Killer Cakes – Issue 32
Welcome!
November is a food-lover’s month. So let’s get this issue of Killer Cakes started with a dessert recipe from Killer Sweet Tooth. This month on Fatal Foodies, I’m doing a series of dessert recipes from the latest Daphne Martin mystery. The first–Pat Tolbert’s Banana Pudding–was posted on Friday. Another recipe will be posted on November 11.
Spotlight: Pumpkin
Here are some yummy pumpkin recipes for you to enjoy!
New York Pumpkin Creme Caramel
3-Step Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
Glazed Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake
If you try any of these, please let us know how you liked them! Happy baking!
Killer Cakes – Issue 30
Welcome!
Thanks to the incomparable Kerry Vincent, Killer Sweet Tooth debuted at the 2011 Oklahoma Sugar Art Show in Tulsa this past weekend. (Pictured is Karen Portaleo’s entry at last year’s show.) Ms. Vincent was instrumental in getting some pre-publication buzz for Daphne’s third adventure among the premiere cake decorators in the country. Both Gayle and I appreciate Ms. Vincent’s kindness and generosity!
Please note, we’ll be having a contest prior to Killer Sweet Tooth‘s release on October 11 (next Tuesday). So please stay tuned for details. There will be lots of great prizes to be won, including, of course, copies of Killer Sweet Tooth.
Killer Cakes – Issue 27
Welcome!
I’m hoping that by the time the next newsletter rolls around, I’ll have a cover for Killer Sweet Tooth to show you. In the meantime, I had some of the sweetest strawberries the other day. And that made me think a strawberry cake would be really good. Don’t you agree? I found a receipe for Paula Deen’s Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake and I also found one for Strawberry Shortcut Cake courtesy of the Neelys. If you try either one, please comment below and let me know how it turned out!
Site Spotlight: My Cake School Blog
If you’d like to learn some cake decorating techniques or get fresh decorating ideas, check out My Cake School Blog. The blog is available for everyone and is usually updated 2-3 times per week with cake decorating tutorials and ideas. The author, Melissa Diamond, also has a site called MyCakeSchool.com, which is a members-only site. A membership in the school costs $30 per year and gives the member access to over a hundred online cake decorating videos. Again, the blog is available to all. But $30 is a small price to pay for a year’s worth of instruction! (And, no, I’m not an affiliate of MyCakeSchool.com. 
Killer Cakes – Issue 26
Welcome!
Happy Independence Day, America!
In honor of the occasion, I’ve found some cute Fourth of July-inspired cakes for you:
I found the star cake at Wilton and the eagle cake at coolest-birthday-cakes.com.
Sneak Peek: Killer Sweet Tooth
[This scene is from Chapter One. Myra has come over to play Scrabble with Daphne.]
I had the Scrabble board set up on the island with the two stools set on opposite sides of the island. The cashew brittle and chocolate-covered raisins were plated and on a tray to the right side of the board along with a large bowl of popcorn. The Scrabble tiles were to the left.
“What would you like to drink?” I asked.
“Something hot. That wind chilled me to the bone on my walk over,” she said. “How about a decaf café au lait?”
I smiled. “Sounds good to me.”
Myra sat down and began choosing her tiles. “Great. Nearly all vowels. How am I supposed to make a word out of this mess?”
“Just put those back and draw some new letters.” I have a single-cup coffee maker, so I began making Myra’s café au lait.
“No, now, you know I don’t cheat,” she said. “I’ll make do with the letters I have. Maybe some of this cashew brittle will help me think.”
The next sound I heard was a howl of pain.
“Myra? What is it?”
“Owwww, my toot . . . my filling…fell out!” She rocked back and forth on the stool.
I turned the coffee maker off. “Who’s your dentist? I’ll call him and ask if he can meet you in his office.” Don’t think I was being sexist when I said “him.” There are only two dentists in Brea Ridge, and they’re both men.
“Bainworf.”
I got “Bainsworth” out of the mumbled word and rushed into the living room to retrieve my phone book from the end table. I called the dentist’s office and then dialed the emergency number left on the answering machine. Dr. Bainsworth answered the call immediately.
[Little did I know what I was about to get myself into. Stay tuned....]
Killer Cakes – Issue 25
Welcome!
It has certainly been a while, hasn’t it? Sorry for the extended absence (the last newsletter issue was posted on March 28!), but Gayle and I have been really busy. Gayle has been penning a novel, and I’ve been making lots of cakes. Good for business, but not so great for keeping in touch with my friends.
Gayle has added “Monday’s Cake Series Quote” to her Facebook page. Check it out each Monday for a quote from the series. She’s also doing “Sneak Peek Saturday” where she gives readers a glimpse into upcoming books.
Site Spotlight: Cake Decorating Events
Nothing says “summer” like a road trip, right? And what better road trip than going to a cake decorating event? Hopefully, one of the following will be taking place near you:
June 24-26, 2011: Celebration of Cake, Gilbert, Arizona
June 25-26, 2011: ICES June Day of Sharing, Marlborough, Massachusetts
July 10, 2011: Capital Confectioners Annual Day of Sharing, Round Rock, Texas
July 10, 2011: Veterans Benefit Cake Show, Toms River, New Jersey
August 20, 2011: Cove Country Cake Show & Challenge, Bedford, Pennsylvania
September 11, 2011: Cake Decorating EXPO, Houston, Texas
For more upcoming cake events, please check out the American Cake Decorating website.
Killer Cakes – Issue 13
Welcome!
I have exciting news. Gayle’s publisher has decided to move the release date up for the revised Murder Takes the Cake to January 2011! She’s still working on Killer Sweet Tooth, and is looking forward to having that hit the shelves as well. Myra is, too. You guys don’t know how much Myra is looking forward to “being famous.” She thinks that now if she could just nab her a rich husband… (eye roll). Tune in to Killer Sweet Tooth to see if she has any luck with any of the Elvis impersonators who come to Brea Ridge! Hopefully, Gayle will get a book trailer together for Killer Sweet Tooth in the next few months.
Site Spotlight: Bake, Decorate, Celebrate
Where can you learn all kinds of decorating techniques step by step, get delicious recipes and even have your questions answered by an expert? Bake, decorate, celebrate!
Bake, decorate, celebrate is the name of a television show in which the hosts provide information and detailed instructions on baking and decorating cakes. The website is a continuation of the show and helps novice as well as professional cake decorators learn new techniques and stay on top of trends.
The show hosts are Nancy Siler, Melanie Glasscock and Beth Madland. Nancy has been baking and decorating for over 25 years and is Director of the Wilton School. Melanie is a former broadcast journalist who brings a homemaker’s point of view to the BAKE DECORATE CELEBRATE! series. Beth is a former reporter who enjoys filling in for Melanie when Melanie takes time off to be with her family.
Check out Bake Decorate Celebrate! You’ll be glad you did.
Killer Cakes – Issue 11
Welcome!
I hope all of you had a happy Easter! I enjoyed having my children home with me Friday and today. Unfortunately, that’s all the spring break they got thanks to the snow. But we had fun during the snow days, too.
I’m sorry I neglected the newsletter in March, but it was a busy month. I, of course, was baking; while Gayle was finishing Stitch Me Deadly, book two in the embroidery mystery series. Soon she will be revising Murder Takes the Cake, for its rerelease in 2011 and finishing Killer Sweet Tooth, an account of my most recent escapades.
Be sure to check out Gayle’s latest Fresh Fiction contest: Beautiful and Cozy Springtime Prize Pack.
Site Spotlight: Sweet Sensations…Cakes & More
Today I’m highlighting a cake decorator from Kentucky. Sweet Sensations…Cakes and More was originally called Cakes by Kaye. Kaye has been baking for more than 16 years. Some of the cake flavors offered by Sweet Sensations…Cakes and More are:
Dark Chocolate
Milk Chocolate
German Chocolate
White
Yellow
Marble
Strawberry
French Vanilla
Italian Creme
Spice
In addition to cakes, Kaye makes candies, cupcakes, cookies and such specialty items as pumpkin rolls! (Yum!) If you live in the Kentucky area and have a special occasion coming up, be sure and check out Sweet Sensations…Cakes and More!
