Decorating Challenge - Event Announcement

Cakes, cup cakes or cookies are considered as desserts but nowadays they are not only desserts but a way of expressing a theme or simply they  have become a piece of art. Even nowadays they play a major role in most of the ceremonial events.

How if we can decorate a piece of art for any occasion? Nowadays it is easier to buy a decorated cake, cupcakes or cookies. But the happiness we gain by making it ourselves is different.

Keeping this in mind, I have started to learn decorating with icing/frosting. But I always like to share my work with others, love to see their comments, the same way I like to see how others do creative things. We can learn faster by exchanging ideas or working as a group.

I had this idea of having an event but was not sure how will be the reaction from my blogging friends. Few days ago I posted my beginner cake, but with the comments I received, I was encouraged to continue with my new event.

Simply this event is to self learning on how to decorate with icing/frosting.

I have planned to learn one type of icing/frosting in each month.

To begin the event, Buttercream icing becomes the first theme.

Here are the simple procedures of the event.

1) Event Duration – December 1^st to December 31^st 2011

2) Theme for this month – Buttercream Icing

3) I will provide linky tool from December 1^st to 31^st.

4) Simply link any number of your decorated cakes or cupcakes using ‘Buttercream icing/frosting’

5) Any new or old posts are accepted. No need to repost them. But I am eagerly waiting to see all your old posts here until you prepare a new decoration/item

6) Using of event badge & a back link to this post is appreciated wherever possible.

7) Here most of us are beginners, therefore be generous to visit others & encourage them with true nice comments.

8) At the end of the month I will be selecting the most viewed posts as ‘Most Popular Cake/Cupcake’.

9) Contact me via slfoodcorner@yahoo.com  if you have any problem to link, once the linky tool is provided.
10)All the posts will be displayed in my Facebook page with back links to your blog post.

I have linked few videos/tutorials as a basic guide for those who are really new. & I am planning to update it time to time with new tutorials if I found. Please check it  here.

Hope this would be a great event with all your support!!

Remember to check this post  from December 1st to link your entries.

Here is my other blog Food Blog Events,Check this blog for events from other blogs & link any event which you host.

 Have a nice day!!

Decorating with Buttercream Icing

Buttercream icing or buttercream frosting is very easy to prepare & it tastes well too. It goes well with cupcakes or cakes & there are many piping & decorating methods from it.

It is a good icing method for a beginner like me.

Here is my basic buttercream icing recipe:

Ingredients:

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter

4 cups confectionary sugar

2 tbspn milk

1 tsp vanila

First beat butter & shortening. Add vanilla & mix well.Then add confectionary sugar slowly & mix well. Then add milk & continue beating until get a smooth paste.

After preparing the icing, we can add any flavour or any colour.If you do not have shortening,replace it with butter.

I found that these books are helpful for anybody who are new for cake decorating.These books gave me the basic idea of how to do decorating.

Few free ebooks on Cake Decorating (From King Arthur Flour)

Basic Cake Decorating-Part 1
Basic Cake Decorating- Part 2
Basic Cake Decorating -Part 3


Here is a video on how to make Buttercream icing

Here is a video on how to decorate a cake using buttercream icing

Buttercream icing can be used to making flowers too.There are lot of video tutorials in you tube,which is very helpful for begginers.
I am planning to collect some tutorials & share them here as a guide to work with buttercream icing.

Make sure to participate with my new event,Decorating Challenge!!

Cheers!!

Bento #4 - Christmas themed Bento

Here is my new Bento for this week & it is of Christmas theme.

First I added plain white rice as a thin layer.

Then it consists of,

Snowman made from hardboiled egg, eyes are from a ham & I used a straw to cut them

Gingerbread man made out of a chicken picnic ham & using a cooking cutter

Christmas themed stockings made from a cooked chicken sausage & decorated with some cheese

Reindeer from cooked sausage

Some carrot slices

Grapes

I have added some lettuce, but they are nearly white in colour, so cannot see clearly in photos.

A piece of tomato

To decorate it more, I wanted to use some picks. And here is a tutorial on how to make beautiful picks at home.

Anyway I didn’t use stickers as in tutorial. They are beautiful, but I am not sure how they react with warm food & after closing the box.

Therefore I tried to use edible & colourful picks. So they are some colorful candy inserted into tooth pics. And I found some Christmas themed candy.To highlight the theme Christmas; I used a santa shaped candy inserted in a small pick.

Sharing with Bento Blog Network-Bento of the week

Linking with Food Adventure Friday #5

Linking with TGIF #7

Linked with

Fusion Fridays ,Foodie Friday,Anything Goes , Shine on Fridays,Whats for lunch Wednesday

Split Mung Beans Curry/stew

 

I am not sure about how to make raw split mung beans at home. My mother in law prepares some split beans for me when I visit Sri Lanka & it is enough to cook for few months.

Anyway recently I bought a packet of split bean from a store & here is my recipe of how to cook it as a curry.

Ingredients

Split mung beans 1 cup

1 onion sliced

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp curry powder

½ tsp fenugreek seed

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 sprig curry leaves

Salt to taste

1 cup of thick coconut milk

Method

Before cooking, heat a pan & roast dry split beans. Then add it into water & allow to soak for about 1 hr.

After soaking, wash split bean & drain from water. Add to the cooking pot.

Mix all ingredients above other than coconut milk.

Add about a cup of water & allow cooking. Add some more water if needed.

Once the split bean is cooked, add thick coconut milk.

Taste for salt.

Once coconut milk starts to boil, remove from the flame.

Serve with rice & other curries.

(This day we were in hunger & couldnt wait for pictures :) ,just clicked one picture)

Linking with CWS-Mung Beans

Sending to event-Only Curries