Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones

I'm finally back with one last treat we made for Snuggles 8th birthday! While Twinkle Toes and Ranger baked and decorated the "Face-Off" cupcakes, Captain helped create these Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones inspired by these Stanley Cone Treats from Today's Parent.  They turned out great and were a perfect addition to our Hockey themed birthday party! 

"One of the benefits of helping mom with birthday prep = mini ice cream cones made from some of the leftovers."
- Captain 

Stanley Cup Ice Cream Cones

Supplies:

• Joy Ice Cream Cups (2 for each finished treat/cone)
• Keebler Ice Cream Cups (1 for each finished treat/cone)
• Keebler Fudge Stripes 
• White Candy Melts
• Silver Color Mist (or use edible silver pearl dust)
• M&M's 
• Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
• York minis (optional)

Directions: 

Using a serrated knife, carefully cut off the rounded “cup” area from the Keebler Ice Cream Cup and put aside. We also trimmed the edge of one of the Joy Ice Cream Cups so that the edge would be flat/straight when stacked on top of the bottom Ice Cream Cup.

I wasn't able to find a round cookie the size we needed for the bottom so we filled the center of Keebler Fudge Stripes with a brown M&M and secured it with some melted white chocolate for the base of the Stanley Cups.

Next, put melted chocolate in a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. (We used a plastic bag with the corned clipped off.)  The original directions suggested piping "melted chocolate on the base of the ice cream cup and slide it inside the second ice cream cup, stacking and sealing them together."  We skipped this step so that they could be taken apart during the party and used for Ice Cream, saving the treat side for later.

Pipe a ring of chocolate on the top of the Stanley Cup and attach the ice cream cone “bowl” cut earlier on top.

Before filling the bottom cups with treats (M&M's) and attaching the base (cookie) we temporarily put the cones together and spray painted them silver with Silver Color Mist. This wasn't the most cost-effective thing to do, and we ended up needing a second can (purchased with 60% off coupons at least) to cover the cones that we made.

After the silver spray has dried, fill the bottom cup (the ice cream cup that wasn't trimmed or cut at all) with candy, then pipe chocolate around the edges of the opening and place the cookie over the opening to seal. Stand the ice cream cups cookie-side down.

Re-assemble cones, set on tray, and let color and chocolate dry overnight in a cool, dry place.​

Serve with "Flying Pucks" (aka Cookies and Cream) Ice Cream topped with a York Minis. 

In case you missed it you can find our Hockey Jersey Birthday Cake Tutorial here, our Hot Chocolate & Marshmallow Face-Off Puck Cakes here, or scroll through all our past party themes.  

Hot Chocolate & Marshmallow Face-Off Puck Cakes {Hockey Themed Cupcakes}

While I was decorating the Hockey Jersey Birthday Cake, some of our older children were busy with other birthday preparations... Twinkle Toes baked "Hot Chocolate & Marshmallow Cupcakes" and Ranger carefully created the "Face-Off" inspired decorations to place on top of the cupcakes! (Captain was working on another fun treat which I'll share next.) It's was so nice having help!!!

Our original inspiration for our "Face-Off Puck Cakes" came from these Hockey Themed Cupcakes, but Ranger made some modifications. He did a great job and I really loved how they turned out! 

Hot Chocolate & Marshmallow Face-Off Puck Cakes

Supplies: 

• Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
• Marshmallow Frosting
• Pretzel Sticks
• Black Candy Melts, melted
• M&M's (Dark Brown works if you can't find Black)
• Plastic Bag (with corner cut off)

Directions:

Bake and frost cupcakes. We choose to serve "Hot Chocolate & Marshmallow Cupcakes" simply and quickly made with a Dark Chocolate Cake Mix and Vanilla Marshmallow Fluffy Frost.  

Create the Hockey Sticks by breaking off one end to make the desired length and then placing the pretzel (broken end) in a drop of black candy melt (squeezed from the plastic bag onto wax paper) and then adding some additional melted black candy to create the blade. Let dry. 

Place two pretzel "hockey sticks" (criss-crossed with the flat side of the stick facing up) on top of the cupcake. Add an M&M "puck" in between the two sticks. All done! 

You can find the tutorial for our Hockey Jersey Birthday Cake here

or scroll though all our past party themes here. 

A Hockey Jersey Birthday Cake

This past Sunday (Father's Day!) we celebrated our little hockey player's 8th birthday! It was his first time playing this last season and I'm sure it will not be his last. He loves Hockey!

A photo from the Parent vs. Players Hockey Game last March! 

He had requested a hockey themed birthday earlier this year and of course, other than ordering a couple gifts, I put off making any plans until the very last minute this past Saturday! After a trip to the craft and grocery stores, and some help from my husband and older children, it all came together Saturday afternoon and evening. I wanted to do something different than our older son's Capitals themed Hockey Birthday (over 5 years ago on his 8th birthday!) so I ended up focusing on black and silver for the LA Kings, the birthday boy's favorite NHL team, and made a Hockey Jersey Birthday Cake. The cake was such a hit and could be easily modified for any sport or team!

Supplies:

• 1 - 9x12 Sheet Cake, frosted (the birthday boy requested a plain yellow cake with vanilla marshmallow frosting)
• 1 batch of Marshmallow Fondant (recipe below)
• Sugar Sheets in desired team colors - I used Silver and Black for the LA Kings (I hand cut the letters used for the name out of the black sugar sheet, but you could also use the Alphabet Sugar Sheet.)

Make Marshmallow Fondant:
I made this recipe again with regular sized marshmallows, however I didn't refrigerate it overnight as suggested. It probably would have been much easier to roll and place had it been refrigerated. 

This was only the second time I've made my own fondant, and the first time I've tried covering a whole cake, but I'd definitely do it again! Everyone always loves the marshmallow fondant. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 (16 ounce) package marshmallows
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 pounds confectioners' sugar, divided 

Directions:

1. Place the butter in a shallow bowl, and set aside.
2. Place the marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 30 seconds to 1 minute to start melting the marshmallows. Carefully stir the water and vanilla extract into the hot marshmallows, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of powdered sugar for kneading. The dough will be very stiff. (You may end up needing additional powdered sugar to get the right consistency... I did.) 
3. Rub your hands thoroughly with butter, and begin kneading the sticky dough. As you knead, the dough will become workable and pliable. Turn the dough out onto a working surface dusted with confectioners' sugar and continue kneading until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Form the fondant into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. To use, allow the fondant to come to room temperature, and roll it out onto a flat surface dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 2 1/4 pounds of Marshmallow Fondant

Decorate Cake:

Roll out white Marshmallow Fondant, reserving some to use for the sleeves. Cover the cake with fondant and trim off any excess. (Note: I really needed a larger fondant rolling pin - mine is pretty small and my rolling pin is too heavy - and had trouble rolling my fondant large enough to cover the whole cake, so I just made sure it was wide enough to cover the top, and long enough to cover the top and bottom of the jersey. The sleeves took care of the other two sides.)

That moment while making one of my kids' birthday cakes when I think it's going to be a total failure.... #happenseverytime #decoratingcakesisstressful #atleastsomeoneisexcitedabouttheprogress

Before adding the sleeves I placed a silver and black stripe at the bottom of the jersey using the sugar sheets. I had purchased the sugar sheets "just in case" and I was glad that I did. I tried to color some of the marshmallow fondant using a lot of black gel coloring, but instead of getting silver/gray and black I ended up with lavender and dark purple... (Actually the dark purple looks pretty black now that it's been sitting in the fridge for a couple days, maybe it just needed a little time.) The sugar sheets were so much easier and looked great on the finished cake!

I cut the sugar sheets with a paper cutter, though you could easily hand cut them as well. I lightly misted the fondant with a little water so that the sugar sheets would adhere to the cake. At this point I hadn't considered that the bottom corners of the cake wouldn't be covered by the sleeves, otherwise I would have cut the sugar sheets the longest length possible versus just cutting the width. I ended up having to add in a couple smaller pieces of silver sugar sheet on each side, but it was no big deal and I was the only one who noticed the imperfections! :)

To make the sleeves I divided the remaining fondant in half, then rolled it into a long rectangle, trimming one side (the edge that is on top of the cake) and end (sleeve opening) straight. After placing it on the cake and shaping a couple folds, I trimmed the top edge at a curve for the neckline and shoulder and trimmed the left side as well.  Repeat with the second sleeve. Add stripes made from sugar sheets to each sleeve.

I hand cut the letters for the name at the top of the jersey and then printed out the number 8 using the "Freshman" font (you can download it here or find it at Picmonkey) to use as a template for cutting the sugar sheet.

I'll be back soon with some of the other treats we made for the party! 

Good Shepherd Sunday

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." ~ John 10:11

The gifts the children received for Easter this year, in our family Easter basket, included a Little Lambs Cupcake Kit and a Good Shepherd Blessing Block. After Mass we decided to bake and decorate the Little Lambs today to continue celebrating Good Shepherd Sunday!

Rose's completed cupcake. She says you can see the lamb's smile right below it's eyes. :) 

"I didn't mean to make him cross-eyed!" says the 14 year old...

The kit only included enough mini marshmallows for 5 cupcakes (?) so we improvised by cutting up some large marshmallows that happened to be in the cupboard. 

Here is a short excerpt from Fr. Eric Andersen's beautiful and inspiring Sermon for Sunday, April 26, 2015:

"Many wolves seek to lure Catholics away from the one true faith by preaching an easy faith: a feel-good faith. But the best feeling comes from obeying God, being in a state of grace, and having true communion with Him in His Church. We must pray for our shepherds that they remain courageous in holding fast to the truth whatever wolves might try to threaten or bully them. The saints laid down their lives to follow Christ. St. Peter followed Him to martyrdom. Let us pray for the shepherds of our souls that they may remain continent and chaste, steadfast and courageous, and not flee at the coming of the wolf." 

As St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests and confessors, once said “After God, the priest is everything.” Priests are the primary ministers of the sacraments, acting in persona Christi.  They give us sacramental life in Christ, feeding us the spiritual nourishment for our souls in Confession and Holy Communion, the Bread of Life.  They must work, sacrifice, pray, and cooperate with God's grace to guide the Faithful.  Without a holy priest the sheep will scatter.  Please take a moment to join me in offering a Prayer for Priests:

Most gracious Heavenly Father, We thank you for our faithful priests and bishops, whose spiritual fatherhood and example of fidelity, self-sacrifice, and devotion is so vital to the faith of Your people.

May our spiritual fathers be guided by the examples of Saints Peter and Paul, all the Apostles and their saintly successors. Give them valiant faith in the face of confusion and conflict, hope in time of trouble and sorrow, and steadfast love for you, for their families, and for all Your people throughout the world. May the light of Your Truth shine through their lives and their good works.

Assist all spiritual fathers, that through Your Grace they may steadily grow in holiness and in knowledge and understanding of Your Truth. May they generously impart this knowledge to those who rely on them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us also remember to pray every day for vocations to the priesthood, especially in our own families and parishes. There are many young Catholic men discerning vocations to the priesthood including this young man who is asking for prayers and support.

Happy Good Shepherd Sunday! 

Happy Birthday, Kit! :: Chocolate Roll Cake

"You are so lucky, Kit," sighed Ruthie. "This is a wonderful party." The sun had set. The yard was lit with lanterns Aunt Millie had saved from a trash pile and repaired. The lanterns had candles inside them, and they swayed in the soft evening breeze so that their light danced across the grass. Kit, Ruthie, and Sterling were sitting together eating the chocolate roll cake Aunt Millie had made…" ~ Happy Birthday, Kit!

Chiquita turned ten years old last Monday! Of course, that meant we would have to have another American Girl themed birthday party... After all, all the historical doll book series found on my girls' bookshelves include stories about the various girls turning ten!  In the past we've celebrated birthdays with Kirsten, Josefina, and Caroline. This year, after receiving Ruthie for Christmas, Chiquita asked for a Kit Kittredge birthday! 

I didn't have much time to plan or prepare for this birthday, but it all came together! Instead of the traditional Chocolate Roll Cake mentioned in Happy Birthday, Kit! and included in Kit's Birthday Set, I opted to create a "cake" using Little Debbie Swiss Rolls, chocolate pudding and whip cream. Everyone LOVED the cake! (I'm still on the AIP diet - today is day 53!! - so I had to just take their word for it…) My husband said it is right up there at the top of the list of favorites with my (extremely time consuming!) Tiramisu. I'll definitely be making it again. It only took about 20 minutes to assemble and was able to chill in the fridge while I finished preparing the rest of the party games and decorations! 

Kit Kittredge's Chocolate Roll Cake

(adapted from Taste of Home's Chocolate Swirl Delight) 

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 boxes (12 cakes per box) Swiss Rolls, unwrapped
• 2-3/4 cups Milk, cold
• 2 packages (3.9 ounces each) Instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding Mix
• 2 cups Cool Whip (I used one 8 ounce container)
• Fresh Strawberries, optional

Directions: 

Cut each cake roll into six slices; set aside any chocolate coating that separates from rolls for garnish.

Line a 9-in. springform pan with cake slices, completely covering the bottom and sides.

In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick).

Pour over cake.

Spread with spatula.

Top pudding with Cool Whip, or other whipped topping.

Sprinkle with any reserved chocolate coating.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before removing from the springform pan and serving.



Garnish or serve with strawberries, if desired.

I'll be back with pictures from the rest of the party sometime soon. In the meantime you can find additional cake recipes at the bottom of this page. You can also check out some of our past American Girl Unit Studies and Birthday Parties here:

1764 - Kaya :: An American Girl Lap Book and Unit Study

1774 - Felicity :: An American Girl Lap Book and Unit Study

1824 - Josefina :: An American Girl Lap Book and Unit Study

Feliz Cumpleaños Chiquita :: A "Josefina" Birthday!

An Early American Pioneer Birthday

Happy Birthday, Caroline! :: An American Girl Party