How to Tie Dye Cake

Two weeks ago, for my boyfriend’s birthday, I finally decided try my hand at a tie dye cake recipe  from my “Culinary Couture” Pinterest board. Honestly, I half-expected my cake to look like a poorly-executed Rainbow Brite assassination. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised. Turns out, baking a tie dye cake is, well, a piece of cake.

What you’ll need:

6 different colors of food dye

1 box of white cake mix

2-3 eggs

Water

9″ round cake pan

Direction:

1. Mix the boxed cake mix as you normally would, following the directions on the back of the box.

2. Separate the batter equally into six small bowls.

3. Use the dye to color each of the six bowls with a different color.

4. After spraying the pan with non-stick spray, pour the first color into the middle of the pan. Do not spread out.

5. Pour the second color directly on top of the first, and lightly shake the pan to help the batter distribute evenly across the middle.

6. Repeat step 5 until all of the colors have been used and the batter fills the entire bottom of the pan.

7. Bake according to the directions on the box. Don’t worry if it cracks! That’s what icing is for.

8. Eat all of the leftover batter while the cake bakes.

9. Add the icing and sprinkles.

10. Bam! You’re now the proud creator of a brilliantly-colored culinary masterpiece.

Tips:

1. The colors will darken as they cook, so use minimal dye with the batter.

2. The color will create a marbled effect, so the order of the colors is not particularly important in pouring.

3. If you want to create a layered cake, double the ingredients and cook two 9″ pans simultaneously. Use icing between the layers to hold them together.

4. Don’t worry if your cake cracks! That’s what icing is for.

5. If you’re still feeling lost, check out this great tutorial by Duff.

Advertisement

Chili’s Molten Lava Cake Copycat Recipe

The other day, I had an insatiable craving that could only be cured with the decadent glory of a Chili’s molten lava cake. However, instead of rushing off to my nearest Chili’s, I decided to undergo a baking challenge and replicate my own. By making a few tweaks to this overly-complicated Food Network recipe, I was able to bake 6 miniature molten cakes for under $15. Not bad, right?

Trust me, you’re going to want to try this one for yourself.

Ingredients

Cake:

6 tbs. butter

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

1 1/3 cups flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking power

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbs. milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Lava:

8 ounces milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 tbs. butter

1 tbs. light corn syrup

Directions for Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Use a little melted butter to coat a jumbo-size mufin pan, then dust with cocoa powder. Shake off any excess.

3.  Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

4. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and water together over medium heat and set aside.

5. Combine the vegetable oil, butter, and sugar in a separate bowl. Beat with electric mixer until blended.

6. Add cocoa powder, vanilla, and eggs to the vegetable oil mixture, using the mixer to blend for one minute between each added ingredient.

7. With the mixer on low, gradually add in the dry mixture and heated milk/water.

8. Evenly distribute the batter among the jumbo muffin pan, filling each mold three-quarters of the way.

9. Bake until the tops of the cakes have domed, roughly 25 to 30 minutes.

10. Remove from oven when done and let cool for 30 minutes.

Directions for Lava Filling

1. Combine chocolate chips, light corn syrup, butter, and cream in a large microwavable bowl.

2. Microwave on high for thirty seconds, then stop to stir the mixture.

3. Repeat step 2 until all of the chocolate has melted.

4. Transfer into air-tight container for storing, and lick the bowl clean.

Finishing Touches

1. Using the end of a hand-held slicer, cut a small, circular hole through the middle of each cake. Save the scraps for midnight snacking.

2. Wrap each individual cake in Seran wrap and microwave for 30 seconds to reheat.

3. Spoon the lava filling inside the center of the cake until it spills over the top.

4. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra satisfaction, and drizzle with caramel if desired.

5. Enjoy your glorious creation!

WWMD: A Crafter’s Christmas

Sometimes the generous tidings of Christmas clash with the empty holes in your pocket, provoking an ugly “What now?”. Before “I’m sorry I couldn’t get you anything…” rears its dirty poor head, ask yourself one question: WWMD? That’s right, what would Martha do.

WWMD?

Because I idolize Martha Stewart the way young girls fawn over Hannah Montana, I decided to channel my inner Martha (who resides not so far from the surface) for a bit of holiday inspiration. Here’s a sneak peek at three of the gifts I’ve been working on for the past month.

If you’d like the pattern or recipe I used on any of the gifts below, simply click the picture.

Did someone say “lumberjack”?

Total Cost: $6

I made this bearded hat for a dear hipster friend of mine because it’s a well-known fact that hipsters like beards. Also, Instagram wouldn’t let me save my own picture, so I had to use the pattern’s site picture. Sorry about the creepster in the velvet shirt. Anyways, it’s a perfect pattern for beginners and took only two hours to complete. The yarn was $3 for each color at Walmart, and despite urban myth about the crafting goods at Walmart, is actually quite soft and unitchy.

Yes, Mr. President, I will eat your face.

Total cost: $13

Made for a very special friend of mine with a fancy for all things colonial America, these cookies were generally inexpensive, though a bit time consuming, to make. I ordered the constitutional decal and cookie cutters from Ebay, but the rest is all Walmart. The trickiest part is the icing, as you want it to dry hard to avoid smearing on the other cookies. If you’re looking for a good icing recipe, just click the picture.

To infinity and beyond!

Total Cost: $4 or $8

After a special request from my aunt, I began work on this most dapper scarf. It’s thick and dense to keep out the cold and is most relaxing to work on. The yarn is $4 per skein, so the overall cost just depends if you want one loop or two. Just knit this as you would any scarf, and when you feel it’s long enough, bind off and stitch the ends together with some leftover yarn.

Although these are not the only crafts I’ve been working on, they’re the only ones I can show at the time, being that their recipient has either already gotten them or knows what they’re getting. Perhaps after Christmas I can show you all the many  things I’ve been working on. Until then, remember: WWMD?