Tina's Tuesday Tip: Use Mayo!

Today's tip is quick and simple: instead of using vegetable oil in a cake recipe, use mayonnaise! This will result in a lighter texture for your cake, and you won't taste a difference. For a healthier substitution, you can substitute vegetable oil for applesauce, but hey... it's a chEAT day ;) so go big or go home. And FYI: there's no substitute for chocolate!!!

Do you have a favorite baking substitution?

Train Cakes & Cookie Pops

My son turned 3 last week! We'll call him "CURLY". He has several loves: his family, his friends, his bike, Spiderman, Barney & Trains. We used to live just a few feet away from train tracks that were used VERY often. Since he was born, he loved hearing the train blow it's horn and would run outside to watch it go by. So this year we had a Thomas the Tank Engine themed party. The invitations, the hats, the decor, and of course the cakes and cookies. We even had a Thomas tank engine and cars running around the cake the whole time (did you notice he's carrying mini cupcakes :).

The 3D train cake was a blondie with cream cheese frosting and lots of candy accents. The round cake was an imposter, it was a fake left over from fondant practice. The mini cupcakes were chocoholics.

The cookie pops were "thanks for 'choo-choo' choosing to come" party favors. It was a great party with great friends and family. I love my "CURLY"!

Tina's Tuesday Tip: Turn Dessert into Decor!

Lots of people have been asking about using my chEAT treats to enhance their party theme.

I figure, if you're going to have dessert anyway, why not tie it into the theme and save yourself some time, effort and expense by customizing your goodies.

On the left, you'll see custom chEAT day treats. I've got Spiderman, Sports, Dresses, Rattles, Lei's, Graduation Caps, Roses, Twilight, and so many more... the possibilities are endless.

Here's chEAT day's latest dessert turned decor. It was for a 1st birthday summer themed party. This was 3 chocoholic cakes with cream cheese frosting. The island on top was removable smash cake for the little man of the hour with crushed nilla wafers as sand. I used oreo straws, gum and M&M's for the coconut trees, and the surfboard being washed onto shore is an airhead with twizzlers and frosting. TIP: Next time you're in the candy/snack aisle use your imagination as to what you could morph those into. And if you're imagination fails you... "google it" ;)

Do you have any favorite themes you'd like to see... and taste? Or let me see some of your creations and feature them here!

Twilight Cupcakes

So... what is it? You know, the ultimate question:

TEAM EDWARD or TEAM JACOB?

Made for a 12 year old girl's birthday party, I thought I'd need to ask her mother if the vampire fangs with blood oozing out was too gruesome, her response was "oooooh she'd LOVE that!" The second layer had red sprinkles to represent the vampires, and white sparkles to represent Edward glistening in the sun (oh yeah, I'm a twilight-er!). And black forks holding up "Team Edward" like vampire fangs.

On Jacob's side we've got brown sprinkles to represent the forest the wolves roam in. We've got wolf prints on the second layer. And pretzel sticks proudly holding up "Team Jacob".

Based on the books, are you on Team Edward or Team Jacob? Now, same question based on these cupcakes!

Absentmindedness

Some things will never change I tell you. For those of you don't know me well I don't have the best memory. No, I didn't forget anyone's order... right? LOL, I just forgot to take pictures of a cute Mother's Day order.

It was perfect. 5 sugar cookie bouquets with 3 cookies each: a sunflower, a tulip, a daisy. All unique, and might I add tasty! They were in their own planter pots with colored paper decorating the stick bases. Oh how I wish I took pictures... I guess if you really want to know what they looked like you'll have to order them yourself ;)

Tina's Tuesday Tip: Resourcefullness = Greatness

Before starting chEAT day I spent countless hours creating the perfect recipes with the perfect frosting combinations. I have to admit, since then, I've been so busy filling your wonderful orders, I haven't created anything new for a while.

My latest pairing is called: Strawberry Covered Chocolate. I got a last minute request for a birthday cake due the next day and I promised to throw something together. The problem was that I didn't have the ingredients to make a new batch of frosting. Luckily I had a batch of strawberry cream cheese frosting in the fridge so I baked up a chocoholic cake real quick, lathered on the delicious frosting inside and out, garnished with chocolate covered strawberries added a few sprinkles and voila! a masterpiece was created.

I of course made a few testers and my response was "honey, have you tried my cupcakes, they're amazing!" he laughed and responded "they always are". Gotta love Mother's Day!

So where's the tip? Use what you've got, {sometimes} a masterpiece may be on the horizon!

*please ignore the terrible picture, my lack of photography skills were even worse late Mother's Day evening

Strawberry Blonde Cake

Who says you need a special occasion? So often people say to me, "I'm trying to figure out a reason to order for chEAT day." My response is always, "you don't need a reason, order 'cause it's Tuesday!"

This cake was for an awesome couple just because. When I let them know it was ready to be picked up, they said they were in an movie and would be by afterward. I was floored, it was mid-afternoon on a Saturday and they were at a movie... ah the life before kids! {FYI: I love my kids!} They are such a sweet couple and I picture them re-enacting their wedding cake ceremony from their wedding with this cake. {LOL, I hope it was a little messy too}

They reported back that they were planning on waiting 'till the next day to eat it, but got too tempted and dug right in. Hope you enjoyed it guys!

Tina's Tuesday Tip: Wax Paper

I want to start off with a warm welcome all the Utah Deal Divettes to chEAT day! Tuesdays are tip days and for today's tip I wanted to share one of my favorite baking tools... wax paper. I always have a roll or two on hand, because really there is no substitute in my book. Here's a quick list of chEAT day's wax paper cheats. And for all you deal diva's out there, I have noticed no difference between the name brand and store brand, so save on sisters!

-no crumbly cakes: to prevent your cake from sticking, cut wax paper to the size of the bottom of your pan. after you release your cake from the pan, just peel off the wax paper, let cool and decorate!

-cookie monster: roll out your favorite sugar cookie dough onto wax paper to prevent sticking (a little flour will help). this will also make for a less messy clean-up

-line up: line your baking sheet with wax paper to prevent any cookie from sticking to the pan, and an easier time washing dishes :)

-chocolate cure: when chilling melted chocolate (like for chocolate dipped strawberries), place the treat on wax paper for an easy release

anyone else have a wax paper tip?

Sweet as a Cupcake 1st Birthday

Is there really a better party theme than "Sweet as a Cupcake"?!?!

This amazing order consisted of:

*300 mini cupcakes

*2 giant cupcake smash cakes

*60 cupcake sugar cookie pops

The party was decorated amazingly with cupcake decor through and through. It was basically cupcake heaven for me, looooved it! This little "sweetie" was definitely sweet as a cupcake.

Isn't She Lovely Tiered Cake

This cake was actually for my own daughter's first birthday. Every layer was a different flavor with different types frosting. (Chocoholic with cream cheese frosting, blondie with marshmallow fondant, guava with filling and whipped topping) There was even a personal cupcake topper for my baby girl.

Baby Rattle Cake and Cupcakes

I can't believe I haven't posted these treats yet! These were for my favorite cutie's baby shower. I love how they turned out with the lollipop handles and ribbon bows. They were outside on a warm summer day which literally made these melt in your mouth!!! Shake, rattle and roll!

Graduation Luau Cupcakes

It's that time of year, congratulate your graduates!

This was a wonderfully busy week. I received an order for a graduation luau. I thought graduation=graduation caps, luau=lei's, and chEAT day=celebration.

Aloooooooha and Mahalo!

I also made 150 of these graduation cap cupcakes for a workshop to education teenagers how to apply for and obtain scholarships. I was so happy to help inspire young people to further their education without hindering their wallets.