Peggy's Baking Corner
by Peggy Weaver


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Introduction to Peggy: "I was born in California and lived in Hawaii until 1975. After that, I have lived in California, Idaho, Nevada, Colorado, and back to Idaho because of my husband’s computer job. We now have 3 ferrets, 1 dog, and 3 cats.  My hobbies are baking (of course), needlework, stained glass, beading, painting, master leather tooler, and I’m a licensed pilot (yes, I used to own my own plane). I have a few precious things that I never want to lose in this life: my husband and my daughter and her family.  All other things I can gather together again. My motto: I believe that folks come into my life, at the right time, to teach and guide me. All I have to do is listen, observe, and follow through."

All of the cakes, cookies, and cookie cutters listed below have detailed decorating instructions.
Check them out!

Ski Slope Cake

It is cold outside where I live and the local ski areas are making a fine living.  Many busy folks need to take a cake to a Christmas or winter gathering so here is an easy one that the kids can help with. 

Chocolate Amaretto Snowball Cake

Many folks need a fairly easy cake that is dressed up for the Holidays. That is what the Snowball cake is. For this Saturday’s party, I made an Amaretto Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Icing. 

 


Crop Circle Cake

It is Fall and many of the farmers seem to have trouble at this time of year with strange things in their fields.  I think I found out part of the problem.  It’s those darn UFO’s that are making Crop Circles and spooking all of the critters.


Ear of Corn Cupcakes

This is the best time of year for corn on the cob so I decided that I should make corn decorated cupcakes. I love to find more uses for a specialty pan so for this cupcake we are going to use for the Mini Easter Egg pan.

 


Baptismal/Christening Cake

With lots of June brides, there are lots of babies. My new neighbor inspired this cake. This cake will be very easy to make and to decorate. My thought here is that friends and family members that plan baby occasions are also usually very busy people.

 


Dogwood Cake

Working with gumpaste scares many people, but it can be as simple or as hard as you want it to be.  I find it to be very addictive. I’ve started teaching the Dogwood because it is a very simple flower to make and quite impressive to look at.




Father's Day Tie Cake

Father’s are very special people and we should show them everyday how much we care and do something special on Father’s Day. 

 


Mother's Day Triangle Cake

My train of thought is that it is likely a young person will be making a dessert for Mom on Mother’s Day. Time is usually in short supply and young folks are just learning their way around the kitchen. So, this is my very simple version of a Triangle Cake. 

 




4th of July Top Hat Cake

For years now, when I think of the 4th of July, I have had a mental flash of the Uncle Sam Poster where he has his finger pointing at you and says “I want YOU”.  One of the things that strike me is his Top Hat. That Hat has fascinated me for some reason, so I decided to do something about it. 

 


Valentine's Day Cake

This year I decided to make a 6-inch cake because an intimate dinner for two calls for a smaller dessert.  

 

Sunflower Cupcakes

This style of decorating is about the easiest there is. It is very free flowing so you don’t have to worry about so many decorating rules. Techniques are almost exactly the same for Daisies, Sunflowers and Poinsettias.

 

Easter Egg Cake

The cake that I’m going to use for this Easter Egg Cake is a dense, moist cake that will hold its shape under the weight of what can be a heavy bit of icing and decorations.

 

      

Gingerbread Cookies

The gingerbread houses are about 4 x 4 inches. I make my own cookie cutters using a coil of copper 1-inch wide.

Snowflake Cookies

These cookies are so gorgeous! They make great gifts if you make little holes and thread them through with ribbon to hang from a tree or window. They don't necessarily have to be eaten. 

Make your own Cookie Cutters
and Gumpaste Cutters

 


 

 

Other Cakes by Peggy:

Strawberry Cake

A strawberry cake is perfect for any occasion. When fresh strawberries are in season, be sure and make this cake. Since no baking is required for this cake, even the kids can prepare it easily. Wouldn’t this make a great Mother’s Day cake for the kids to make?
 

 

Holiday Morning Coffee Cake

For a holiday morning, I like a breakfast that is filling, easy and tasty. This is the recipe that we use.  It can be put together in a jiffy and it is easy enough that the kids can make the coffee cake for you. What could be better than that?


Peggy's Favorite Cake Decorating and Wedding Book Recommendations. Check them out!
 


Sweet Celebrations: The Art of Decorating Beautiful Cakes
 by Sylvia Weinstock & Kate Manchester

 


The Perfect Wedding
by Kate Manchester


Cakes by Design: The Magical World of Sugar Art
 by Scott Clark Woolley & Michael G. Farace

 


Colett's Wedding Cakes
by Colette Peters

 

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whatscookingamerica.net



Check out some of Peggy Weaver's many Cake Decorating Articles, Tutorials, and Q&A pages below.

Fondant Icing/Covering:

Fondant Icing 101 (Recipe and Tutorial on making & using fondant icing)

Fondant Recipes

Making Fondant Icing

Bubbles in the Fondant

Covering Cakes with Fondant Icing

Decorating Cakes with Fondant Icing

Marbling Fondant Icing


Fondant does not freeze well at all, as a matter of fact, downright lousy. Do not even think about refrigerating it either. The condensation that can occur when you defrost or bring to room temp can destroy the finish of the fondant.

Now, if you are going to freeze the cake, as many folks do until the first anniversary, yes go ahead and freeze. The cake will not look as beautiful as it did originally but you just have to keep the idea in mind that it was perfect on the day of the wedding.
 

Buttercream Icing/Covering:

Buttercream Icing 101
(Recipe and Tutorial on making & using buttercream icing)

Buttercream Recipes

Decorating with Buttercream
 

Wedding Cakes:

Assembling Cakes/Wedding Cakes

Cake Fillings

Covering Wedding Cakes with Fondant

Decorating Wedding Cakes (Lots of Q&A's on decoration a wedding cake)
 

Other Cake Baking & Decoration Topics:

Recipes & Baking Ingredients

Miscellaneous

Comments From Bakers

Cookies & Cookie Cutters

Peggy's Cake Decorating Idea Photos (The idea page has photos only and no detailed decorating instructions.)



Email Peggy:

If you have any additional questions or comments that have not been answers in the categories above, Peggy will try to answer them for you.

Email Peggy: (just click on the underlined): Peggy Weaver.

Please, first check the sections above before emailing, as Peggy gets many repeat questions.

 



Find out the answers to your baking question – from which pans to use to equivalent measurements. Check them out!

Baking Hints:
Basic Rules for Baking
Cooking Equivalent Measurements
Freezing Wedding Cake
Fruitcakes - Secrets to making a perfect fruitcake
How to Fold in Cake Batter

Making a Cake Level
Secrets of a Successful Cake

Baking & Cooking Ingredients:
Baking Powder
Baking Soda Substitution
Butter Ghee (clarified butter)
Caster/Castor Sugar
Confectioner Sugar vs. Powdered Sugar
Cream
- Types of Cream and Definitions
Cream of Tartar
- Substitution
Crème Fraiche vs. Clotted Cream vs. Devonshire
Date Sugar
Flour - Types of Flour
Food Labels 101
Hartshorn, Baker's Ammonia
Muscovado Sugar
Nutritional Food Chart - Chart showing grams, fat, and calories
Pantry - A Well-Stocked Pantry
Salt in Baking

Sugar: The Natural Sweetener - Only 15 Calories Per Teaspoon!
Types of Sugar
Vanilla Sugar/Vanillin Socker
Vegetable Shortening, Shortening vs. Copha


Baking Pans & Utensils:
Baker's Scale
Baking Dish and Pan Size Conversions - How to substitute different pans sizes
Springform Pan Definition, Using A Springform, Substituting for Springform Pan
Tube Pans

Cheesecakes:
Baking A Perfect Cheesecake
Baking small 4" Cheesecakes

Baking Cheesecakes Ahead Of Time
Cracks in Cheesecake
Cutting Cheesecakes
How To Freeze Cheesecake
Traveling with Cheesecakes

Cookies:
All About Cookies - Secrets to Making Perfect Cookies
Cutting Brownies

Thermometers:
Candy Thermometer & Candy Temperatures
Cooking or Meat Thermometer
How to use your thermometer
How to test your thermometer
How to calibrate your thermometer
Safety tips
Purchase and Use a Good Instant-Read Thermometers