VALENTINE'S DAY is Just Around the Corner

Okay, so I know we're just finishing one holiday and I'm already looking forward to the next one...but that's me. I love to find any reason to celebrate and, I know this is hard to believe, sometimes I can go an intsy-bitsy bit overboard, so I have to plan ahead.

And to plan ahead, I have to practice what I'm going to do. You might ask, "What are you going to do?"

Well, we're planning a Valentine's Day Dessert party and I want to make sure I have all the desserts figured out in time for the party. So, I wanted to make my Valentine's Day Conversation Heart Cakes. And this is my first one of the season. And, I learned a few things from making this practice cake.

Here's how I started. First, of course, I baked a cake. But then I frosted it very lightly with a buttercream frosting. You could use a store bought frosting for this purpose but I took a package of confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) and blended it with one cube of softened butter. The reason I did this is because if you're going to use fondant, you're going to have to glue the fondant in place with something edible and buttercream frosting is the perfect glue to use. It's sweet, yummy and -- I'll admit it -- delicious.

Then I rolled out the fondant.

I do this on a silpat, or silicon sheet, but you can use gallon size baggies - they work well too. The purpose of this is so that the fondant doesn't stick to whatever surface you're rolling it out on.

Then I started cutting out the pieces of fondant to create a puzzle of cake covering pieces.

I cut the pieces a little large because it's easier to fix if they are too big rather than too small. And I fit the pieces together to cover the cake.

Then I pinched the edges together with my fingers, sort of like pinching the edges of a pie crust but I tried to leave the edges as smooth as possible. I also tried to smooth out the connection points. Then it was time to start decorating.

I moved my cake to a cake stand using a long spatula. Then I started to edge the cake with candy covered chocolates.

The only problem with these round chocolate candies is that they roll around. So I used a little cookie decorating gel to "glue" the "beads" in place.

This was what I learned, it's better to use frosting to "glue" the beads in place because the gel runs a bit and you can see it if you look close enough. So next time it will be pink frosting that I use for my "glue".

Then I started decorating the top of the cake.

I started adding "decorations" very slowly because, like I said, I can get carried away...

And, wah-lah, I had a pretty "test" cake all ready to celebrate Martin Luther King's Day. Maybe this isn't the best way to celebrate but at least I can have my cake and eat it too. ;D

So whether you're honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. or getting ready for the next holiday, here's one loving way to do it. 

Valentine's Day Dinner

First I started with dessert because life is short and nothing is certain so I believe in having the best first.

I took a cupcake stand and embellished it.

All it took was a little ribbon and some hot glue.

Then I made a chocolate ganache that I dipped my cupcakes in

I decorated the cupcakes

Then I stacked them on the cupcake stand



The guests all brought a dessert too. There was Kaluha Cake,
Truffles
and cookies galore.

And that was just the dessert.

The table was set with chocolate roses for the ladies,
Pop Rocks and Conversation Hearts for the men.


It was a wonderful evening filled with good food, fun and friends. What better way to spend a holiday - celebrating Valentine's Day!

Have a Green Valentine's Day

Instead of being part of the consumption era by sending cards that will be thrown into the trash the very next day, think of doing something different this year.

Here are a few ideas to help you celebrate your love and protect the planet at the same time.

1) Give your loved one a membership in the Nature Conservancy
2) Read a poem that expresses your love
3) Write a love letter

Or...even better send a Valentine-A-Gram and support Loaves and Fishes

Feed senior citizens and give a gift to your loved one too. This is a program sponsored by Loaves and Fishes.

But whatever you do, I hope you have a great one . . . you know it's only a little more than two weeks away...