Tag: Cakes

Cookies, Cakes & Pies, Oh My!

Cookies, Cakes & Pies, Oh My! is a subscription box template project. The original cookie subscription box idea came from Anna Hall, an Ohio FACS teacher. Upon receiving it, my brain immediately thought this project could extend to other desserts or foods and Anna graciously gave me permission to expand the project. So, if you’re looking for an extension project when teaching about desserts or other foods, this may be just what you’re looking for!

Mock Cupcake & Icing Practice

A cake or cupcake decorator I am NOT! Because my talent as well as the talent of many of my students is limited, alot of practice is necessary to help perfect our decorating techniques! Since I don’t want to waste money on actual cupcake and icing ingredients, but I do want my students to practice, this is the perfect solution. The Mock Cupcake & Icing Practice allows students to learn and apply various techniques and it doesn’t cost a fortune in the process!

The Basics of Cake!

Students always want to bake cakes!  Maybe it’s because the cakes they get at home are typically prepackaged or out of a mix!  Don’t get me wrong…those are great once in awhile and have saved me on more than one occasion, when time was at a premium!  However, when talking to students, I get the impression that most only get scratch baked cakes in rare instances or on very special celebratory days!  I guess I was lucky growing up because my family baked cakes often, as desserts were a delicious way to end the evening meal!  Because of this, I was fortunate to be exposed to a variety of different cakes.  The funny thing is that while growing up, I thought there were tons of different types of cakes, but in reality there are only a couple! This lesson focuses on a cake overview of history, types, solving cake problems and includes some labs, focusing on the two basic types of cakes!

Fancy Food Show, NYC

I just got back from this year’s Fancy Food Show in the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. The Fancy Food Show is put on by the NASFT (National Association for the Specialty Food Trade).

“Since 1955, the Fancy Food Shows have been North America’s largest specialty food and beverage marketplace. Between the Winter Show in San Francisco and the Summer Show in New York City, the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade events bring in more than 40,000 attendees from more than 80 countries to see 260,000 innovative specialty food products, such as confections, cheese, coffee, snacks, spices, ethnic, natural, organic and more. Only NASFT Members can exhibit at the Shows, where retailers, restaurateurs, distributors and others discover innovative, new food and beverage products. The Shows are attended by every major food buying channel, influential members of the trade and consumer press and other related businesses.”

Food Network Cake Project

Food Network is very popular among my students so I decided to have them create their own show! I specifically have them demonstrate how to make a cake in front of the class but this idea can be tailored to any unit that lends itself to student demonstrations.