Aimee's Gingerbread Cookies

Aimee's Gingerbread Cookies

Sift Dry Ingredients together:

 3 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbl ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Mix wet ingredients together in large mixing bowl:

6 Tbl butter, softened
3/4 Cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 Cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)

Add dry to wet, incorporate until it forms a ball of dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap, then put in gallon size Ziploc bag.
Store in refrigerator overnight or at least 3 hours to chill dough.  (Don't skip this step.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Flour your surface, knead chilled dough (don't bring it to room temp, just begin working with it).  Roll out dough, cut with cookie cutters, place on parchment-lined cookie sheet; bake for 10 min. or until edges become brown.  Cool on cookie rack.  Frost with royal icing and sprinkles.

Carrot Cake Recipe with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

JOSE & AIMEE’S CARROT CAKE #BROWNNGB

2 Cups all-purpose flour

2 Cups granulated sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. pumpkin spice

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cans (14.5 oz each) carrots*

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup crushed pineapple (don’t drain)

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Two 8” round cake pans, sprayed and lined with parchment paper.  325 degrees F.

Puree carrots in blender or food processor until smooth.  Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and pumpkin spice.  Set aside.  Combine in large mixing bowl eggs, oil, pureed carrots, vanilla, pineapple, coconut, nuts.   Mix well.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix well for 30 seconds.

Pour into cake pans.  Bake 45 min. or until top springs back and toothpick comes out clean. Cool and chill cake.  Add Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting.  It's to die for!

*Variations on this Carrot Cake Recipe.  Omit coconut and/or nuts.  Substitute one cup pureed carrots for 1 cup raw shredded carrots.  Do this if you are omitting the coconut, so there can be texture in your cake.  I shred baby carrots in my food processor.

AIMEE’S BROWNED BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING #BROWNNGB

(Taken from Cake Mix Doctor book)

½ cup salted butter

16 oz. cream cheese, chilled

2 tsp. vanilla extract

9 -10 cups confectioner’s sugar (powdered)

Place cream cheese in mixer, cutting into smaller pieces.  Brown butter over medium heat in non-stick skillet until butter melt and starts to foam, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat as soon as you see the color change to a light brown and smells caramelized.  Pour hot caramelized butter over cream cheese and add vanilla.  Beat carefully on low speed until butter and cream cheese are smooth and combined.  Add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time until sugar is fully incorporated.  Scrape sides of bowl.  Beat on high 1 minute.  Can be refrigerated in airtight container for a few weeks. 

Rose Swirled Wedding Cake

I love this combination of flavors:  Vanilla Butter Nut pound cake, Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting and my famous toffee bits.  This rose swirl pattern requires a TON of frosting!  It's not a good idea to run out of frosting at 10:15 pm and have to run to the store and finish the cake by midnight. But sometimes, that's the life of a home caker.

Rose Swirled Birthday Cake

Happy 20th Birthday to my beautiful baby girl, Kallie Jo Anderson!  This was a new recipe I tried--lemon cake, lemon curd and fresh blueberries.  I just whipped up some Pastry Pride to make the swirls (I don't like the flavor, but I like the results I get from using this whipped topping).  I also was playing around with the flowers from a Craftsy class I took with Jessica Harris-who happens to be my very favorite caker ever!

Next Great Baker #GreyNGB Brandy & Ginger

I didn't plan on this web site to have much writing, mainly just pictures of my creations, when I started it a few years ago.  But here I go!  Brandy Smith and Ginger Soave are two fabulous women who, unfortunately, were the first to be eliminated on the Next Great Baker Season 4.  Boo hoo!  My heart immediately went out to Brandy when I learned about her family's situation with a devastating disease.  I've been praying and asking other prayer warriors to pray for Brandy and her family situation.  I'll let her share the details publicly if she so desires.  Just pray for them, please.  God knows what's going on.  Thank you!

After the Meet the Bakers video of these two and the first episode, I find myself defending these friends of mine.  After knowing these girls in a behind-the-scenes way as I do, I just want the world to know that Ginger is a phenomenal cake decorator!  Check out her web site with her exquisite creations: http://www.theicingonthecake-ginger.com.  You'll be as impressed as I was!

And Ginger said it correctly in her Meet the Bakers video--she'll share her wealth of information and expertise with you.  She's been so helpful to me and a huge encouragement.

Brandy, too, is a fabulous caker.  Check out her business Sophisticakes by Brandy (great name!) at http://www.sophisticakesbybrandy.com.  Brandy's cakes come alive!

I love both of those ladies!  May God's blessings be poured out on them in abundance.

OMGOSH! I'm going to be on TV in 2 days!

OK, so here's the scoop:  My baking buddy (Jose Barajas) and I will be one of ten teams to compete on the Next Great Baker airing June 24 on TLC.  Will someone pinch me, please?  I can hardly believe it.  I've been too busy to really take it all in, but the time has come, after much blood, sweat and tears (and buttercream!) to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!  Woot woot!  

I thank my God for giving me this abundant opportunity--not only to be on a reality TV show with the most amazing caker in the world, but to build friendships with the contestants, and especially Jose.  Thank you, Jose Beto Barajas, for asking me to be your cake partner.  And thank You, God, for giving me the courage to say yes to that crazy request to just take the step of faith and apply for the show!  I kept seeing God's hand of blessing and favor upon us week after week.  Such an over-the-top experience!  I'm blessed beyond words!

Check out our Meet the Bakers video

Chima Lego Cake

I made a birthday cake for a little boy named Joshua who turned 6, and he wanted Legend of Chima Lego cake.  Well, I got MY lesson on Chima.  Now I'm an expert (in my own mind).  Chi super powers!  My bestest cake buddy helped me tremendously--Jose Barajas.  Jose, you're my super hero caker!