Devils Workshop

has been moved to new address

http://www.devilsworkshop.org

Sorry for inconvenience...

Two Peas and Their Pod: Treats for a Baby Shower

Monday, January 26, 2009

Treats for a Baby Shower



Over the weekend I was hired to make treats for a baby shower! This was my first "real" baking job:) It was tons of fun!

I made little lemon cakes for everyone to sample at the shower. I used my mini cake pan with fun shapes from Williams Sonoma. The cakes were adorable, and really tasty too! I snuck a sample:) I think mini desserts are perfect for showers and parties.

I also made three kinds of cookies to put in treat bags for everyone to take home. I decided on chocolate chip cookies with pink M&M's (she is having a girl), chewy chocolate cookies with white chocolate chunks, and my lime coconut snowballs. I packaged them in cute little bags, with pin
k ribbon, and threw in some pink caramel kisses for color and fun!

I had a blast baking for this shower!! Click on the cookies above for the recipes and the lemon cake recipe is below. You can make this in a loaf pan, but the minis were so cute!! You can use a mini muffin pan if you don't have a fancy shaped mini pan, both will work wonders!





Lemon Loaf Cake or Mini Cakes

Adapted From Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 C. plain whole-milk yogurt (I used sour cream)
1 1/3 C. sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 tsp. grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 C. vegetable oil ( I used canola oil)
1/3 C. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
1 C. confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan or mini muffin pan, or mini shaped cake pan! You can use any pan for this cake!

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes for the loaf cake or about 20 minutes for the mini muffin cakes. Test with a tooth pick. If it comes out clean, they are done! If you are doing the minis it makes a ton. I baked one pan and then another. So I got about 60 mini cakes!

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 C. lemon juice and remaining 1/3 C. sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake or mini cakes are done, allow them to cool for about ten minutes. I poke little holes in the cake or mini cakes with a toothpick so the juice can be soaked up. Next, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake or minis and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake or mini cakes. Serve!


Labels: ,

49 Comments:

Blogger Culinary Wannabe said...

What precious little baby cakes!! They really turned out great! I'm sure the mom-to-be was just thrilled!

8:29 AM  
Blogger Erica said...

Great work! We are having my sisters baby showers soon and you may have inspired me to make all of the favors!

8:39 AM  
Blogger Amy Beatty said...

Fun. that is the perfect job for you .

8:44 AM  
Blogger Rachel said...

They look adorable!!!

The cookies are making me so hungry...for sweets! I haven't had any in over a week; I love losing weight but I hate this part of it!

8:45 AM  
Blogger Colleen said...

These are adorable - great job! This is my favorite lemon cake recipe from Ina and I love your idea to make them into smaller portions!

8:46 AM  
Blogger Aggie said...

Oh I love those little baby cakes!! And all those cookies, especially those snowballs!! What fun, great job Maria!

8:55 AM  
Blogger Deborah said...

How fun! They are adorable!

9:15 AM  
Blogger Barbara Bakes said...

Congratulations - looks like you did a fabulous job! I love lemon cake. I'll have to try this version!

9:22 AM  
Blogger Kelley Flint said...

Looks way cute. I"m sure they were a hit.

9:43 AM  
Blogger Meg said...

What a fabulous job! All the treats look amazing!

10:10 AM  
Blogger Beth (jamandcream) said...

They all sound yummy

10:19 AM  
Blogger Cathy said...

Oh, lucky mommy-to-be to have you be the one to bake for her shower! Your treats are just precious, and I have no doubt that they were delicious, too! I love the idea of doing minis for a baby shower. I wish that most of my friends weren't done having babies. I'm going to have to go looking for some friends about 10 years younger than me so that I can do some baby shower baking :-)

10:33 AM  
Blogger Navita (Gupta) Hakim said...

I like everything mini..n this seems like a great gift idea.

will try these for sure Maria. :)

10:43 AM  
Blogger Reeni said...

How cute!!! You did an awesome job with it!

10:48 AM  
Blogger Nicole and Abe said...

those are so cute.... you really need to start your own little business or something and do this full time. you are an amazing cook!!! Love ya and miss you!

10:56 AM  
Blogger Pam said...

What cute and tasty cakes. The cookies are also looking delicious.

I love the new layout.

11:02 AM  
Blogger Mary Bergfeld said...

What a fabulous job! I'm sure the mom-to-be was thrilled.

11:06 AM  
Blogger Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Pretty! These cookies look perfect and so dainty!

Cheers,

Rosa

11:07 AM  
Blogger tiff snedaker said...

Yum! I am totally going to have to try those lemon loaf cakes! They look delicious

11:42 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

adorable!

11:46 AM  
Blogger grace said...

good stuff, maria! you'll be a hot commodity now. :)
i particularly love the mini cakes--the easier they are to eat, the better. :)

12:28 PM  
Blogger Liz said...

Your blog is so refreshing, I have given you the Lemonade Award! See my blog for details!

12:53 PM  
Blogger Usha said...

Wow, everything looks awesome !

1:35 PM  
Blogger Jinii said...

I was at the shower and got your card from Jami. I have to say it was all so yummy! I can't wait to try so of your recipes!

1:37 PM  
Blogger Allie said...

Super cute!

1:55 PM  
Blogger Maria said...

Thanks for the comments! I too loved the mini cakes!!

I wish I could bake full time, but I do have a job that takes up most of my time, bummer! Maybe someday:)

Jinni-Thanks for visiting our blog. I am glad you enjoyed the treats and had fun at the shower!

2:33 PM  
Blogger NKP said...

Awesome! Congratulations.
Love the mini cakes - is that the petit fours or the tea cakes pan?

2:50 PM  
Blogger Maria said...

I used the tea cake pan from WS, but I am sure you could use the petit four..or a mini muffin pan!

3:00 PM  
Blogger Annie said...

Congratulations on your first baking job!! Sounds like you had a lot of fun. The cakes are adorable and the cookies are a perfect idea for treats to bring home.
If I ever have a baby, I'm hiring you! ;)

3:29 PM  
Blogger Jan said...

Your little gift bags look lovely, Maria. Great job!

4:20 PM  
Blogger Lucy..♥ said...

Oh Maria, these treats look so good!! We'll be having my DIL's BS next month and I'll be baking up some goodies too, thanks for the inspiration ;-)

4:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

YAY! Congrats on your first paid baking job, and those chookies (the dark chewy) are my fav and the little petite cakes... adorable..

I have a question though.. can you help point me to where I can find those cake pans and the damask bags for baked goodies?

4:57 PM  
Blogger priscilla joy said...

I am going to try your lemon cakes for sure, they look sooo good!

5:34 PM  
Blogger Maria said...

Girl japan- the pan is from Williams somoma and the bags are from a paper/party store! I hope you can find them!

6:21 PM  
Blogger Sara said...

Everything looks beautiful, I have that same cake pan!

6:33 PM  
Blogger La Bella Cooks said...

Those turned out beautifully! I love being hired to do fun jobs like that.

7:00 PM  
Blogger Bunny said...

Everything looks so good, you're gonna be very busy baking with treats that look this good!

7:42 PM  
Blogger Dee said...

Oh, these look great! Wish we could find pink M&Ms here.

8:07 PM  
Blogger Kathy_in_Colorado said...

Wonderful treats! Great choices - I appreciate the recipes and want to make them all and definitely the lime snowballs

Kathy
http://www.kathalog.com

8:07 PM  
Blogger Cristine said...

How great! Looks yummy!

3:27 AM  
Blogger The Blonde Duck said...

I'd hire you any day! Those look wonderful.

Have any deep dish pizzas left?

3:32 AM  
Blogger Emily said...

Everything is oh-so-cute and looks delicious!

3:44 AM  
Blogger Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

You did a wonderful job. Everything looks yummy!

5:19 AM  
Blogger CookiePie said...

What beautiful desserts! And congrats on the baking job! I'm sire it's the first of MANY :)

7:32 AM  
Blogger Sabrina said...

I love your dishes! I have very similar ones too!

Cute treats too!

12:17 PM  
Blogger Live.Love.Eat said...

Congrats on the gig!!!!!!! I bet they were pleased!!!!!

4:56 PM  
Blogger Maria♥ said...

Oh how cute!! I adore your presentation and I'd definitely hire you too ;o)

Maria
x

11:01 AM  
Blogger Cakelaw said...

What a gorgeous idea! Plenty of my friends and acquaintances are having babies this year, so I ned some inspiration.

6:13 PM  
Blogger Bugg's mama said...

I was wondering.......where did you find the pink M&Ms? Was it Valentine's season or did you find them online somewhere? Thanks!

2:15 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home