Easy Cheap Banana Pudding with Cream Flower Dessert

Yield: Large party dish

Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

·        2 regular boxes of banana pudding mix (instant)

·         Milk (for pudding mixes)

·         1 regular tub of light whipped cream

·         1 package vanilla wafers

·         2-4 bananas (your choice)

       Seasonings for holidays or extra garnish: nutmeg, cinnamon & brown sugar

·         A beautiful dish that shows the pudding layers; glass dishes are common

Instructions

·         First, in a medium mixing bowl, prepare the instant banana pudding in accordance with pie mix directions on the pudding boxes, not just the regular pudding recipe that calls for more milk than you should add using the pie directions.

·        Chop up half the bananas in any fashion (bits, circular slices for flower design, long slivers); mix half with pudding and set aside other half for garnish use later on.

·         Line your bowl with the wafers and pour pudding/banana mix on top. Then, in a circular pattern place the vanilla wafers around the bowl; continue layering (it should start to take on the look of petals or even a whole flower); about 3 or 4 layers (save a couple wafers to crush for garnish).

·         Finally, use the left over banana pieces to garnish; if you chose sliced, circular banana cuts then you can continue layering just as you did the wafers and complete the second part of the flower (only one part left!).

·         Once the layering is done, pile the whipped cream in the center of the wafer and banana circles; use a rubber spatula (scraper) to create the “dollop” or swirl look for the whipped cream.

·         Use the crushed wafers and seasonings to garnish; let chill overnight or for at least 2 hours; enjoy!

Easy Princess Doll Dress Cake

Easy Princess Doll Dress Cake

Ingredients for Cake:

·         1 cake mix of your choice

·         Eggs and oil as called for on cake mix instructions

·         Any oven-safe bowl (a round casserole dish works great)

·         One doll with legs and clothing removed

Ingredients for frosting (icing):

·         1 large can of shortening (no flavor)

·         1 large bag of powdered sugar

·         Food coloring of your choice

·         Pinch of salt

·         1T vanilla extract

·         Electric mixer

·         Large mixing bowl

·         Rubber scraper

·         Icing bag and tips

Instructions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350F and prepare cake mix in accordance with box directions. Make sure to grease and sprinkle flour in oven-safe bowl to ensure easy cake removal.

2.       Pour batter into baking bowl and bake until done: see how big it comes out because you might end up baking 2 bottoms and using icing to “glue” them together.

3. Once your cake or cakes are cooked, cooled and “glued” together on a platform you can decorate the cake easily on, you’re able to make the frosting.

4.       To start: mix 1 cup each of powdered sugar and shortening in large mixing bowl.

5.       Add salt and vanilla extract: blend on medium speed with electric mixer using rubber scraper to keep the icing mixing thoroughly.

6.       Add food coloring to make desired icing tint (split icing into different bowls first if you want more than one color, then add food dye.)

7.       Cut a slim hole in the center of your easy princess doll dress cake and use icing to “glue” the doll into the center of the cake. Position the doll’s hair before using it! Also, make sure to position the hands and arms of the doll in the upward position so that they are out of the way for decorating.

8.       Frost the base icing layer onto the cake and make sure to paint a “waist” for the doll otherwise it just looked like someone bopped a doll into the cake and she’s stuck…haha!

9.       Fill your icing bag and start picking out your decorating tips: decorate however you want just make sure to finish the dress off with “icing” a top to the dress as she started out topless!

10.   Get creative and decorate as you see fit: have fun with your homemade easy princess doll dress cake and enjoy!

Easy Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
• 24 count pkg. reg. Ice cream cones (not waffle cones!)
• 1 boxed cake mix (your choice of flavor)
• 1 container icing (I used white icing that came with confetti sprinkles)
• 1 cup whipped cream (half a tub, you don’t need much)

KITCHEN UTENSILS NEEDED:
• Zip-lock bag or pastry bag (don’t worry about using decorating tips unless you want to. I snipped a tiny hole in the corner of a gallon sized zip-lock bag and used it gently)
• 3 loaf pans (or any other pan that could be used to hold your cones filled with batter steady)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prepare cake mix by following instructions on the box for cupcakes and preheat oven to 350F
2. Using a medium mixing bowl and an electric mixer (or by hand if you want) beat the whipped cream and icing together until fluffy.
NOTE: Only mix your icing and cream if you are planning to quickly cook, cool and ice your cupcakes, but if you are baking the cakes the night before, simply wait until you are going to be icing them to make the icing mix.
3. Set the ice cream cones up in the loaf pans – 8 to a pan should be perfect!
4. Spoon the batter into the cones, fill them to about 2/3 to 3/4 full until batter is used although you might have a bit leftover…YUM!

5. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center (use the time allowed for cupcakes on the cake mix box instructions) DON’T OVER COOK: the cones become too hard!
6. Allow all of them to cool completely and scoop your icing into your bag (or paint it on but using the bag will give the “ice cream on a cone” effect).

7. Simply swirl the icing to mimic ice cream swirled into a cone and add sprinkles or other decorations if you wish. ENJOY!!!

How to Make a Castle Cake

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:
1 pkg. waffle ice cream cones
2 cake box mixes (any flavor)
3 – 16oz. vanilla icing tubs
1 store bought loaf angel food cake or pound cake (or you can make two loaf cakes instead, your choice)
1 fruit rollup
Food coloring (optional for coloring icing; I used a few drops of red dye to make the pink icing)
Gumdrops, red or fruity licorice, redhots, sprinkles, chocolate candies, just about anything you can think of to decorate the outside of the castle

KITCHEN ITEMS NEEDED:
Non-stick spray or wax paper (wax is best but you’ll still need to spray the sides)
9”x13” pan
Loaf pan
Piping bag (not just any plastic kitchen bag either! Anything else will bust!)
Cake decorating tips
Cake platform (only if you wish to put your cake on a platform instead of presenting it in the 9x13 pan

NOTE: Plan out how you are going to present your cake. If you want to place it on a platter you need to be extra careful while transferring.

UNFORTUNATELY, I really wanted my castle cake presented to the party on a platter but SILLY ME: I forgot to buy wax paper and the cake simply wouldn’t come out of the pan without tearing.

Therefore, I left the cake in the 9x13 pan but everyone adored it anyway plus, my three year old couldn’t stop staring and smiling!

INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare a cake mix as instructed on box and once you’ve line and greased your 9x13 pan you can pour the batter; cook until done. Do the same for the loaf pan and the second cake mix; leave both cakes to cool completely.

I froze mine to be sure I could ice them and it makes them easier to handle but semi-warm icing is truly the key for the icing to go on perfectly!

Sadly, I was in a hurry but if you wake the time to mix the icing before using it over and over, it will help to increase the temperature (better than waiting for it to reach room temp).

Cover your big cake with icing all over and place the loaf cake on the top. Once you’ve given the loaf piece its full coat of icing you need to cut the angel food or pound cake in half and cover it in icing as well.

Then, you may begin using the piping bag to give the castle some character. I chose to use pink icing (a few drops of red food dye) and I piped it around the border in random areas. My bag kept breaking but hopefully you can do a better job.

Once that is done, place the sugar cones on top as the castle steeples. Then, take one fruit roll up and slice a triangle “flag” for each cone you are using and squish them to the top of the cones. Cute huh! Then add icing and other decorations until you are done.

TIP: I cut some sticks from uneaten suckers to hold the flags but go with whatever you want.

Don't forget to write “Happy Birthday …..” too! Good luck and I’m always here for questions and suggestions!