February 3, 2010

Icing on the Cake

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When choosing the design of your unique wedding cake, one of the choices to make is the type and color of frosting.

As you begin the process of designing your unique wedding cake, you will have some choices to make.  The exterior of the cake is just as important as the inside texture and flavors.  A reputable bakery should give you a list of icing options, and help you identify which icing will be best for your design.  Grocery store bakeries will give you limited options in this area.  It is very helpful to do a bit of research prior to meeting with your baker.

Rolled fondant cakes on display at Caffè Victoria.

Here are the standard icing to choose from:

Simple (Decorating) Buttercream. Made of butter or shortening, or both, confectioners’ sugar, flavoring and milk or cream to modify its consistency.  It is commonly used on all cakes.  It finishes fairly smooth on the outside of a cake.  All buttercreams can be made chocolate flavored with relative ease.  I like to use both cocoa and ganache (melted chocolate and heavy cream) in my chocolate buttercream.  It has a rich, fudgy taste.

Vanillla buttercream with chocolate buttercream piping.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream. This is a cooked icing which has a sophisticated taste.  It is made with a significant amount of butter, egg whites, which are cooked in the preparation, granulated sugar and flavoring.   Commonly, liqueur is used to cut into the butter flavor. This icing is not recommend for a child’s birthday cake. This icing gives a fairly smooth finish on a cake exterior.

French Buttercream. Another cooked icing, made from granulated sugar, milk or cream, butter, a bit of flour and flavoring.  This icing has a delicious flavor. It makes a wonderful filling and is suitable for a birthday cake.

Royal Icing. Made from egg whites, or meringue powder with water, confectioners’ sugar and flavoring.  I use this icing for decorating and creating firm finished flowers and decorations on fondant covered cakes.  This icing is commonly used for sugar cookies.  We use royal icing in varied consistencies to create desired effects.  Royal icing will dry completely hard, and makes an excellent “glue” for creating gingerbread houses.  This icing should not be used when the exterior of a cake is iced in buttercream.  Royal icing is easily tinted with color gels.

iced sugar cookies, with royal icing and sprinkles.

Rolled Fondant. Formal in its appearance, fondant has revolutionized cake decorating in the last decade.  If only they could revolutionize its flavor.  Lack of butter in fondant relates to its lack of depth in flavor.  Fondant is made from corn syrup, gelatin and confectioners’ sugar.  Chocolate fondant can be created by adding unsweetened cocoa and chocolate liqueur to the basic white fondant.  Fondant takes food coloring gels readily and evenly.  This is a great option for cover cakes ultra-smooth, and to create artwork on wedding and specialty cakes.  You can expect you cake to cost more from most bakeries if you opt for rolled fondant over buttercream.

It is most helpful to have a picture of your design to share with the baker.  A skilled baker can create your cake from a picture or sketch.  Having a picture is a good way to avoid any issues of ambiguity and dissatisfaction in the final creation.  A picture is work a thousand words, right?

 

February 2, 2010

Makin’ Whoopie! (Pies)

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Whoopie pies.

With Valentine’s Day less than two weeks away, here’s an idea for a yummy, funny and a little sexy dessert that you can make.  The flavors are sure to please and the name is just plain whimsical.  Wooooo-peeeee!  Maybe you’ve heard the old song?

Another bride Another June
Another sunny honey moon
another season, another reason
for makin’ whoopie

Alot of shoes, alot of rice
the groom is nervous. he answers twice
its so Killin that he’s so willin’
To make whoopie

Picture a little love nest
down where the roses cling
picture the same sweet love nest
Think what a year can bring

He’s washing dishes and baby cloths
He’s so ambitious he even sows
but don’t forget folks that’s what you get folks
for makin’ whoopie…

Perhaps these whoopie pies will inspire love in your life…

Dark cocoa gives these whoopie pies a rich chocolaty flavor.

Dark Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Cake:

  • 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 1/4  cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

Sift together:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups marshmallow cream

Heat convection oven to 400  ° F.  Line you baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg. Add vanilla  and 1/2 of buttermilk, mixing until smooth.  Stir in half of the flour mixture, mixing until combined.  Mix inlast of buttermilk, and then add last of flour mixture.  Stir just until smooth and complete combined.  It may be necessary to scrap down the sides of the bowl, and mix again briefly.

On the prepared baking sheets, spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into a mounds about 2 1/2 inches apart.  Bake in over for about 10-12 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before filling.

Meanwhile, beat butter and sugar until smooth.  Add marshmallow cream and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Filling should be fairly thick.  When cakes have thoroughly cooled, spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the bottom of one cake, and top it with the bottom of the second cake, to make a cookie sandwich.

OK, we all know that “SEX SELLS” so I will come clean.  These delicious cookie don’t get their name from the song lyrics above.  I have completely made the story up to draw you into this recipe.  Naughty, aren’t I?  These whoopie pies actually got their name from the exclamation orated by the children when they were told the cakes were ready. “Whoooopie!”  You’ll have to test this for yourself, but in this case, chocolate just might be better than whoopie.

 

February 2, 2010

Evening of Italian Food & Wine, February 12, 2010

Posted by scooter4j under Catering by Victoria, Food + Wine = Art, Wine Pairing | Tags: , , |
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wine_cheese_0012Sold Out!

Evening of Italian Food & Wine, February 12, 2010

Hello Again!

It’s been a while.  Are you still interested in food and wine pairing?

I hope so – we’re going to host another Evening of Food and Wine in February – February 12, to be precise. It would be a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day (especially since we’re focusing on the the foods and wine of Italy – the romance capital of the world).

And – a lot of you know this, but for those who don’t – Victoria is Italian and is a stunning chef of Italian cuisine.  This is one you won’t want to miss!

When and Where

February 12, 2010, 7pm – 9pm
Caffè Victoria 1296-A Main Street, Windsor, Colorado

Menu (in order of presentation)

  • Arugula and Fava Bean Crostini - Soave Classico
  • Calamari in the Luciana Style (Calamari in a spicy sauce of garlic, white wine, red pepper flake, Italian parsley, and fresh thyme) - Vernaccia di San Gimignano
  • Veal Scaloppine with Porcini Sauce (Veal Scaloppine and Porcini mushrooms in a white cream sauce) - Chianti Classico
  • Chevre & Arugula Ravioli with Pancetta Tomato Sauce - Pinot Grigio
  • Polenta with Italian Sausage & Rapini - Barbera d’Alba
  • Panna Cotta with  Strawberries Amaretti - Moscato d’Asti

How Things Work

With each of the foods, Victoria describes the food (special ingredients, preparation style, etc) and I describe the wines and why I’ve recommended the particular wine/varietal for the designated food.  Our goal is to do more than just provide a great evening of food and wine – we want to provide a little education as well so that you can do your own food and wine pairing and multiply your enjoyment.

A couple more things:

  • Space is limited to 22 people.
  • I’ll “assign” wines as people register for the event. I generally only assign the varietal, allowing guests to choose the specific bottling so that they can purchase a wine in their comfort zone.  I’ll be asking each couples (or individual, as applicable) to bring a bottle of wine to share with the group.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at scott@foodpluswineequalsart.com.

NOTE: you must be 21 years of age or older to participate.

 

January 26, 2010

Wedding and Specialty Cake Tastings Scheduled

Posted by Chef Victoria under Cakes by Victoria, Catering by Victoria | Tags: , , , , |
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Italian Creme Cake

CAKES BY VICTORIA will host Cake Tasting Events.

Upcoming Dates:

  • Saturday, February 6th
  • Saturday, March 6th
  • Sunday, April 11th
  • Saturday, May 1st

Tastings held:  3 – 5p.m.

Join us to sample a variety of delicious cakes, meet our cake artists, and view our extensive portfolios and cake gallery.

Reservations are $5 per person and include samples of the following flavors:

  • Traditional White Cake filled with Vanilla Buttercream & Fresh Strawberries
  • Dark Chocolate Cake filled with Chocolate Fudge Buttercream
  • Luxurious Red Velvet Cake filled with Cream Cheese Buttercream
  • Italian Creme Cake filled with Sweetened Mascarpone
  • Pumpkin Spice Cake filled with Cream Cheese Buttercream
  • Blissful Carrot Cake filled with Cream Cheese Buttercream
  • Noble German’s Chocolate filled with Coconut Pecan Icing

2-tier immediately stacked high school graduation cake.

Refreshments provided by Caffè Victoria.

Pre-registration is required to take part in the cake tasting event.  Register by phone at 970/686.5005, or you can register the day of the event, space allowing.

Please pay for the February 6 Tasting via the PayPal button below.

Pay Now

 

January 21, 2010

Old-Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce

Posted by Chef Victoria under Caffè Victoria, Catering by Victoria, Recipes | Tags: , , , , , |
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This is my mom’s world famous recipe. :)   Seriously, it is the stuff just like your ol’ grandma used to make, it’s that good.  Spoon it, while it’s warm, over top quality vanilla ice cream.  I love my sundae with toasted pecans, and a sliced ripe banana.  Hold the cherry.

Edna Betty’s Hot Fudge

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (Baker’s)
2 sticks butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 (12ounce) can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

On medium low heat, melt butter and chocolate in saucepan.  (Don’t microwave) Watch closely and stir regularly to prevent burning.  Add, 1 cup of sugar, then about 3 oz. evap. milk, stir until combined.  Repeat until all milk and sugar have been combined, and powdered sugar is completely dissolved.  Simmer for 8 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.  Sauce will cool as it thickens.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 1 month, if it’s not already eaten up!

 

January 20, 2010

Decadent Cake Truffles

Posted by Chef Victoria under Cakes by Victoria, Catering by Victoria | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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Here’s another option for cake at your wedding!  Individual Cake truffles, sometimes called “cake balls,” are a delicious alternative or addition to a traditional wedding cake.  They make great gifts of love for Valentine’s & Mother’s Days too!

Whimsically decorated cake truffles for your sweetie.

If you are looking for another option to wedding cake, consider serving cake truffles at your wedding.  You can create a beautiful display, so inviting for your guests to dig into.  Cakes by Victoria is now offering cake truffles in a variety of flavors, colors and options.  They are a great accompaniment to a traditional ceremonial cake.  Some brides are opting to have both, allowing them ceremonial picture opportunities and serving ease.  It is quite easy to decorate your cake truffles according to your wedding theme and color palette.

Victoria will create cake truffles to your specifications.  However, the standard size cake truffles are  five ounce portions, dipped in your choice of dark, milk or white chocolate.  They can be topped with single pastillage flower, sprinkles or a contrasting chocolate color.  Wonderful to look at and delicious to eat, your guests will be delighted, and surely talking about your wedding dessert for some time to come.

Cake truffles are excellent dessert options for the rehearsal dinner, bridal or baby showers, and can double as favors on the dining tables.  Depending on your final design, cake truffles will cost just $1.75 to $3.00 per serving.  

 

January 19, 2010

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

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CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREADS

Dressed-up shortbreads, dipped in chocolate and toasted pecans.

No eggs, no problem!  Make shortbread cookies, and make this recipe because it is a winner.  These slow-baked cookies have a delicious flavor,  nutty crunch, and stack well so they are perfect for gift giving.  These cookies have also been called, “Noah Bedoahs.”

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat butter & sugar together.  Add remaining ingredients, mixing until combined, adding chocolate last. Preheat oven to 275  °.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Scoop dough into 1″ balls and place on prepared sheet.  Flatted dough slightly with a flat bottom glass, or long pronged fork.  Bake 55-60 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield:  2 dozen

 

January 10, 2010

Wedding Cake Trends and Ideas 2010

Posted by Chef Victoria under Cakes by Victoria, Catering by Victoria | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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For other wedding trends please view our earlier blog on 2010 Wedding Trends

Square, whimsical, colorful cakes are "in" but flavor is king!

Interesting to search the web and  magazines for the latest in wedding cakes.  It is interesting from the stand point that brides that I have spoken with are choosing options not necessarily found in the media.  In doing this research we are finding that what brides are looking for simplistic beauty and whimsy in their cakes.  But above all, they want taste!  They call us because they want a delicious cake.  They have attended their friends wedding in past months where the cake was unusual and beautiful, but utterly disappointing when it came to eating the cake.  Waxy, tastless frostings and fondant are OUT.  Imperfect, but delicious butter cream is very much IN.

View pics of some of our most recent wedding cakes.

Brides we have spoken to want the flavor of the cake to make the statement.  They ask us for moist, fudgey, dark chocolate cake, traditional white cake with vanilla butter cream, moist and flavorful spiced pumpkin, stunning, tender red velvet and always delicious German’s sweet chocolate.

The exterior of the cake is secondary, yet still important.  Their cake should say something about them as a couple.  They are sweet, and fun-loving.  Many cakes are simply iced with a smooth butter cream and topped with fresh or piped flowers.  Some brides are still leaning toward chocolate brown accents on outside of cake, and many are doing a bitof drama with black and white icings in a damaske or lace design.

Because the wedding cake, like the bride herself, is very much a focal point at the reception, bridal couples are take the cake into much consideration.  Choosing a baker who is inline with their design wishes is critical.  A skilled baker will be able to create your cake from a photo, a sketch or simply the verbal description.  Choose a baker you feel comfortable talking with and don’t forget to take a peek at their portfolio and referrences.

 

December 28, 2009

Business Planning for 2010 Success

Posted by Chef Victoria under Catering by Victoria | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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He who fails to plan, plans to fail.

A business model that adapts and is modified to meet the needs, wants and wishes of the customer is dynamic.  Some businesses start with a business plan and fail to realize that times change, and if the plan doesn’t change along with the seasons, economy and industry standards, that business may face failure.

Line up your staff for success.

As a new year begins, many businesses set aside a planning day, or two.  They cluster their top people and formulate a plan.  Regrouping talents and statistics is a great way to keep your people on board and all moving in the right direction.  If your team is floundering, a regrouping session my be just the ticket to future success for your business.  Without this regrouping, your business may find itself after the first quarter of the year like a ship without a rudder.  Time is money, and wasting time spinning your wheels yields you very little which is positive for your business success.  Wasting a quarter of your business revenue by operating without direction or focus, is time that cannot be recapture and capitalized on.  Plan first.

Consider having a planning session.  It requires time set aside, without interruptions.  Pool your key personnel and utilize their input.  You might be surprised at how this elevates their work effort.  They feel valued, relevant and heard.  You may just gain some great insight, new ideas and the help to get your finger on the pulse of your business.

Last year at this time, due to the fact that there were economic worries, changes in Washington DC, and a sea of uncertainty in many minds thanks to the turmoil on Wall Street, many business felt the need to “collect” themselves.  These business took the time to plan, prepare and move forward with certainty.  We were called to cater these meetings.  Customers ordered breakfast pastries, burritos, fruit and hot coffee to be delivered to their meetings.  They ordered special lunches, box lunches and neat to eat foods that would work well at their meetings.  Recognizing the importance of organization at these meetings, they left the food details to us, allowing them to focus on their business.

These business project quality, and value to their employees, who will in turn project the same to the customers.  It cannot be underestimated, the value of these sessions on moral, rapport and involvement.  Your employees recognize good leadership, when they have it and when they don’t.   Question is, how can we help you lead?  How will you lead your employees on to great things?  How can a planning session help you lead your key people on the surpass their goals from 2009?  How can a meeting  allow you to promote and produce your business?

Finally, once you have structured your updated business plan and fortified your key employees, consider a customer appreciation event.  CA’s are excellent reasons to contact your clients.  As business professionals, we need to keep our focus on the customer.   We need to remind them we are here, and we need to remind them of what we do, especially if we are unveiling new products or services as a result of our planning session.  Once we contact them, and after we’ve educated them on our services, we need to ask them for the business.  A customer appreciation event is a way to achieve all of these objectives.  Contact Catering by Victoria for assistance with this, or visit our earlier blog on Hosting a Customer Appreciation Event.

 

December 27, 2009

Best Wedding Trends for 2010

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Christmas and New Year’s are excellent occasions for Popping the Question.  Every year about this time, our phone begins ring with newly engaged couples seeking our services.  As professionals, it is our  duty and responsibility to know the ins and outs of planning weddings.  That is, what’s “IN” and what’s not.  Some bridal couples want just the latest, and some are looking for long-standing traditions.  We help them realize their wants, wishes and dreams.

Budgets are very much a trend for brides these days.  Finding ways to create special days especially frugally is important to many couples.  Please visit our early post entitled Planning a Wedding on a Tight Budget for some tips and ideas.  This post highlights trending ideas for the reception, buffet and cakes.

RECEPTION: As more and more wedding pavilions and venues are popping up, some brides are opting for money-saving ideas such as backyard receptions and public parks with covered structures.  Depending up the size and scope of the reception, these may be good options for saving money.

When choosing a venue, consider the timing of your reception, along with weather, seasonal busyness and guest accessibility.  Most caterers will not cater events without running water, electricity and shelter, so this is an important detail to discuss with your hired professionals.  Often, public park pavilions are available by reservation and this really is something to manage if you intend to hold the reception in a public place.  Be aware that public does mean public, and you may have people wander through which can be very . Consider holding the reception on a private lake, scenic ranch estate or church rectory as an alternative.  For outdoor weddings, tenting can often be rented and set up by the rental company.  Feel free to call us for some contact information.

Some ethnic cuisines are very delicious and affordable.

BUFFET: A catered buffet is a major expense for the reception.  However, depending on the menu selection, there are ways to feed your guests well, without busting your budget.  Certain foods are less expensive to prepare than others.  Consider before you decide on a menu what you would like your guests to think about the food you serve them.  What are the most important factors, beauty, taste or economics.  A menu with beautiful bite-sized appetizers may be very delicious, however perhaps not so filling for your guests.  A delicious, simple menu may be quite yummy, and filling, but not very original or elegant.  Which of these menu options is going to fit best in your catering budget?  Consult your caterer, or gives us a call for some excellent menu suggestions.  This is a service we provide to our clients which helps them select the right menu and food options specifically for them.

CAKES: Bridal couples are more commonly choosing smaller ceremonial cakes with the balance of servings in sheet cakes.  They are also opting for cakes iced with smooth butter cream icing, instead of rolled fondant.  Butter cream offers a better flavor than fondant, and experienced cake decorators can achieve a similar smooth finish effect.

Wedding cakes are trending in a more simple, yet elegant appearance.   You will see them decorated with colors found in the bridal ceremony.   Teal, blues,  and bright greens  are the hot colors this year.  Think of the colors of the peacock, and you will have the right cues.  Some brides are asking their bridesmaids to wear monochromatic dresses, of slightly different styling, with a common color running through out.  These same colors are finding their way on to the cakes, and as accents on the guest tables.

Peacock Wedding Cake, Cakes by Victoria. Topper by Deb Benson

Black and dark chocolate browns will be used through out as contrasting colors on the cakes and groomsmen. 

Expect trending cake flavors such as pistachio, red velvet, pumpkin spice and German’s sweet chocolate.  However, as ever, traditional white cake with white cream filling still remains popular.  Icing will be piped in dress colors, black and chocolate brown in polkadots, damaske prints and a bit whimsical patterns.  Fresh flowers are still a popular choice for cake toppers, as are metalic monograms.  Birds, butterflies and dragonflies continue to land on cakes too.

The fact that budgets are “IN” is a very good thing.  We like to help bridal couples experience a special, life-memory for them and those who are important to them.  In doing so, we strive to help them stay within a reasonable budget.  After the lights have dimmed, and the party is over, the last thing anyone wants is a big bill that they weren’t counting on.  You can rest assured in working with us, we operate with full disclosure of all expenses upfront, and no hidden anything.  We think you’ll find our approach refreshing and our services exceptional.

 

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