible to resist eating straight off the pan. 
This gorgeous cake was from Sugar Bee Cafe in downtown Redlands. It was both beautiful and so moist and delicious. I highly recommend trying out their bakery if you are ever in the area. 



Happy birthday to our favorite little guy Ellis <3!


Owl and Deer Cake Pops

Yield: 36 cake pops
Cook time: 30 minutes
Decorating time: 3 hours

Ingredients:
1 box cake mix and ingredients listed on box to make 1 cake
1/2 can frosting
1 bags white candy melts
1 bag candy melts, color of choice (we used orange in this case and used food coloring to make the blue-grey color for the deer)
Food coloring of choice
3 plastic sandwich bags
Foam/cardboard to hold cake pop sticks
72 chocolate chips
Brown Sprinkles
36 cake pop sticks

Instructions:

  1. Bake cake according to instructions on box and let cool
  2. Once cooled, using a fork, crumble entire cake into a bowl
  3. Mix in 1/2 can frosting until throughly combined. At this point you should be able to press and roll a cake ball. If your cake ball is not sticking and is too crumbly, add a little more frosting until you get the desired consistency. 
  4. Shape half the cake dough into round, slightly oval shaped balls to create owls. Shape the other half into round balls, pinching one end slightly to create the deer heads. 
  5. Melt white candy melts according to melting instructions on bag (I usually microwave on 1/2 power for 20-30 second intervals stirring in between until desired consistency is reached. )If you overheat the melts, they will harden and crumble (you can add a teaspoon of vegetable oil or shortening to it to return it to its original consistency). 
  6. Dip chocolate chips into candy melt and glue the chocolate chips onto each of the owl bodies and deer heads to make ears.
  7. Next dip a cake pop stick into melted candy and insert stick into the bottom of the owl body/deer head. Allow candy to dry to secure cake to stick before proceeding (about 5 minutes).
  8. For the owl bodies, dip entire cake pop into white melted candy tapping stick lightly after each dip to remove excess candy. Allow 5-10 minutes for candy to dry prior to proceeding to next step. 
  9. Next melt your second candy color (orange in this case). Dip each owl body in the orange candy melt at a diagonal on each side to make the owl wings
  10. Using a plastic bag with the corner snipped, pipe a scalloped design on the front of the owl body between wings. Using a larger cut bag, pipe eyes and beak. 
  11. Repeat process with deer heads. I used brown sprinkles to make antlers and piped a line down from the antler to the nose using the same shade of candy melt. Draw on or pipe eyes and nose as desired. 
Keep covered to store.


2 comments:

  1. Man how beautifully you have planned and decorated his first birthday, everything is so perfect and looks amazing. This little kid is blessed with the best I must say

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Wish I could take the credit but his parents take the cake on that one.

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