Butterfly Cake

Butterfly Cake

This was Olivia's 1st birthday cake!

Ingredients:

* 1 box yellow cake mix
* Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
* Frosting and Decorations
* 1 container (1 lb) vanilla frosting
* 1 candy stick or decorative straw (8 to 10 inches long)
* Food color (in desired colors)
* decorating gel (from 0.68-oz tube) in any color
* Decorating sugar crystals (any color)
* 8 jelly beans or candy covered almonds

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box.
2. Cut cake in half crosswise; cut each half into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces (as shown in diagram on http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/butterfly-cake-recipe/2/). Place cake pieces on platter to form butterfly. Gently separate cake pieces to form wings.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting. Frost cake pieces with remaining frosting. Place candy stick (or decorative straw) between cake pieces for butterfly body.
4. Stir food color into reserved frosting until well blended. Spread over cake in desired pattern on wings. Outline wing patterns with gel. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. Place jelly beans (or candy covered almonds) on corners of wings.

*For help with cutting and assembling the cake, visit http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/butterfly-cake-recipe/2/

*To watch an instructional video, visit http://www.bettycrocker.com/videos/videolibrary/birthday-cakes/how-to-make-a-butterfly-cake?WT.mc_id=paid_search_200100_636117&WT.srch=1&esrc=11151

Crescent Butterflies

Crescent Butterflies

If you like "Pig in the blankets", you'll love these crescent butterflies!

Olivia had a butterfly themed birthday party and this was one of the finger foods I prepared. The recipe is from Taste of Home and I simplified it a little. The URL for the original recipe is http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Crescent-Butterflies.

Ingredients

* 2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1 small pkg. of Little Smokies sausages
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

* Unroll crescent dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Seal seams. Cut with a butterfly cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Press a Little Smokies sausage in the middle of each butterfly.
* Brush wings with butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

No Fail Sugar Cookies

I got this great recipe from a sweet friend, Amy, in Macedonia. She also had a butterfly theme for her daughters 1st birthday and the cookies were so delicious! I asked her for the recipe and she said she had found it on www.food.com. The URL is http://www.food.com/recipe/no-fail-sugar-cookies-108172.





No Fail Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

6 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.