Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake

      At long last.......after two years of residing here in the Philippines I finally got to taste fresh strawberries topped in my cheesecake.  I have been waiting seemingly for eternity some good fresh strawberries, it's rare here in Davao since we don't grow them locally.  Although,  in Baguio, northern part of Luzon, grows them typically the variety yields tiny fruits.  The ones I got were slightly larger and very red as you can see in the photos.  
   

        I was doing some groceries that day and I came across the produce area and surprised to see these awesome fruit.  Without hesitations, I asked hubby if I could have some and promised to make a cheesecake for us.  

        I have to asked hubby since it wasn't on our grocery list, good thing is, he also loves cheesecake.....(wink wink).  I know it was also hard for him to resist. Anyways, it immediately put a big smile on my face!  .....Love you, sweetie!    

             Seriously, I have not eaten cheesecake in awhile since I got here.  I made some but not so crazy about them except for this one here.....it's my FAVOURITE!  .....and oh, it is to die for!!! ...(trust me on this!) 

       Hmmmp....I just don't know when I can buy good red strawberries again.....as you all know it's not a regular item in the grocery aisle here.

      So, ladies and gentlemen, this is how I served my strawberry cheesecake that day......lavished with dark chocolate sauce.....soooo yummy.....sooooo good the best dessert day ever!!!  Thank you, God for those wonderful strawberries!

Golf themed fondant cake

 Whatta week!  [Big grin!]  Thanks be to God for His awesomeness!!!  Anyways,  I finally delivered my recent creation two hours ago.  It was very challenging I would say in making this particular order.  

    First reason why?.... is the base. It's a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting....yumm! It wasn't hard to make it, actually love making this.  It was the frosting I was worried, I just hoped that it would not melt like crazy in this weather, all I know it wont be that stable, clever right?!  Carrot cake won't be the same without the cream cheese that I guarantee, so I really didn't have much choice regarding the frosting. But I think the buttercream frosting would be the ideal icing under a fondant.

   

  

           Second reason why???.....is the gum paste!  Have no clue how to make it and which recipe would be the best one for my project.  It is actually my first time to work with gum paste. Although, gum paste is available now at some specialty store but it is still way too expensive here in the Philippines!  It really didn't leave me much choice but to make it from scratch....So far, looks like I made it!  I actually mixed mine with fondant, I just thought it would be better if it will be in the softer side since I 'll be making a figure model.  

  

          Third and final reason???......is the figure model.   I panicked a little bit when Ms. Cecil gave her specifications about her order.  Although, she is always very helpful as she sent me an image of the cake she would like me to make. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakegirl/4094248877/ This time she ordered a cake for her lady boss, golf themed!  I actually liked the photo she sent me, it was cute and simple!  I almost didn't want to make the topper, I felt like it was too hard to do.  I honestly don't have any idea how to mold it worst of all I don't have any tools that would helped me make it.  So we looked at a slightly different design but still with a figure topper. And we found it and agreed about the changes.  At some point, I contacted a friend of mine who makes cakes also.  I have asked her if I can order just a topper from her.  She said she would do it for me but declined this time as she was also booked with several orders for this week herself.  So it left me again with no choice but to make it from scratch!  Earlier during the week, I've gone to the malls and check out the figurine stores hoping to find some lady golfer topper.....negative!!! 

   As you can see, the topper is not all gum paste, I opted to use some parts of the barbie doll since I don't have all the tools that I needed to make the head and hands.  But I really am dying to make nice figures someday when I have all the necessary tools and the right recipes to make them.  But for now, I am very happy with the outcome, barely satisfied though but the good thing is that...there's always room for improvement!  I am only self taught and have not had any professional training but how I wish someday I could enroll to some classes 'coz I know those additional knowledge will get me farther in my craft.

  Thanks again Cecile for your order...looking forward to make Mark's birthday cake soon.  I hope your boss liked the cake!

Elvie's Order

     Another day of busyness for me.  I almost turned down Elvie's order because it was sort of a last-minute thing.  She called last night and ordered a birthday cake for her daughter Abigail and a blueberry cheesecake.  And needed them by 3pm the next day...and I didn't have the cream cheese in stock that night....so I couldn't make it in advance.

             It was very challenging today, not having my "kasambahay" around to look after my son Zach. She took off to see her mother so I was left with two crazy babies and two cakes to make. But good thing that hubby was there to help out. He took some time to get the rest of the supplies I needed for my projects and did also the babysitting. Thanks Honey, I love You!

   Abigail's choice of color for her cake was very nice.  She mostly wanted yellow and a princess themed. I thought the pink accent would look great so I did put some.  But I think she was hoping for perhaps a princess in the castle with stairs in the front.  I just didn't have the time at all to exactly meet her wishes.  I just hoped she liked this one.  I think she didn't want a store bought cake, so thanks to her mom Elvie for remembering me.

            We were actually invited to her birthday party but we could not make it due to some more busyness.  Anyways, I wish she had a wonderful birthday together with her dad, they actually have the same birth date.  Thanks again to the Barner's for your orders!  Blessings to your family!!!

Cake for Mama's 61st Birthday!

 .....So yummy....loved the coffee flavor!!! Anyways, I made this cake 4 hours before the party.....and thanked God it still turned out to be a good one.  My niece thought I bought this cake from Goldilocks, a popular cake shop here in the Philippines.  She couldn't believed I made this one.  I am pretty happy about this creation, I just thought of the design on the spot though.  Hubby thought it look like a pro!!!  "Thanks my love, you never fail to compliment my creations..."

my first time to piped a rosette design, not bad at all!

I am glad to see a smile on her face when she saw the cake. I think she was so very proud of me.  And I am also very proud of her!

   This is a 3 layered cake with chocolate in the middle. Iced it with Italian Meringue Icing and decorated with rosette and border using the WHIPPIT icing with coffee flavor. I should have roasted the sliced almonds to give it some contrast, oh well there's always a next time....!

The Barner's fave!

Classic Blueberry Cheesecake

       For my "suki" Elvie & Paul Barner nothing beats this classic fave.  They simply love this blueberry cheesecake!  This is not a cheapy one, it's baked and it tastes better compared to the no-bake that you can easily buy at the mall.  It's pricey because of the imported and expensive ingredients but it is worth your money......only if you appreciate the rich taste of cream cheese desserts such as this!  Thanks for your orders.

Czeannon's Angry Bird Cake

   I was happy about the outcome of this cake.   This was an easy one to make.  I have discovered an easy way to do my icing/frosting by using the product "WHIPPIT".  I just totally fell in love with this thing. So convenient, so easy to find and stable in a warm weather place like the Philippines.  I was skeptical about this product when the salesperson was trying to sell me one he did not convinced me at all.  I just had to ask someone from the store who actually have used it before.  And a lady customer told me it's pretty stable and it taste  like marshmallowy so i grabbed one.  And "walla" instant icing....no sweat! and it tasted really great...not so sweet and you can make it very light textured also.  Although, it is a little bit pricey but it did saved me a lot of time and effort. 

              Thanks Lovely Salonn for the order!

Pokemon themed Fondant Cake

     I am so glad Ms. Ma. Cecil Baclayon-Lagare who is by the way a very nice lady customer was so pleased with her order.          Although I was frustrated with the fondant color red, it turned out to be very dark red.  I learned that as the color gel soaked overnight the color turns darker. 
      Actually, the lady from the baker's basket store told me that if violet and red/red mixed together  would be a bold/super red.  I really wanted a bright red so maybe next time I'll just use single super red or red red color gel.

     I was a little bit worried that I would not satisfy her wishes but thankfully she really liked it as well as her guests on her son's birthday party.

      Nothing else inspires me but to know that I have a satisfied customer who appreciates my cakes.   

It's encouraging to know that I make people happy with my creations.  I enjoy making them anyways.  

    To God be the Glory!  God bless everyone!  

My cheesecakes...

Durian Cheescake

 This is how it all started...my cheesecake journey.....   

      

 It has been awhile since my last baking, that was during my son's first birthday. The durian fruit was in season that time. So I decided to make a Durian cheesecake. ...it was a big hit then!

    

Another time during our high school batch reunion, I brought this mouth-watering cheesecake for our dessert.  At first, I was hesitant to make one because the restaurant we were going to served cheesecakes. 

  I wanted to be thoughtful to everyone so I brought it anyway.

  Well, of course, who would resist CHOCOLATE and plus they didn't have to pay for it! ...hehehe... It was free for everybody so it must be good, right?!  .....But no, really it was super duper soooo yummy!  I didn't expect that it would be a hit!  I have thought that cheesecake would not be appreciated well here in the Philippines... Yah, I was so so wrong.  Most of them right away expressed interest in ordering one....                 

     So, I got inspired and thought of pursuing this as a business....clever! I know, right?! 

   I started selling them since December of last year.  So far, I've got really nice comments about the cakes... It was worth it knowing that I'm getting satisfied customers.  This one here, I made during our thanksgiving feast at church.

       

 I sold mostly the chocolate bliss and few of the blueberry cheesecakes.

The photo below is my version of Cookies n Cream Cheesecake

     For now,  I am planning to experiment on other flavors, specifically a mango-flavored one.  I've been wanting to do this for quite sometime now... I and my hubby loves mango and so everyone here in the Philippines.  Hopefully, it will also be a great addition to my cheesecake selections.

Sweet treats for Valentines!

 Valentine's Day is just around the corner....and what a delightful way to celebrate it with your loved ones with some devilish food such as this 

chocolate moist cake!  

Spread the love around 

and order now for your special someone...

Everybody deserves some lovin'.....

Share a gift of love...

For orders & inquiries: 09056487522, 321-9361

e-mail:  rosielynsnider@yahoo.com

Ultimate Carrot Cake Goodness!!!

 ULTIMATE CARROT CAKE GOODNESS!!!

     My very first moist carrot cake ever and it turned out to be full of gooodnesssss!! I would never have thought I would love the taste of carrot in a cake. Not until I got americanized and tasted the Duncan Hines decadent carrot cake mix. That's what I missed about being in the states everything is almost instant...how convenient, right!

     

   Anyways, whenever I liked something that I ate in a restaurant for an instance, there's a thing in me, that makes me wanna do a duplicate or "do my own version" thing.  Sounds challenging, right!  Since I missed being in the states, I thought of making a copycat of Duncan Hines decadent carrot cake and the result was awesome! My husband and lady friends loved it!

     

       I shared some to a dear friend for a birthday present, not knowing that it is her favorite cake....how timely! ...I wish you could see that excitement on her face!

     I have to admit that this cake is a lot of work...but its worth it! As you can see candied carrots were also made from scratch! And oooh....the cream cheese frosting was heavenly...yumm!

                 ......Please feel free to e-mail me if you want to try this recipe

.....and also I can take orders if you don't have time to bake!

Candied Yams (Boiled Sweet Potato with a twist)

 My version : Candied Yams

(boiled sweet potato with a twist)

A fellow American was helping us with our vehicle problem the day I made this.  I figured since he was away from home that he would be thrilled to know that there's something baking in the oven that would remind him of traditional american side dish.  Well, I've never made this when I was in Texas. It is just now that I'm back in the Philippines that I missed so much of the good stuff there.  I have to admit that I'm experiencing homesickness!  And this is one of the many great stuff that reminds me of my life in the states.  I thought I could never find comparable ingredients here. Canned yams are always available in the US groceries not here though.  My hubby so love this dish and so do I.  I crave this once in awhile.

   Actually, this is a traditional American thanksgiving side dish.  So I made one during our celebration. My friends here in the Philippines never tried this recipe ever and of course they all loved it! Ingredients are easy to find:

• Boiled and mashed Yams or Chinese Kamote(orange flesh), that's the name they called it here when you go to the wet market. By the way, the other variety of sweet potato like the yellow and the purple won't do well for this recipe.
• 1 small can crushed pineapple mix into the mashed yams. 
• Brown sugar, butter, chopped walnuts, cinnamon and a little flour tossed them altogether. Make two batches of this. One to mix into the yams and the second batch to sprinkle on top.
• Marshmallows for toppings. Bake it until it turns brownish. (see the photo)

My delightful creations!

                                                                    Holly Fondant Cake

                                                   Rosie's Bliss Chocolate Cheesecake

Choco Cupcake Delights 

                                                         Dark Chocolate Moist Cake
                                                      

                                                 My decadent ever-moist carrot cake

                                                      decorated with candied carrots

                                                                     Almond Joy Cake

                                                                  Fruity Birthday Cake

                                                        My very own mango pie

                                                                          My Chaja Cake

                                                                           Frutiy basket

                                                             Me & Ms. Patty Conner

                                                                         Melon Delight

                                                          Peacock fruit design

                                           My baby shower fondant cake by: Rebecca Corder

                                                                 Peacock Design Fruit

                                                                 MM Fondant Cake

                                                             My son's first birthday cake

                                                                        chocolate cupcakes

                                                                     Durian Cheesecake