Canvas and Canopy DIY

The Canvas and Canopy blog is amazing. All the gorgeousness that once was ilovelolliblog has been loaded into Canvas and Canopy's archives.  I've been meaning to share this DIY with you!  I was looking over my posts and I saw this little lovely never posted.  About  a month late.  Naughty Jenny. I blame dialup, but you can blame me. Here you go, a little treat for the long weekend!

When Cortnie asked me to do a party goodie tutorial for all of her lovely readers... I shrieked with joy.  I just about fell out of my chair. So here it is! My little lovely cake banner tutorial. Go visit Canvas and Canopy and learn how to make one, too.  Thank you, Cortnie!

Cakestand Extravaganza...the finale, a giveaway and THE 100TH POST!

Hi - I know you are thinking, "how could she possibly have any more cakestands?" Well, I do.  And if you wonder if I am tired of them yet.  Nope, not in the slightest.  I have an affinity towards metal.  So here is the final roundup, for now... (pssst...read all the way to the end for the giveaway...)

I just love the vintage look of the decorating cake stand.  Classic.  Simple. and I wouldn't have to transfer the cake to the plate, saving the cake from doom...Ateco 12" cake stand Williams Sonoma

Metal cake stand Sur la Table

 Cake stand square at Fishs Eddy

 
 
Cake stand 2 tier server dotcomgiftshop
 

 
 
Galvanized cake stand farmhouse wares
 

 
Since this my 100th post.  Yay! Happy 100 to me...I wanted to do something special.  A giveaway!! Yep, the first ever, here.  Now, I couldn't decide whether to do a book, a cake stand, or some of my little garlands.  I am terrible making decisions like this for goodies, so lets do ALL THREE! Yep, all three.  A party pack, you could say.
 
Here are the goodies:
One of my favorite books:  The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook  by Barbara Grunes, so you can make some yummy treats...

 
...that you will display on this shiny new darling tiered cake stand (from Sur la Table)
 

 
No party is complete without a little garland...mine of course! One Fancy garland, 3" wide, extra fluffy, in unbleached muslin (a Hank + Hunt fave), for hanging. TA DA - instant party! (also pictured in the blog banner above)
 

To enter -  you get one entry for each of the following:
1. Just leave a comment to say hi and what you'd like to see more of on the blog.
2. Follow me on Twitter and leave me a comment saying you did so.
3. Twitter about this using #hankandhuntgiveaway and leave a comment...
4. Follow this here blog (please!) or let me know you already do, yep, one last comment.
 
That's four chances to win! So what are you waiting for? it's free stuff people!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cakestand Extravaganza Ultimate Wishlist

These darlings today are gorgeous, fantastic, drool-worthy.  I wish they were mine. Alas...they are incredibly indulgent, and I do think my hubby would kill me if I bought them. 

First up is the fabulous Clara French.  I think these are my favorite cake plates ever.  I have yet to see anything remotely comparable. If you have never seen these two sister's work (where have you been? These girls have been everywhere in the blog world), go NOW to their site.  It's like walking into a french boutique or heaven.  A-D-O-R-E.  How they get the incredible drips off the side I will never know.  But they are perfect, and owning one is right up there on the lovely goals list, next to meeting Martha.  I sigh out loud when I see these.  But I did learn that you can rent them, and they ship.  Luckily for me, my inlaws are in Seattle, so for the next family party, I am so renting one (which I can pick up at the studio and save a bundle in shipping.)

Have you seen the site Origin Crafts? They have tons of entertaining wares.  TONS.  Here are some that I would love to have on my marble island in my all white kitchen, holding my morning muffins.  Ahhh.  Dreaming again...

Now, how about some lovelies from Etsy?  Yes, well, since you asked so nicely...

Dogwood cake stand by WhitneySmith

English countryside vintage 3 tier cupcake stand PinkBurlesque

Tree slice cake stand by jessedirk

Medium wave cake stand by vesselsandwares

Cakestand Extravaganza White Edition

Come one, come all, to a gathering of cakeity goodness.  I keep finding lovely little cake plates wherever I turn.  A girl can only have so many before her husband starts questioning why she bought another one. I almost got through to him when I explained that it is like a tool.  Different ones, for different situtations, right?  It almost worked.  It didn't work with shoes either...Oh, and brides-to-be/newlyweds...I learned this one the hard way, don't ever let him know how much your purse costs...or else each time you come home with a new one, it means trouble.  Apparently, purses are not compareable to tools either. Small Pedestal Cake Plate - Origin Crafts


But I really do think the mighty cake plate is a tool.  I bet if we asked Amy or Martha they would agree.
And in a sufficiently stocked tool chest, one needs the basics.  The kind you can pull out at a moment's notice and voila...Here are the white ones.

Speaking of Martha, these are from Macy's,

yes, they are ALL on the must have list...

Studio Cake Stand Pottery Barn

Décor Bon Bon Cake Plate Rosanna

Vintage Pedestals

and Sinatra Cake Stand Crate and Barrel

 

Milk Glass Cake Stand Fishs Eddy

Scalloped Cake Stand Williams-Sonoma

 

Angelina Cake Stands at Shoestring Home

Cakestand Extravaganza Mini Posts

 Goodies as promised.  I think I found too many.  Ok, I know I did.  So we're gonna do this all week.
Let's see...red.

Cute little cake plate to elevate that non-diet goodness...A Fabulous Fete

 Flittin' around Crate and Barrel and saw this little sushi plate. Cute.  With cupcakes on it??? Simply adorables (not a typo, this is verbage straight from the short person's mouth). 

Lovely cupcake stands from OliviaDru, handmade in your color? Yes, please. 

 EXTRA - so, there's a sushi plate up there...then yesterday I see these from Ticings. Too cute! Is it just me or do you think she has the very same sushi plate in the pic?

Anyhoo, more cakestand extravaganza to come...

Cake Banners

I think if there were a competition in my head on cake decorating, simple would win over elaborate every time.  Top it off with a nice little banner, and those gorgeous perfect bakery goodies are hereby customized.  Who says you have to bake 'em?

I can’t begin to explain how much I love these by ReadyGo. I love that they are illustrations of banners, the incredible colors (she does grey!!!) and of course that she appreciates the name Henry (always a plus in my book…no seriously!) I was gonna save these for later…I want to use them in my new fall shop photos in September, but why wait?

Cake Banners

Cupcake Flags

Happy Birthday Cupcake Flags

I am loving the slice of tree with doily. LOVING. IT. Check out Nadia’s fab blog here. She even has her wedding on there, using her own awesome cake toppers, gorgeous! See her Etsy shop here.

THE most yummy delicious chocolate cake

Whilst flitting around looking for a recipe to cook pork ribs on the barbie with maximum flavor and minimal effort (recipe under progress) I saw this little number on the sidelines of the Serious Eats site. As a girl who has issues with chocolate baked goods (as in love 'em, but can't make them not taste like I dipped a spoon in cocoa powder and licked it), I am always willing to try new recipes.
This lovely has mayo in it. Not  the usual sour cream, which for some reason we never have in our fridge, I thought, hey, this might be easy. After foraging for enough cocoa powder, I had to use half Hershey's and half Penzeys Natural Cocoa Powder, I had exactly enough. This cake was super simple to make. It made two nine inch rounds (one of which I banished to the other side of the fence, for pants sake- mine not Ms. Dylan's). Absolutely the best chocolate anything I have ever made. Super easy, only takes 40 mins tops(mixing and baking) and totally passes the cake sans frosting test, as in you don't think of frosting while you eat it. Although next time, it's gonna get it.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake via Serious Eats
(my piece for the picture got devoured, sorry)

Makes 2  nine inch rounds.

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cups + 1 tablespoon dutch-process cocoa powder (I used 1/2 Hershey's Cocoa Powder and 1/2 Penzeys Natural Process Cocoa Powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt, generous
1 1/3 cups hot water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray cake pans with baker's spray (the kind with flour in it, I recommend Crisco or Pam).
3. Using mixer, mix eggs and sugar.  Mix until it changes color and is smooth.
4. Add mayo and vanilla.  Mix until combined and smooth.
5. Add the rest of the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt), mix until combined and smooth (it will be thick).
6. Microwave the water until almost boiling. Pour into mixing bowl slowly and mix until super smooth and until its a thinner even consistency.
7. Pour into cake pans and bake for 20 - 30 minutes.  I checked mine  at 20 because I have a crazy oven, but it was done about 25 mins. 
8. Let cool on a wire rack in the pan for 10 mins, then turn out and let cool completely on the rack.

Delish!
BTW on the site there are comments about mayo having pepper and stuff in it,thus making the cake wierd. So please, use mayonnaise.  Plain, regular, normal mayo.  None of that Miracle Whip or flavored stuff, okay?