Christmas "Joy" Cookies

I've been so inspired with all the Christmas cookies I've seen all over Pinterest, so I decided to make some of my own. I tried my take on a "pieced" cookie, (I think that's what they're called) using separate cookie cutters to make one cookie.  

Anywho, here's a little how-to for those that are curious.

A while back, I bought these Wilton cookie cutters at Jo-Anns. They came in a box of 101 so they really come in handy for all sorts of cookie themes.

I used SweetAmbs Sugar Cookie Recipe and Royal Icing Recipe and I have to say, this cookie recipe makes amazing and tasty cookies!

To decorate these cookies you will need:

• White 20 second icing
• Red (no-taste) 20 second icing
• Mix leaf green and lemon yellow for a neutral green color. 20 second icing
• The same green as above but piping consistency for the leaves

Begin by pressing each letter into the dough, making sure they overlap about 1/4 inch. Once they're done baking, let them cool overnight so that they're firm to work with the next day.

Outline and flood the cookie starting with the letter 'J'. I used a Wilton tip #2 for this. Notice I went around the letter 'O'. I wanted to give this cookie a layered effect so that's why I chose to do it this way. But you can go about this any way you like.

I quickly piped the red icing on top of the white icing. This technique is called "wet on wet". I used a Wilton #1 tip for this step. I wanted to give the letters a candy cane look.

Pipe and flood the letter 'Y' the same and also the center of the 'O'. 

Let them dry for about 20 minutes before moving onto the next step.

Outline and flood the 'O'. At this stage I let my cookies dry overnight or at least 8 hours so that I have a nice dry surface for the wreath. Pipe a simple outline of green icing with a Wilton #2 tip.

For the leaves you will need piping consistency icing, otherwise your leaves will puddle up into little pools of "oopsies" not that it happened to me <_< hehee

I used a Wilton #352 tip and randomly piped leaves to make it look like a wreath.

Using the same #1 tip of red icing, I piped the little "berries" on top of the leaves.

I made a couple more and alternated the colors. 

This is how they came out! 

If I had more time, I'd play around with making different words like "Merry Christmas" "Holly Jolly" "Ho-Ho-Ho" Ahh! The possibilities are endless. 

Have fun and please post a picture of your creation on my Facebook at www.facebook.com/TavitaCakes I'd love to see what your creative minds come up with!

To all those traveling during the Holidays, drive safe, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

~Silvia

Angry Birds Cake

This was a cake I made for a little boy who LOVES Angry Birds. I wanted to capture the main scene of the game which was the sunset, the red angry bird and king pig. My husband made the blue/purple rocks at the bottom and I cut out the grass with an exacto knife. The red angry bird was cut out of gumpaste and I used edible food markers to add the details. I did the same for the pig. The blocks are made out of brown fondant and put together with royal icing, let to dry for 2 days. For the background I cut out the shape of mountains and bushes out of styrofoam board. I colored the details with copic markers and I glued some green construction paper for the bushes.

Flavors are vanilla with raspberry cream filling.

Winnie the Pooh Cake

My longtime friend wanted me to make a Winnie the Pooh themed cake for her daughter's first birthday! So I decided to look online for a nice template to go by. I found a nice picture online and I printed it out. I put a white tissue paper on top of the print and traced the image with an edible food marker. I then put the tissue paper over fondant and re-traced the image. I cut the image out with an exacto knife.

I baked two 10 inch cakes. One was chocolate and one was vanilla. I torted and filled them with a raspberry and buttercream filling. Covered them with a crusting buttercream twice, then covered it with strips of light and dark green fondant. I wrapped a strip of fondant for the bottom and finished it with a fondant bow. Two pink flowers added that "girly" touch and I cut some purple letters out of fondant. I brushed the back of the pooh image with edible glue and pasted the pieces to the top of the cake! :) Tah-dah! a finished yummy Pooh cake! :D

Baby Shower Cake for Boy

This cake was a request from one of my friends. It's a topsy turvy cake with the word PRINCE on top and "Welcome Sweet Prince" on the bottom tier. The cakes are made with red velvet and frosted with vanilla buttercream and covered in homemade marshmallow fondant. I LOVED THE BOW! I saw a picture online and I decided to make my own! :) I cut 1x4 inch long strips of green fondant. Folded in half and glued the ends together with a bit of water. I let them dry overnight. The next day I painted on the blue dashes to make them look like stitches. All the letters are fondant.

Baby Mickey Mouse Cake

This weekend I had to make a Baby Mickey Mouse cake :D The cakes were vanilla with raspberry cream filling yum! For the bottom tier I cut out different colors in the mickey mouse shape. The second tier  I tried creating the baby mickey's overalls. The top tier had baby Izayah's name in white fondant. For the topper I tried replicating the invitation which had a baby mickey sitting with a cupcake in the front and a number 1 in the back. :)

This is the mickey invitation we received in the mail! :) So cute huh :D