Fun with Edible Images- and a Great Recipe from "The Boss"

When you see those cakes in the grocery store that has someone's face on it, some people cringe... it's almost considered tacky to even think about putting a picture of a person's face on a cake just to cut it up and eat it.  When you think about it that way... sure ;) but I try not to, I guess.  Personally, I think it's kind of fun :)  And the looks on the faces of the people that I have done it for, are absolutely priceless :) Before I was able to acquire an edible ink printer a year or so ago, I would just laminate a picture printed on regular copy paper, for example the first Jacob Black cake here.  Or with this cake I made for my little brother, Jake (ok... not so little, just younger... he is a good 6 inches taller than me ;)) for his birthday about 4 years ago...

Sorry... it is a little hard to see his face, but the intention :) was to have the basketball cake be a "frame" of sorts.  I rather liked how it turned out :) my only issue was with the black frosting that wasn't quite black... I hadnt yet found a way to make a black frosting without it being more charcoal grey... or tasting like chemicals because of the ridiculous amounts of black gel it takes to get it black. I have since learned how to remedy that so it's all good! By adding black gel food coloring to your favorite chocolate buttercream, it gets much more black... (or is it blacker?) much faster :) So there's your tip of the day! You're welcome :)  But anyway... I digress...
So you could do the pictures laminated- if someone maybe wanted to keep the picture... for some reason :) Or...you could go the edible route. For example- cake Jacob Black 2.0 ;) on the same post... or the pic of this adorable little angel on this cake

I mean seriously... is he not the cutest?!!! And he was totally excited when he saw it :)  The basketball was a chocolate cake, and the soccer ball was white because mom and dad both wanted different flavors :) but I have to say this was one (or should I say 2- actually 3 cuz I made a baseball smoosh cake for the birthday boy :)) of the funnest cakes I have done in a long time!
 
Speaking of a chocolate frosting that you can turn black if you so wish ;) ... Now, anyone who knows cake decorating, and even those who don't, have probably heard of Buddy Velastro aka "The Cake Boss".  I have to say, his attitude has a way of seriously grating on my nerves, so I can only stand so much of him at any one given time. I mean, his cakes are pretty awesome, don't get me wrong... but a little humility goes a long way. ;) However, I have been looking for the perfect chocolate fudge frosting recipe for years- literally- and just have always seemed to come up short.  I like it to be super "chocolatey" (is that a word?) and yet creamy and smooth- and all the recipes I have tried have always been either lacking in the "chocolatey- ness" (I know that is definitely not a word ;)) or sets up too firm.  While I do like a good ganache... sometimes that is just a little too rich... or just not versatile enough... so my search continued. Til last November when at a doctor's appointment with my daughter, I saw Buddy on the Rachel Ray show.  I couldn't hear it, but they were making a football cake- and that fudge icing looked awesome.  Just what I had been looking for... hallelujah! Now I am pretty sure this isn't the recipe he uses in his bakery, because quite honestly, it doesn't look like it, but still... it caught my eye, and I thought I would give it a try :).  So here it is... courtesy of Rachel Ray's website.

Buddy's Chocolate Fudge Icing
2 1/2 cups (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
5 cups powered (10x) sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (try almond or mint extract... even raspberry... you won't regret it :))
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons lukewarm water
 Fit your mixer (stand or hand mixer) with the paddle attachment- or the plain beaters.  Just do not use the whip or you will whip in air... which means bubbles... which means holes in the frosting.  And screaming and pulling out of hair when you are trying to smooth a cake... :)   And please resist the urge to turn up the mixer- it will do the same thing.  Keep it on low to medium low for the whole time.  Cream butter on low speed until completely smooth about 3 minutes.  One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar, waiting until it is fully incorporated to add the next cup.  Add the cocoa, vanilla, and salt, and mix, until completely smooth.  Add the water, and mix until fluffy and smooth- about 2 or 3 minutes.  Enjoy! :)

I hope you all have a most awesome weekend... and if you're like us and have a beautiful sunny forecast in store- enjoy it! I know we will!!! BBQ anyone? :)
Sweet Dreamz!
Renee :D