Shut up and Bake! the Bleeding Heart Bakery

I couldn't remember if I ever posted this awhile back. Man, I think I need to go to sleep.. feeling loopy. However, pretty sure I always feel loopy or claim I do. Oh well. 

My brother got me this shirt from a bakery in Chicago that I like to follow on their website, flickr, facebook, television shows, etc... I've called and talked to one of the workers for about an hour once about how they got where they are now. Pretty awesome ladies. Anyway, I dig their work. They are very very creative and interesting individuals. The lady on the shirt was giving the finger with both hands though - which isn't quite my style... so I sensored them by sewing cupcakes on! And it is one of my favorite shirts now! It is sooo amazingly soft. For awhile I kept wearing it about every day and then I'd catch myself delivering cheesecake or cookies while wearing it and feeling a bit silly.. but at the same time, awesome! :)

Goodbye June. Hello July!

I have a cake to make tomorrow night for 15-20 people. A 70th birthday cake with a slot machine drawn on it. Should be fun. But I feel like I have SO much to do, but not enough time. I work till 8pm and then have to make this birthday cake and then I need to pack to head to my parents cabin in the AM! 

Earlier this week I attempted to make Sugar Cookies with my friends and I's favorite bar logo on them. The plan was to make perfect looking cookies with the logos in icing .. and I wanted to barter cookies for pitchers of beer! The owner said it was cool. I made the cookies which turned out nice and soft and put a base coat of icing on. Perfectly filled circles of icing... And then I was to add the detail ontop of each one. But ... I had too much on my mind unfortunately and I just decided it was too much. It was just for fun anyway. At least I spent time to make them perfect up to a point. Maybe I'll retry my plan when things seem to settle down. 

I miss my old apartment. My weird pink nicnacs and randomness. And lack of furniture and too much bare wall. I miss having my OWN kitchen eventhough it was teeny tiny. My letterpress cupcake poster. And my art room, that I rarely could sit in.. (instead I took over my coffee table in the living room or was in the kitchen) but it was full of fabric and things and looked groovy. I miss my bedroom with my framed wizard of oz random picture print offs. BAH. I miss my garage. and wish I had it to put my scroll saw in. That was the plan. It never happened. 

......Some day.

I don't miss my jeep.

Dear lord, These look amazing.

Allergy Friendly Bakery in SD

Well.. Someone beat me to the allergy friendly goods close to home, the Blue Egg Bakery

• http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,101403
• http://blueeggbakery.wordpress.com/

Sad.. 
She doesn't have my design skills though. Also, I research sugar alternatives and have come up with recipes using better alternatives-- that maybe she doesn't know much about that aspect. Seems like she has some good work though and very wonderful idea! Maybe I could collaborate with her for awhile....???? or at least just talk with her. Bring my design skills in and maybe other information.. maybe I can learn from her. I'm interested in what ingredients she uses. She says a lot of her stuff is gluten free, dairy free, and CORN FREE. What does she do for corn free icing?? I definitely need to be using Brown Rice Syrup more often. I've been creating a lot of bars with brown rice syrup at least. Its a nice way to replace Corn Syrup in any recipe. But what about corn free powdered sugar? ..

"Although we are always gluten free, we also cater to all types of food sensitivities/allergies, such as dairy, eggs, corn, food dyes, etc. Please call me if you have a peanut allergy.


After making cakes for several years and then having to switch to gluten-free baking, I have  perfected my gluten free cakes,  and I proudly offer them to you. I do so with a full heart, knowing what you and/or your family goes through on a daily basis. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to celebrate with joy, and to me, that includes a really great cake.


Every time you celebrate, I celebrate with you"


Awesome. Although this makes me kind of sad, I suppose Sioux Falls would never be the place I wanted to do this anyway, but this lady has hit it right on. Although this makes me sad and I'm jealous.. . this is awesome. Amazing plan and purpose ! :) I NEED to email her ASAP or better yet, sit down and buy her a cup off coffee and talk. 

http://www.nickiscakes.com/
http://adozeneggs.com/
http://papercrave.com/custom-letterpress-lasercut-engraved-invites-from-louella-press/

May... you flew by. Must accomplish more next month.

You'll never know how wild my life is right now. Baking hasn't been too much of a possibility for me since my post on April 19th.  I spoke about things being on a role... and then.. life makes you realize that sometimes you shouldn't get so comfortable. I've been working with a girl from work and coming up with a few sketches for a wedding cake I am making for June 5th.

Otherwise I have been dealing with some big bumps in the road and trying to stay on track. I'm in the middle of moving and have been in-between homes the past month, so I haven't really had a kitchen to do as much baking as I would have liked. I have however, made a few things at my guy friends house and my parents. I baked a nice big cheesecake for mothers day that seemed to be the biggest hit with a group of 10-15 people. They all wanted to take extra home and one said they never really liked cheesecake before but they thought mine was AMAZING and wanted to save some in the fridge. I also made my mom gingersnap cookies with crystalized ginger chips that turned out well, some Double Chocolate Cookies with Ghirardelli chocolate, and some mini cheesecakes. The mini cheesecakes need to be perfected. I was excited to get a mini cheesecake pan from Ace Hardware.. but my cheesecakes weren't perfect looking. I threw random fillings in each one and some didn't quite turn out. Then they just got dried and I threw most of them away. oops. next time they'll be good and pretty! I got some rectangle plastic plates that will fit two of them perfectly. And I got some pretty paper baking cups that they would look nice sitting on. YEAH! I suppose I feel like I haven't been baking enough and I feel like for once in my life, I can hardly focus on baking. But at the same time.. If I had the kitchen to do it in and all my baking supplies right in front of me... there would be SO much cheesecake, cookies, cake and other goods ALL OVER THE PLACE. counters would be covered. people would be showered with baked goods at their home. I feel like I haven't done much, but looking back.. I still have done a bit. That cheesecake being a BIG BIG hit. . Says a lot. I suppose May wasn't too terrible. Things are looking up.

I have a sweet idea for inspirational messages to go with my baked goods. Also, I want to design cute boxes for cheesecake slices ....

notes to self.

http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.112919154.jpg
http://sweetavenuebakeshop.com/blog/2010/04/support-autism-awareness-with-cupcakes/

http://nymag.com/listings/stores/Cheryl-Kleinman-Cakes/

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/at-austin/inspiration-sweet-tempered-austin-072983 - I like these high ceilings and the lighting, along with the rest of the simple/elegant layout.

http://buildagreenbakery.com/  - wheat walls?

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/gold-coast/epochpie-food-and-flowers-053919

http://capitalspice.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/cupcakes-actually-a-polka-dot-of-a-bakery-in-the-burbs/

Busy busy busy month and Graduation cakes around the corner

So I've been extremely busy lately with working of course, more desserts, cheesecake, cake, random projects, ... and preparing for my brothers wedding that is in ONE week! I completed designing the programs, got 200 printed and my mother came up today to help me round corners, give them nice clean folds, punch and grommet... and now they just need to be sewn along the crease to bind them together!!

I went and met with a dietician today and learned a few interesting things that were a real eye opener and also made me learn a few things about allergy friendly baking. I learned that there are so many ingredients listed in things that are corn derived... that I didn't even know about, or take the time to consider.
The dietician gave me a print off of this- http://www.vishniac.com/ephraim/corn-bother.html, which is interesting and makes me realize that corn exists in even MORE than I thought it did. I'll have to make sure I watch my Pure Vanilla extract.. but I usually use Rodelle's Pure Vanilla Extract which definitely does not. It's my favorite vanilla to use.. a bit spendy, but good quality. Also, baking powder usually contains corn starch. I know there is a brand that uses potato starch.. but I can't have that either. I'll have to see if I can find something else. The dietician also explained that Lecithin, which is often in chocolate... etc... is often either egg or soy. So that is something to stay away from. Bye bye Dove dark chocolate :(

I have a lot more notes that are very interesting, stuff that I haven't come across yet in my researching...  I will update this post soon with the rest of the information I have. But for now.. I need to clean my apartment and then sit and RELAX. I need to chill before I exhaust myself before the wedding!

After the wedding I have 3 graduation cakes and a cheesecake lined up!

http://www.bouchonbakery.com/

http://www.chocolateincontext.blogspot.com/

http://www.naturalsolutionsmag.com/article-display/15603/subTopicID/172/Health-by-Chocolate
--- 100 grams of dark chocolate has just as many antioxidants as 100 grams each of: spinach, prunes, raisins, kale, and brussels sprouts ... combined! It includeds over 700 compounds which include 26 anti-flammatories, 14 antiseptics, 12 analgesics, and two anesthetics. The latest research has concluded that cacao's flavonoids help lower blood pressure, better circulation, and reduce clotting of the blood. Research has also shown that a bit of dark chocolate a day decreases stress hormones and also reduced food cravings.

Go for chocolate that is at least 55 percent cacao. Milk chocolate is usually only 10 percent cacao. I'm a fan of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking chips. Ohhhh, I want to try their all natural Gourmet, 100% cacao, unsweetened chocolate for baking. Bringing out the fruity flavor of the beans in high quality chocolate for baking! I may have to order from online, for it's not in stores here. But ordering by the bulk would be better.