My 8-Year-Old's Birthday Cake

Once I get an idea for a cake, I am usually far to ambitious for my own good.  I've made a Lego Darth Maul, Girly Skull and Crossbones, Cornucopia, etc. (check out my Totally Baked page on flickr).  My son's birthday cake is no exception.  Last year, he wanted a Mario Brother's theme. I searched the internet for the inspiration I needed, then came up with my own design in the end. 

This year, it was all about baseball! I wanted a 3-D cake incorporating a baseball diamond, a big bat and a baseball on top.  Here's what I came up with...

The base cake is 12x12 inch chocolate cake with buttercream frosting.  The bat was so fun! I started by making it with Rice Krispie treats and it literally fell off off the support.  So I molded it from modeling chocolate and that seemed to work out well.  The baseball is good-old yellow cake with buttercream.  I would love to give you all my tried and true recipes, but I cheated this time.  Box cake mixes (always add an extra egg!), and store-bought buttercream.  (Shhh! No one knew.)

I have to admit, Wilton's buttercream frosting is absolutely delicious and no matter how many times I make homemade, my hubby always likes this one better.  I did make the modeling chocolate, which is super easy and tastes like a Tootsie Roll. 

10 oz chocolate (any kind will work - chips, discs, baking, even almond bark)

1/3 cup light corn syrup

Melt the chocolate and stir in the corn syrup. It will become crumbly and strange looking - then leave it loosly covered with plastic wrap overnight. The next day it will be very hard. Put it in the microwave for just a few seconds (10 or so) and then you can knead it, roll it out, sculpt with it, cover a cake with it - whatever!

...now I'm in the mood for cuppies. Stay tuned!

Butterscotch Scones

Wikipedia states that two-thirds of the British population pronounce these little cakes as "scon," rhyming with "con" and "John," with the preference rising to 99% in the Scottish population. The rest pronounce it as rhyming with "cone" and "Joan." So, I ask you, "What happens to a little cake once you eat it?"  The answer, of course: "It scone."  (Only funny during afternoon tea, or if you happen to be wearing a kilt.) 

I happen to live in Illinois and I say scone rhymes with cone, although my husband says it rhymes with "Jockey Luck."  I proved him wrong with these little beauties! The recipe is from "The Modern Baker" (which is ironic considering Wikipedia also states that scones may date as far back as 1513).  The only thing I changed from the recipe below, is to add butterscotch chips for extra flavor.  When I took them out of the oven, they were perfect. I tried one while it was still warm and it melted in my mouth. It was not dry at all.  My husband tasted one and the words "hockey puck" did not part from his lips again! 

The reviews were raving: "These don't need any butter, they are perfect."  "The texture is devine."  ...I will definitely be making these often.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold salted butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, light cream or half-and-half
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1.  Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. (200 C)
2.  Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to mix.
3.  Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is mealy
4.  Whisk the eggs and cream together and add them. Pulse several times to mix, but not until the mixture forms a ball
5.  Invert the bowl onto a floured work surface and carefully remove the blade.  Fold the dough over on itself several times to give it a final mixing.
6.  Use a bench scraper or a knife to divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Pat each piece of dough into a disk about 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter.  Use a floured bench scraper or a knife to cut each disk into 4 wedges.
7.  Arrange the scones on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment, keeping them about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) apart all around.  Bake the scones until they are well risen, firm to the touch, and a deep golden color, about 15 minutes.