This week's Heavenly Cake Bakers selection from Rose's Heavenly Cakes was the English Gingerbread cake. The cake is supposed to be baked in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan, but when I saw the most adorable cakelet pan in the Williams-Sonoma catalog, I knew immediately that I wanted to use it for this week's cake.I had only one problem, my WS didn't have the pan in stock. I was so bummed and I didn't have time to order it, so my wonderful hubby treated me by ordering the pan and paying for rush shipping so I would get the pan in time to use for the bake-off this week. What a great guy!
While I was waiting for the pan to arrive, our state was hit with a horrible blizzard, but it managed to finally get here - just in the nick of time.
Oh my, I can't stand it. They're so darn cute!!!
This is the pan, the Snowy Village Cakelet Pan by NordicWare.The pan comes with it's own recipe, but Rose's gingerbread cake recipe worked perfectly without any adjustment. One recipe filled the pan twice, using 1/3 cup of batter for each house (recipe makes 12 houses) - baked in the lower third of a 325F oven for 15 minutes. Cooled in pan for 10 minutes, then turned out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. I sprayed the pan with Baker's Joy (flour/oil baking spray). The little houses popped right out of the pan without any trouble at all.
I actually made the recipe twice, once using Lyle's Golden Syrup, and once using the alternate light corn syrup. The darker cakelets were made with Lyle's, and as you might have guessed, they tasted a little better than the ones made with corn syrup... more gingerbready. The corn syrup ones tasted more like a spice cake - not bad, but not nearly as gingerbready.
I allowed myself to kick back and play a bit with royal icing.It was a great way to relax during the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle.
Thanks so much for visiting and Merry Christmas!
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wow, these are just gorgeous! I love that pan... a little too much i think...
ReplyDeleteOMG! These are soooo adorable!! And you decorated them even more so! I love them all!! Way toooo cute! Since i have yet to experience heavy snowfall, i always thought it would be so much fun..at least feels more like Christmas than our hot/raining weather..lol! :)
ReplyDeleteThese house are cute
ReplyDeleteThese are so cute and lovely! I really like that pan,what a good idea to make the gingerbread recipe in it. Jeannette
ReplyDeletePS. Have a lovely Christmas Patricia!
Too cute. I would defintely feel like the witch in Hansel and Gretel eating these little cuties.
ReplyDeleteYour husband is so fab to arrange the express delivery! And duly rewarded by fantastic cakelets!
Merry Christmas.
OMG! these are super cute! when you commented on Marie's post saying you were still waiting for the pan I thought maybe a special kind of bundt pan but these are just so different and perfect! so festive:) Merry Christmas:)
ReplyDeleteFirst, does your husband have a brother?
ReplyDeleteThese are the cutest and since I love Rose's recipes, I know they taste as good as they look. Thanks for the advice on which syrup to use.
Hmmm……I wonder if I can find that pan on sale after Christmas?
Merry Christmas!
These are adorable! You're so creative, Patricia. Love the royal icing decorations! Can I give your husband my husband's phone number? He might have some good tips for him :o)
ReplyDeleteToo, too cute! Now you've got me longing for yet another NordicWare pan, and I don't have the storage space....
ReplyDeleteTooo cute!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...you have worked so hard! These are beautiful. What a delightful treat!
ReplyDeleteAdorable!!!!!
ReplyDeletevery, very cute! Love the snow pics too!! We're supposed to get hit here for the next four days. Oh, well. Got all my shopping done - gifts & groceries. We're ready! Merry Christmas to you and your family. We miss you!
ReplyDeleteThese were well worth the wait! Like everyone else, I think the little cake houses are really adorable!
ReplyDeleteThanks for making the recipe both ways--good education for all of us!
wow, these are amazing! SO beautiful!
ReplyDeletei bet they tasted delicious too!
i'm glad you got your pan in time! I love WS! =)
OMG, what cute pans from nordic ware!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Patricia,
ReplyDeleteYour little cakes turned out fabulously! I'll have to put that pan on my C'mas list for next year. I can't believe I haven't seen it until now.
Oh, and thanks for stopping by my place via Kathy at CHE and posting. You asked where I am located - I'm in Delaware, very close to the Maryland State line. Think we ended up getting around 17" of snow.
Can't wait to checkout more of your blog. Merry Christmas!
Carla
Thanks so much everyone! I truly hope you have a blessed Christmas/Holiday with friends and loved ones.
ReplyDelete:)
ButterYum
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! XO
ReplyDeleteNina
these are so cute i could gobble them all up! thanks so much for sharing at fws, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
ReplyDeleteYour gingerbread houses are so cute. What a great idea. Merry Christmas to you!!
ReplyDeleteWell, you have outdone yourself AGAIN Patricia!!!!!! SO adorable and the decorating out of this world. I will send the pans to my daughter for next year for our granddaughter's party. Thank you for sharing this spectacular display. Also, I love it against your background blog colors. joan
ReplyDeleteNo way! I made tiny ones too, but on a different challenge! :) They look so cuute!
ReplyDeleteThose little houses are adorable! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteoh my,,, those are just so cute!!! Not sure I would have the patience to do them though... Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!!
ReplyDeleteAdorable!!
ReplyDeleteWhat adorable and perfectly executed little GB houses..love how cozy and colorful they look. The epitome of Christmas! Have a wonderful New Year!
ReplyDeleteMay all your dreams come true and may you be blessed with all the best things in life! Happy New Year 2010! XO
ReplyDeleteI just walked in the door with husband and we made a stop at WS to see if they still had any items left from Christmas to purchase. Slim pickings today at our local WS. I totally love that store and your cake pan from WS is the cutest. Gingerbread sounds delicious. I also spray those intricate pans with the same Bakers Joy flour and oil spray but mine always seem to give me a heart attack when I try and take the cake out. I clean all those pans with a good soak and then a toothbrush. Between batches for the train cake I also use my hair dryer to dry all those nooks and crannies in a hurry:) I told this to my daughter and she said I have much too much time on my hands to think of these things:) For some reason I know you probably do the same.
ReplyDeleteJoyce
LOL - YES!!! I wash my pan with a little toothbrush and prop it up in front of a fan to dry it between batches (for me, a fan is a must at all times to combat kitchen induced hot flashes!!). I love your hairdryer idea - faster than a fan!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
:)
ButterYum
Just about the cutest thing I've ever seen! And I bet they're yummy too!
ReplyDeleteThese little houses are adorable--and edible. I loved the photos, your words, and the cakes. Love the way you displayed them! Hope you have a delicious, food and fun filled New Year!
ReplyDeleteHow cute are those??? And a gingerbread house you can actually eat! I love anything "Gingerbready" (love you new word, just had to use it)
ReplyDeleteI'm having a little New Years Give away too... stop by and enter if you get a chance...
~Really Rainey~
Been on a quest to find this pan which is unfortunately not available ANYWHERE ! Any chance you would like to unload yours ?
ReplyDeleteHi Kathleen - I really love my little village pan, especially since my husband went above and beyond the call of duty to get it form me. I'm sure they will be available again during the holiday season.
ReplyDelete:)
ButterYum
Adorable! I think I might have to treat myself with an early Christmas present..
ReplyDeleteI love them, so cute! I've had my eye on the big gingerbread house pan, might have to treat myself to it:@)
ReplyDeleteYour little cake village is adorable! I love it! These would be cute at each place setting for Christmas:)
ReplyDeleteI just saw that pan at William's Sonoma Saturday night. I knew they would be adorable. What a fun little dessert. Could I find space to store another cake pan?!!
ReplyDeleteThose are the cutest little cakes I ever did see -- it looks like a miniature village with wee little people who live there. Thanks for linking up to my "It's Your Wonderful Life Party!" Joni
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!!! I saw this pan several weeks ago and decided against it. Then...after thinking about it nonstop for days, I went back to WS to buy it. I'm so excited! I make rum cakes every year for Christmas to give to friends. My single friends always complain that the regular size is way too big. These are perfect! Have you tried the recipe that came with the pan? If so, how did you like it?
ReplyDeleteHi Momi - I haven't tried the recipe that came with the pan yet, but I will probably make it sometime this season. You're going to love them - they're so darn cute!!
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