Manoharam Kombu

The first functions for my kids happened here in USA thousands of miles away from my home town. I know I missed all of them there in India, but there were quite many things that I did not want to compromise during these functions were the specials things that we prepare for the functions, our traditional attire, the homam we perform and other rituals. One of the foods that we prepare for the occasion is the 'Paruppu thengai Koodu' and they can be filled with quite many things.

The Kombu adorns in the special occasions like marriage, house warming, seemantham, Ayushomama, Upnayanam etc. In all these occasions, it is shaped as cone and other times, they can be made in the form of balls.

I first prepared the Gunjaladdu for my daughter's Ayushomam and now for my son's Ayushomam, I have prepared Manoharam.

Class cakes - Basic Yellow Cake

I have started with more of baking these days. I should say I have begun to bake a cake moderately well and frost it well too! What to do after that? I am confused at this stage without much ideas. I have made varieties of cakes with chocolate shavings, black forest cake, fresh fruit cake & even dry fruit cake. I have seen many beautifully decorated cakes. I have wondered how they were made.

I browsed to find the basic cake class. And I came across Michaels' offering the Wilton's Cake Decorating class. And I have joined the course 1. The classes are so useful for any curious learner. We’ve learned to make the frosting, frost a pre-baked cake and also a few decorating techniques. It isn’t as hard as I thought it would be, I’m thoroughly enjoying. For all the cakes I’ve baked till now, I’ve used a whipped cream frosting, so the usual butter-cream frosting is new to me. The one taught in the class is very tasty indeed and is white as snow.
After going here, I really wonder so many ideas, and techniques and so many possibilities.

My instructor asked to use a boxed cake mix and not to use ready to use icing. But I have never preferred boxed cake mix nor the ready to use icing. I always loved to make the cake at home, as well learning the icing and preparing it every time helps you to overcome the mistakes we might make.

I have made cup cakes and cakes. For the cakes, I prepared the Basic yellow cake recipe from Wilton's Basic Yellow cake