Geez, I’ve done a lot for Spring in the past few years. Which is funny since I much prefer Winter. I know, I know, I’m the lone person out there for whom this is true. But snow is so dang pretty, I never tire of it. Just wish we actually got some this year. And I’m the type who doesn’t want the cold to end, I want to wear sweatshirts and sit in front of a fire. And the world is just quieter in winter, and gosh I like the quiet. And… enough longing for Winter. I need to psych myself up for Spring. Above are vegetable garden cookies. Ha, as if I actually “garden.”  As always, you’ll find everything seasonal in the Seasonal button up there, but below I’m linking to a few of my favorites.

I noticed a few themes in the collection. Each one is pretty predictable.

Cherry blossoms, of course, since I live in Washington DC and all. Cherry blossom cookies, painted cookies in cones, cherry blossom marshmallows, painted cherry blossom cookies.

Birds!   Bluebird brownie pops, poured sugar birdie cookies, painted birdhouse cookies, chicken (or hen?) cake pops.

Bugs! Bug marshmallow pops, butterfly cookies, bug topper printable on Oreo Cakester petits fours, bug cookies, easy Starburst dragonfly toppers, fondant bugs.

And of course, flowers.  Felt flower cupcake toppers, gerbera daisy cookie pops, carnation cookie pops, bite-size daisy cookies, how to make a flower cookie arrangement, springtime marshmallows.

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As promised on Saturday, a peek inside Sugarlicious with a Christmas idea from the book. It’s starting to get real, seeing it all put together like this. Yikes, if I get butterflies opening a pdf, imagine how I’ll be opening that first box when I get the book!

Given the clock is now counting down rapidly to the big day, these are a great last-minute treat. You can use store-bought frozen pound cake cut into circles, or use Oreo Cakesters, like I did HERE many moons ago, when I first came up with the idea. Wrap the petits fours with fondant, then use my royal icing recipe to decorate.

Enjoy!  (Click to enlarge, or click HERE to view pdf.)

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That’s a long title, but lots to cover in something so small. It’s been a looooong time since I made you fondant covered Oreo Cakester petit fours. Yikes, I first came up with these way back HERE almost two years ago. I include this idea in the book, so thought I would revisit them again today.

you will need:

fondant (store-bought or marshmallow fondant)
food coloring (Electric Green)

light corn syrup

to make the toppers you will need:
this printable

to make the daisies you will need:*

food coloring (Egg Yellow)

*Or, find pre-made edible flowers in the craft store. For tips on finding supplies, CLICK HERE.

step one: wrap your petit fours
Knead a few drops of Electric Green food coloring into a handful of fondant very well. Add more drops and knead until desired color is reached. If the fondant gets too sticky from overhandling, let it sit uncovered at room temperature about 15 minutes or until easily pliable. Roll out the fondant about 1/8 to 3/8 inch thick on a surface lightly dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Dust your rolling pin, too, to prevent sticking. Cut out a piece of fondant large enough to cover the top and sides of a Cakester, with about an inch of excess fondant all around. Lay the piece of fondant over the Cakester, use your fingers to smooth the fondant against the top of the cakester and the sides. Use the knife to cut the excess fondant away from the Cakester. Tuck the edges under the Cakester and use your fingers to smooth the petit four.

step two: make your flowers
If you are using pre-made flowers, skip this step. To make daisies like shown, roll out white fondant and cut out mini flowers. Knead yellow food coloring into fondant, roll out and cut out 1/2-inch circles. Use a dab of light corn syrup to adhere the yellow circle on the daisy.

step three: make your toppers
Mix a few drops of green food coloring with a few drops of water on a piece of wax paper. Paint the toothpicks green, lay on the wax paper, and let dry. Print out the printableon cardstock. Center the hole punch over the square and cut out the bug. Tape or glue to the toothpick. If desired, tape two toppers back to back to each toothpick.

step four: add your daisies and toppers
Use dabs of light corn syrup to adhere your daisies to the Cakester and insert a topper.

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I never buy those 100-calorie pack treats and sweets. To me, if you’re going to eat three of them, what’s the point of all that packaging? But then I saw these packs of cute little pink frosted strawberry cupcakes at Target and I couldn’t resist.

how to make pretty pink daisy petit fours

you will need:
Hostess 100-Calorie Pack of Strawberry Cakes
box of white fondant
small daisy fondant cutters
yellow edible marker
mini white baking cups

*Find everything but the cakes at the craft store. I usually use Americolor Gourmet Writers, but the yellow edible marker from the craft store should work fine. Click the orange links above to see what everything looks like.

step one: prepare your petit fours
Unwrap the cakes and place in a baking cup.

step two: make your daisies
Roll out some fondant, cut out daisies (I used the tiny and medium cutters), and draw a yellow dot in the center.

step three: assemble your petit fours
Dab a dot of water on the back of the daisies and stick on top of the cakes.

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1. bakerella cut hearts from Cakesters last year

2. I saw said hearts and, with Cakesters on the brain, made fondant covered Cakester petits fours

3. i am baker saw said fondant covered Cakester petits fours and made her own gorgeous, perfect petits fours that are so gorgeous and perfect, I should really hang up my Cakesters and fondant

4. but then Washington, DC got buried in 2-feet of snow and I have Cakesters and fondant in my pantry

so….

how to make winter wonderland mini cakes from Oreo Cakesters

you will need:
Oreo Cakesters
white rolled fondant
blue food coloring
wax paper
rolling pin
mini circle fondant cutter (about 1/2 inch)
circle cookie cutter (about 3 1/2 inch)
white dragees
food writers (black, orange, and any other color)
toothpick
light corn syrup

*Find most of the above at any craft store. I used Wilton brand prepared fondant and white dragees from the craft store. You can also find coloring and food writers at the craft store, though I use Americolor soft gel pastes and Americolor gourmet writers (click on the links for tips where to buy).

step one: cover the Oreo
1. Knead one drop (or more, as desired) of blue food coloring into a palm-full of fondant very well. If fondant gets sticky, let sit out uncovered at room temperature about 15 minutes or until pliable again.
2. Roll blue fondant thinly, about 1/8 inch, between two pieces of wax paper and cut out a 3 1/2 inch circle.
3. Um, not really a step. This is the Cakester.
4. Place circle over Cakester and cover.
5. Wrap edges underneath. Pat down as needed to smooth and press edges in on the bottom carefully. The bottom won’t look pretty, so…
6. Turn over.

7. Roll out white fondant between two pieces of wax paper and cut out a strip. I did this by using the same 3 1/2 inch circle cutter and simply cutting off the bottom third.
8. Use the strip to cover the bottom third of the Cakester (on top of the blue fondant) the same way you wrapped the Cakester with the blue fondant. Smooth with fingers as needed.

step two: make your snowman
1. Roll out white fondant between two pieces of wax paper and cut out circles with the 1/2 inch cutter (I tried to sort of smush half of them with my fingers a bit to make them bigger, so I could have a body bigger than the head.) Let stiffen about half an hour.
2. On half of the circles, draw faces with the edible writers. On the other half, draw buttons.

step three: assemble your winter wonderland
1. Dab corn syrup on the back of the snowman circles with your finger and gently press onto the Cakester.
2. Dip a tooth pick in the corn syrup and place dots where you want snowflakes. Carefully attach dragees to dots of syrup and let dry.

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