It’s not every day you are able to make a “Farm Animal” birthday cake for your granddaughter’s 6th birthday! I made a horse, a pig, a sheep and a chick and surrounded them with a barnyard fence.

I was directed to make all the cakes chocolate, but that was the only order… er.. guidance I was give. All but the chick were frosted with a basic buttercream and the chick was coated with marshmallow fondant and adorned with fondant wings, comb, beak and eyes. The other animals features are semisweet and white modeling chocolate and held on with embedded toothpicks (which were all removed before slicing.

The barnyard fence is gingerbread with hot caramel gluing the parts together. (The blisters on my fingers and hands attest to the temperature of the caramel.)

(Note to self: stabilize cakes above 4 layers with a dowel driven down the center of the cakes. This should reduce the sadness when the cake collapses in the heat. Oh well, stuff happens.)

THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

INGREDIENTS
• 452 g (4 cups) of powdered sugar (or 1 box)
• 1 Cup (2 sticks) of softened butter
• 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons of whipping cream (for crumb coat frosting add cream as needed)
Optional
• 2 Tbl Meringue Powder to make crusting frosting.
• Violet food coloring (a very small amount will make the frosting white)

METHOD

1. Add powdered sugar to mixing bowl.
2. Add softened sticks of butter
3. Add vanilla. If you want white frosting add a very small amount of violet food coloring
4. Add 1 tbsp of cream.
5. Beat on low until powdered sugar is incorporated. Then move mixer up to medium-high speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When completely mixed the frosting may appear dry. (See option below.)
6. Add more cream, a little bit at a time, beating at slowest speed, until frosting is the proper consistency.
   For optional raspberry flavor
7. Add raspberries and 2 Tbl sugar to a food processor and pulse to macerate the berries
8. Sieve to remove pulp and seeds. You should have about ½ cup puree.
9. Add puree to soft peak mixture and red food coloring if desired.

Modeling Chocolate With Real Chocolate

INGREDIENTS
Dark modeling chocolate
• 1 ⅓ cups (227g) chopped semisweet chocolate (not chips)*
• ⅓ cup (103g) light corn syrup
White modeling chocolate
• 1 ⅓ cups (227g) chopped white chocolate (not chips)*
• ⅓ cup (103g) light corn syrup

METHOD

1. In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (or in a double boiler), melt the chocolate. Stir constantly until melted; don’t let its temperature rise above 110°F. Remove from the heat.
2. Warm the corn syrup to 110°F, (10 seconds in a 1000W microwave for a full recipe) add to the melted chocolate, and stir until the mixture is uniform. It will look grainy at first but smooth out as you keep stirring.
3. Allow the mixture to cool, then cover and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours. It will set up and become quite stiff.
4. When you’re ready to use it, take a chunk and work it in your hands until it softens. From this point you can tint it with gel colors, roll it out and cut it with decorative cutters, or shape it any way you choose, like modeling clay; the chocolate will set once more as it cools. See our blog post, Modeling chocolate 101, for step-by-step instructions on how to make chocolate roses, letters, and other kinds of decorations.

Carmel Glue

INGREDIENTS
• 200g caster sugar
• 60ml cold water

METHOD

1. Put the sugar and water in a large, low-sided frying pan over a medium-high heat. Without stirring, bring to 320°F on a sugar thermometer. If you don’t have one, the syrup is ready when the sugar has dissolved, and it turns a light golden color.
2. Swirl the syrup gently in the pan to even out the color. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool for a few moments to thicken slightly to the consistency of honey.
3. If the syrup begins to harden in the pan, put it back over a gentle heat until it has returned to the required consistency.

Gingerbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS
• 3 ½ cups (440g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 10 Tablespoons (2/3 cup; 145g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup (160ml; about 200g) unsulphured or dark molasses
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium high speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Next, beat in egg and vanilla on high speed for 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The butter may separate; that’s ok.
3. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick and slightly sticky. Divide dough in half and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap each up tightly and pat down to create a disc shape. Chill discs for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I always chill mine overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
5. Remove 1 disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Generously flour a work surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin. Roll out disc until 1/4-inch thick. Tips for rolling—the dough may crack and be crumbly as you roll. What’s helpful is picking it up and rotating it as you go. Additionally, you can use your fingers to help meld the cracking edges back together. The first few rolls are always the hardest since the dough is so stiff, but re-rolling the scraps is much easier. Cut into shapes. Place shapes 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Re-roll dough scraps until all the dough is shaped. Repeat with remaining disc of dough.
6. Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes. If your cookie cutters are smaller than 4 inches, bake for about 8 minutes. If your cookie cutters are larger than 4 inches, bake for about 11 minutes. My oven has hot spots and yours may too—so be sure to rotate the pan once during bake time. Keep in mind that the longer the cookies bake, the harder and crunchier they’ll be. For soft gingerbread cookies, follow my suggested bake times.
7. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate as desired.
8. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Extreme Chocolate Cake

Makes two 9” round cakes (double for this cake)
INGREDIENTS
(Makes one 10’ ROUND CAKE [and two 5”] – quantities are in parenthesis. Or one 11”x15”x2” sheet cake.)
• 2 cups white sugar (3)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (2 2/3)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (1 ¼)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (2 ¼)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (2 ¼)
• 1 teaspoon salt (1 ½)
• 2 eggs (3)
• 1 cup milk (1 ½)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (¾)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (3)
• 1 cup boiling water (1 ½)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. 
2. Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa,baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans. (For cupcakes,portion ¼ scant cups in each cupcake paper.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or 205F internal temp. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.