Copycat Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies

When I was a kid, I used to love Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies.

I used to pride myself in elementary school for being such a good “sharer” since I was an only child.  However, apparently sharing doesn’t count when it comes to Mother’s cookies.

One of my friends had to stay at my house in 4th grade for a week because her mom was having surgery.  My mom packed our lunches in the morning, and when I got to lunch, my friend had Mother’s cookies in her lunchbox and I did not.

I was so mad that I didn’t talk to my friend the rest of the day… as if it was her fault that my mom packed her the cookies.

So, moral of the story=Mother’s cookies are too good to share, so make sure you have enough.  And if you don’t have enough, you can now make them!

For the recipe, click here: Dessert First Girl.

These are so good.  I brought them to my nieces and they devoured them.

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, but make sure you check back to read my next post because I have a super cute Easter recipe for you guys and an awesome surprise. 🙂

What was the one snack you wouldn’t share as a kid?

Guest Post

Tom, the article manager over at www.a-crock-cook.com/, sent me an article about different types of frosting/icing to post on my blog.  I don’t know about you, but I sometimes have a hard time differentiating between what frosting to use on what pastry.  Not anymore!
You should go check out the site!  Lot’s of good crock pot recipes! 🙂  The dessert section is obviously my favorite. 

The Secret of Perfect Icing

Whether we are making a devil’s food cake or cupcakes, the best finish to our handiwork has to be perfect icing. Indeed, the expression “the icing on the cake” more than sums up the importance of decorating cakes. Without it, the cake would taste very boring and it certainly wouldn’t look as good. Icing, or frosting, comes in many varieties and colors and you can vary it each time you bake.

One of the most interesting varieties has to be http://www.cupcake-creations.com/cupcake-icing-recipes.html as this determines the style of the whole cake. Putting the icing on a cupcake is an intricate art form and it is what has made these little cakes so popular. In fact, exclusive cupcake bakeries and cafes have opened based upon the many kinds of http://www.cupcake-creations.com/cupcake-decorations.html that they have on offer. 

Let’s take a look at the different kinds of icing that exist and what they are made from. They are good for any kind of cake, both large and small.

• Marzipan – This sweet icing is made from sugar and almond meal, and some varieties contain a hint of rosewater. Marzipan is also traditionally used to create confectionery and candies in its own right. However, it is used to cover Battenberg cake – a sponge cake with a two-colored check pattern – and Prinsesstarta – a Swedish cake containing layers of cake, whipped cream, jelly, and pastry cream.

• Fondant icing – This is used to decorate wedding cakes, and it is made from gelatin, glycerin, and sugar. Alternatively, it can be made from powdered sugar and melted marshmallows. Other flavorings, such as chocolate or lemon, are also added. The advantage of using fondant is that it is very smooth – hence its use in wedding cakes. It has recently become extremely popular in home use.

•  Buttercream – This comes in several varieties. The simplest kind is made from butter, margarine, or shortening, creamed in with powdered sugar. Eggs and milk may also be added, along with flavorings according to taste. This kind of buttercream is the sweetest and easiest to make. However, if you would like meringue buttercream, you may want to add some sugar syrup (made from heating sugar and water together) to whipped egg whites and whip this mixture together till it has cooled to 100F. Another variation is French buttercream, which is made like the above recipe, but with egg yolks instead of whites. Then, once the sugar syrup and egg yolks have cooled down and made a light foam, butter and flavorings are added. This makes a rich, smooth, light icing. Use this kind of buttercream for plain icing rather than for decorations.

• Royal Icing – this is made from beaten egg whites, confectioner’s sugar, and a drop of lemon juice. This is used as a smooth covering or as a decorative icing. It’s great if you want to make shapes, such as flowers or figures. Add some glycerin to prevent it from setting too hard. If you are a little nervous of using fresh eggs, substitute for meringue powder instead.

Guest Post

Tom, the article manager over at www.a-crock-cook.com/, sent me an article about different types of frosting/icing to post on my blog.  I don’t know about you, but I sometimes have a hard time differentiating between what frosting to use on what pastry.  Not anymore!
You should go check out the site!  Lot’s of good crock pot recipes! 🙂  The dessert section is obviously my favorite. 

The Secret of Perfect Icing

Whether we are making a devil’s food cake or cupcakes, the best finish to our handiwork has to be perfect icing. Indeed, the expression “the icing on the cake” more than sums up the importance of decorating cakes. Without it, the cake would taste very boring and it certainly wouldn’t look as good. Icing, or frosting, comes in many varieties and colors and you can vary it each time you bake.

One of the most interesting varieties has to be http://www.cupcake-creations.com/cupcake-icing-recipes.html as this determines the style of the whole cake. Putting the icing on a cupcake is an intricate art form and it is what has made these little cakes so popular. In fact, exclusive cupcake bakeries and cafes have opened based upon the many kinds of http://www.cupcake-creations.com/cupcake-decorations.html that they have on offer. 

Let’s take a look at the different kinds of icing that exist and what they are made from. They are good for any kind of cake, both large and small.

• Marzipan – This sweet icing is made from sugar and almond meal, and some varieties contain a hint of rosewater. Marzipan is also traditionally used to create confectionery and candies in its own right. However, it is used to cover Battenberg cake – a sponge cake with a two-colored check pattern – and Prinsesstarta – a Swedish cake containing layers of cake, whipped cream, jelly, and pastry cream.

• Fondant icing – This is used to decorate wedding cakes, and it is made from gelatin, glycerin, and sugar. Alternatively, it can be made from powdered sugar and melted marshmallows. Other flavorings, such as chocolate or lemon, are also added. The advantage of using fondant is that it is very smooth – hence its use in wedding cakes. It has recently become extremely popular in home use.

•  Buttercream – This comes in several varieties. The simplest kind is made from butter, margarine, or shortening, creamed in with powdered sugar. Eggs and milk may also be added, along with flavorings according to taste. This kind of buttercream is the sweetest and easiest to make. However, if you would like meringue buttercream, you may want to add some sugar syrup (made from heating sugar and water together) to whipped egg whites and whip this mixture together till it has cooled to 100F. Another variation is French buttercream, which is made like the above recipe, but with egg yolks instead of whites. Then, once the sugar syrup and egg yolks have cooled down and made a light foam, butter and flavorings are added. This makes a rich, smooth, light icing. Use this kind of buttercream for plain icing rather than for decorations.

• Royal Icing – this is made from beaten egg whites, confectioner’s sugar, and a drop of lemon juice. This is used as a smooth covering or as a decorative icing. It’s great if you want to make shapes, such as flowers or figures. Add some glycerin to prevent it from setting too hard. If you are a little nervous of using fresh eggs, substitute for meringue powder instead.

Iced Pumpkin Bundt Cake

So, I love fall, but I froze my butt off today.

I’m a wimp when it comes to “cold” weather.

I don’t know how many people came into the store today saying “Oh, isn’t it just beautiful outside?”

I’m sorry, Miss, but no, it is 55 degrees outside and unless you have a space heater in your purse, I cannot agree with you.  Thanks for asking, though, have a nice day!
 
I wasn’t sure if I would look silly walking out of the house with a winter coat, gloves, a hat, and a scarf on today or not, so I opted for not.  

Luckily, I got to do my favorite thing EVER before it got too cold.  (P.S. it was probably 60 degrees when I did this and I still had a scarf on.  I’m a big baby.)

Any guesses??

Now any guesses?!

Ahh, I love decorating for Halloween.  🙂  (Sorry for the crappy photos!)

 Isn’t it cute?! 🙂

After doing that, I figured it was necessary to bake something fall-ish, so I made this delicious, moist, sweet, spice-infused Pumpkin Bundt Cake!  I made it with a powdered sugar glaze, but mom apparently thought it also needed cream cheese frosting, so she made some just for her piece.  (And I wonder why I’m addicted to sugar).

If you aren’t crazy like us, the powdered sugar glaze is plenty.

Whisk together ingredients in separate bowls.

Beat butter and sugar, add the eggs.

Add the two mixtures, alternating between the two.

 Put it in the oven until it looks like this!

 Yummmm!

Iced Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Adapted from: Dinner with Kirsten
(Hers is so pretty! Check it out)

For cake:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin – you’ll need a 15-ounce can (not the whole thing though)
3/4 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
For icing:
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons well-shaken buttermilk (I used regular milk.  I don’t like the taste of buttermilk)
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Special equipment: a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan – but I’d love to try this as cupcakes, also
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bundt can with cooking spray, then dust with flour and knock out the excess.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt in a bowl.
Stir together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.
Beat 1 1/2 sticks butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.
Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Then bake  about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Then place rack over cake and flip the cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.
For icing:
While cake is cooling, whisk together milk and powdered sugar.  Wait until the cake is cool and then drizzle icing over cake.

Iced Pumpkin Bundt Cake

So, I love fall, but I froze my butt off today.

I’m a wimp when it comes to “cold” weather.

I don’t know how many people came into the store today saying “Oh, isn’t it just beautiful outside?”

I’m sorry, Miss, but no, it is 55 degrees outside and unless you have a space heater in your purse, I cannot agree with you.  Thanks for asking, though, have a nice day!
 
I wasn’t sure if I would look silly walking out of the house with a winter coat, gloves, a hat, and a scarf on today or not, so I opted for not.  

Luckily, I got to do my favorite thing EVER before it got too cold.  (P.S. it was probably 60 degrees when I did this and I still had a scarf on.  I’m a big baby.)

Any guesses??

Now any guesses?!

Ahh, I love decorating for Halloween.  🙂  (Sorry for the crappy photos!)

 Isn’t it cute?! 🙂

After doing that, I figured it was necessary to bake something fall-ish, so I made this delicious, moist, sweet, spice-infused Pumpkin Bundt Cake!  I made it with a powdered sugar glaze, but mom apparently thought it also needed cream cheese frosting, so she made some just for her piece.  (And I wonder why I’m addicted to sugar).

If you aren’t crazy like us, the powdered sugar glaze is plenty.

Whisk together ingredients in separate bowls.

Beat butter and sugar, add the eggs.

Add the two mixtures, alternating between the two.

 Put it in the oven until it looks like this!

 Yummmm!

Iced Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Adapted from: Dinner with Kirsten
(Hers is so pretty! Check it out)

For cake:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin – you’ll need a 15-ounce can (not the whole thing though)
3/4 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
For icing:
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons well-shaken buttermilk (I used regular milk.  I don’t like the taste of buttermilk)
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
Special equipment: a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan – but I’d love to try this as cupcakes, also
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bundt can with cooking spray, then dust with flour and knock out the excess.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt in a bowl.
Stir together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.
Beat 1 1/2 sticks butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.
Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Then bake  about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes. Then place rack over cake and flip the cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.
For icing:
While cake is cooling, whisk together milk and powdered sugar.  Wait until the cake is cool and then drizzle icing over cake.

Addicting, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookies (With Sprinkles)

I am nicknaming these cookies Birthday Cookies, because a) They have sprinkles in them, b) I made them for a birthday, and c) Birthday’s are an excuse to overeat sweets, and that is exactly what I did.

I didn’t plan on eating these until my stomach hurt, but I had to try them in every form.

Every form? What does that mean?

Well it means:

Form 1) Cookie dough. 
Form 2) Right out of the oven.
Form 3) Right out of the oven, with icing.
Form 4) Cooled, plain.
Form 5) Cooled, with icing.
Form 6) Ice cream sandwich.

Verdict:  This cookie is amazing.  The dough is just as addicting as the cookies and the warm cookies are just as addicting the warm cookies with icing and…well, you get the picture.  They’re addicting and absolutely delicious.  Like Ree said on her site, they just melt in your mouth and I cannot be trusted around them.

I would like to thank my stomach for stretching to it’s full capacity for me to be able to enjoy these cookies in as many forms as possible. 

These are not the kind of sugar cookies that are meant for icing, but sometimes I can’t restrain myself from making things as sweet as possible.

Cream together the liquids.

Do that until they’re fluffy.

Then switch out your Kitchen Aid attachment and add the rest of the ingredients JUST until combined.

Then put in those yummy little sprinkles.

Flatten them with a cup dipped in sugar.  Obviously my cup was too small.

Bake them until they look like this.

And this.

And this.

And this.

And then ice them until they look like this.

Then try and stop taking pictures of them.  Good luck.  Sprinkles just make things so cute!

Birthday Cookies
You may want to halve the recipe, it makes quite a bit.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 1 cup Canola Oil
• 2 sticks Butter, Softened
• 1 cup Sugar, Plus Extra For Sprinkling
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 cups Plus 2 Tablespoons, All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Cream Of Tartar 
• *Optional: 1/2 cup sprinkles
• *Optional:  Icing

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together eggs, oil, butter, sugars, and vanilla.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate dough one hour.
Using a cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Smear a dab of butter all over the bottom of a glass, then dip the glass in granulated sugar. Use the glass to flatten each ball of dough, dipping again into the sugar each time. Repeat until all are flattened.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies are just barely turning brown. Don’t overbrown!
Allow to cool before eating. Cookies are ultra crumbly, so they are hard to ice, if you plan on icing them.

Addicting, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookies (With Sprinkles)

I am nicknaming these cookies Birthday Cookies, because a) They have sprinkles in them, b) I made them for a birthday, and c) Birthday’s are an excuse to overeat sweets, and that is exactly what I did.

I didn’t plan on eating these until my stomach hurt, but I had to try them in every form.

Every form? What does that mean?

Well it means:

Form 1) Cookie dough. 
Form 2) Right out of the oven.
Form 3) Right out of the oven, with icing.
Form 4) Cooled, plain.
Form 5) Cooled, with icing.
Form 6) Ice cream sandwich.

Verdict:  This cookie is amazing.  The dough is just as addicting as the cookies and the warm cookies are just as addicting the warm cookies with icing and…well, you get the picture.  They’re addicting and absolutely delicious.  Like Ree said on her site, they just melt in your mouth and I cannot be trusted around them.

I would like to thank my stomach for stretching to it’s full capacity for me to be able to enjoy these cookies in as many forms as possible. 

These are not the kind of sugar cookies that are meant for icing, but sometimes I can’t restrain myself from making things as sweet as possible.

Cream together the liquids.

Do that until they’re fluffy.

Then switch out your Kitchen Aid attachment and add the rest of the ingredients JUST until combined.

Then put in those yummy little sprinkles.

Flatten them with a cup dipped in sugar.  Obviously my cup was too small.

Bake them until they look like this.

And this.

And this.

And this.

And then ice them until they look like this.

Then try and stop taking pictures of them.  Good luck.  Sprinkles just make things so cute!

Birthday Cookies
You may want to halve the recipe, it makes quite a bit.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 1 cup Canola Oil
• 2 sticks Butter, Softened
• 1 cup Sugar, Plus Extra For Sprinkling
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 4 cups Plus 2 Tablespoons, All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Cream Of Tartar 
• *Optional: 1/2 cup sprinkles
• *Optional:  Icing

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together eggs, oil, butter, sugars, and vanilla.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate dough one hour.
Using a cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Smear a dab of butter all over the bottom of a glass, then dip the glass in granulated sugar. Use the glass to flatten each ball of dough, dipping again into the sugar each time. Repeat until all are flattened.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies are just barely turning brown. Don’t overbrown!
Allow to cool before eating. Cookies are ultra crumbly, so they are hard to ice, if you plan on icing them.