Jan 13, 2016
Yummm – everyone loves a warm, just-off-the-fire s’more! And the nostalgic, comfort feeling they instill… Nothing goes hand-in-hand better than Lake Tahoe, the mountains and s’mores but sometimes incorporating these into your Tahoe wedding might be difficult with open fire rules, the thought of dripping marshmallow on fine silk or maybe it just doesn’t go with your wedding style/look for the big day. The rehearsal dinner can be a good option OR how about a s’mores cake!?!
From the glorious kitchen of Canadian baker and blogger Sweetapolita, this sinful 6-layer rich chocolate malted and toasted marshmallow cake will be a crowd pleaser and have your guests coming back for more. The marshmallow filling is full of marshmallows actually toasted in the oven – these little details are what really makes (and takes!) the cake.
6 layers of dark, moist chocolate cake sandwiching alternating rich and fluffy frosting: satiny Belgian chocolate malted frosting and creamy toasted-marshmallow vanilla frosting with bits of actual crispy marshmallow in every bite. Strangely, the finished cake is not really super sweet–it’s more rich, light, and creamy sweet…
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Okay, mouth-watering yet? No more teasing, here is the recipe for an 8″ round 6-layer cake courtesy of Sweetapolita:
Rich Chocolate Cake
This is for three 8″ pans, but the layers will be a bit more shallow if you use the recipe as it is written. If you double the recipe, you will be able to fill the pans 2/3 full, resulting in thicker layers. You will have some remaining batter, with which you can make cupcakes, etc. You can also increase by 50%.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder (or similar premium brand)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong black coffee
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespooon pure vanilla extract
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 3 x 8″ cake pans with butter and flour or parchment paper. In bowl of electric mixer, sift all dry ingredients. Add all remaning ingredients to bowl with the dry ingredients and with paddle attachment on mixer, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed (you may need the plastic splashguard that comes with mixer) and pour into prepared pans. Batter will be liquidy.
Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pans in oven. Cakes are done when toothpick or skewer comes clean–approximately 35 minutes. Try not to overbake. Cool on wire racks for 20 minutes then gently invert onto racks until completely cool.
Malted Belgian Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
1 lb butter (4 sticks or 2 cups) at room temperature
4 cups icing sugar (confectioners’ or powdered)
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Ovaltine Classic (brown in colour)
8 oz Pure Bittersweet chocolate, premium brand – chopped and melted
1/2 cup whipping (35% fat) cream
Method:
In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the icing sugar and butter and beat on low speed for about 1 minute. Add vanilla and malt powder, and beat on low until well combined. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add whipping cream and beat on med-high speed for another minute. Best used right away.
*Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Chocolate Frosting recipe
Toasted-Marshmallow Frosting
Ingredients:
16 large white marshmallows
1 cup icing sugar (confectioners’ or powdered)
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks, or 1 cup) at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 oz of Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Cream (or Marshmallow Fluff)
Method:
Place marshmallows on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place on lower rack of oven, and broil marshmallows until nice and brown on top, between 30-60 seconds. Remove pan from oven and gently turn the marshmallows over, and broil until they are golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on them–they burn very, very quickly. Combine butter and icing sugar in electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, on low until blended (about 1 minute). Add vanilla and mix on high for about 3 minutes. Add marshmallow cream and toasted marshmallows, and mix on lowest setting for about 1 minute.
This is a fresh, stylish way to introduce s’mores into your wedding reception with possibly a groom’s cake or cupcakes or even the showcase wedding cake!
Tahoe Signature of Style,
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Dec 10, 2015 |
I recently had the honor to dish the inside scoop to Catering Magazine on how to properly navigate ‘The Seating Game’ at an event or wedding. With many options today, which is the best for your next occasion?
In their Insider’s Insight feature, my discussion pulls from over a decade of experience in planning and designing Lake Tahoe weddings. From the formal evening dinner to the laid-back luncheon, the below article will be sure to give you many creative and effective ideas when the ‘dinner bell’ is rung!
Tahoe Signature of Style,
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Aug 31, 2015
When most people think of Lake Tahoe weddings, images of a bride and groom next to the dazzling blue lake come to mind but there is another love affair some have with this natural beauty – its woodland forests!
New Yorkers Sarah and Tom were enchanted with the towering pines and mystical forest setting of this private estate. The feel and natural aesthetic was exactly what they had in mind for their ideal wedding venue. On their wedding day, their 100 guests were treated to their whimsical forest wedding complete with a beautiful view of the lake too.
We designed the outdoor reception with details such as twinkling string lights, rows of dark wood farm tables contrasted by light wood chairs and fun decorated chalk boards to complement the natural forest landscape. Touches of lavender, rose and sky blue softened and romanticized the wedding day.
Junebug Weddings skipped at the chance to feature this Tahoe wedding in all its woodland wonder and we think it will add that little extra pop to your day too!
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Photography – Alison Yin Photography
Venue – Bear Paw Lodge
Floral Design – Art In Bloom
Catering – Season’d Catering
Cake – Real Food Tahoe
DJ – We Ain’t Saints
Invitations – Forever Fiances
Hair Styling – Merria Dearman
Wedding Dress – Shareen Vintage
Tahoe Signature of Style,
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Jan 26, 2015
Once the novelty of being engaged subsides (or even if doesn’t!), you can’t ignore the growing reality that you need to begin to plan your wedding. If your life is already scheduled to the max, how do you make the time for this?
How to plan your own wedding, much less where to begin, can seem very daunting. From glossy wedding magazines to e-newsletters, from blog-sites to wedding website collectives, from social media to bridal fairs….
You get the idea, the amount of available information is staggering. Besides not knowing exactly where to start, how do you know which available information is actually useful rather than a gimmick?
Most couples begin planning their wedding with little or no experience, yet have the pressure to get it ‘right’ from the first to last important decisions. Not much else in life comes with these expectations! When planning your own wedding, you cannot afford to waste time, money or your peace of mind.
So, if you are a newly engaged bride and wondering how to plan your own wedding, your options might look something like this:
1) Depend on your best friend, second cousin or a friend of a friend from work who was just married for her experience or advice that she received from the catering manager at the hotel where she was married. Maybe the printed info is still legible since she can’t seem to find the originals on her computer. Let’s hope your plans for the weddings are identical!
2) Quit your job so you will have time to surf through the millions of posts on wedding advice online and determine which posts are the best and most useful (hopefully). Load the advice to your phone, tablet and whatever else you may have so you can have it whenever you need it (if you remember). But which blog advice post do you start with? Then don’t forget the time to interview and hire the vendors for your wedding and, finally, decide upon all the fun details of the wedding! But who has the energy or time now for these?!? Whew!
3) Or you can enroll in the Merrily Wed® Academy and be coached on how to plan your wedding! This one-of-a-kind wedding planning coaching program takes a modern approach to DIY wedding planning consisting of daily lessons, a wedding coach and useful wedding tools and strategies.
Whichever option is ultimately best for you, make sure it is one that sets you up for success from the start, is convenient for your schedule, taps into professional planning experience and can deliver the results you desire!
Happy Wedding Planning!
Tahoe Signature of Style,
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Oct 29, 2013
Set your wedding table with your own personalized touch of style from customized hand-written chargers to hand-picked colorful mason jars. Here at Merrily Wed® we couldn’t resist these 5 options which look like a million bucks but cost almost nothing to make. Whether choosing three or picking just one idea, they are all an easy way to put your own stylish stamp on your wedding reception!
Chargers
What a perfect way to share your cherished vows or maybe the words to your favorite wedding song on these sweetly inspired DIY porcelain plates courtesy of Ruffled Blog. It is a keepsake that will last forever too!
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Table Numbers
Natural rustic meets the oh-so trendy metallic chalkboard to greet your guests at their tables. Either adorn a simple weathered wood box or hang from an object of your desire… Also courtesy of Ruffled Blog.
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Wedding Cake Stand/Dessert Buffet Pedestals
A perfect pairing for a Tahoe treat (or two)! We just loved this woodsy accent to any decadent dessert display. Once Wed gives the simple step by step instructions on the how-tos!
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Festive Mason Jars
Put a little pizazz in your wedding decor and elevate the mason jar from cute to irresistible with just a spray of paint by 100LayerCake. These beauties can be used everywhere!
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Ice Cream Favors
To temper the summer heat, show your gratitude for your sweet guests with some ice cream in a jar. Check out this recipe of thanks from City Cradle Design that had our mouths watering. With a simple modification you can serve S’Mores in a Jar instead which is always a hit!
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Tahoe Signature of Style,
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