Christmas is a great time to prepare yummy cakes that can be served during the celebration.Baking a cake with nuts and your favorite flavor may not win you a grand prize, but it will surely make you and those around you feel blissfully immersed in Christmas that will bring harmony in life. Yes, if you are planning for a picture perfect Christmas and it has been your dream this year than baking can bring an irrefutable sense of satisfaction that can successfully bridge the gap between the fantasy world and reality.
Today in this blog, I will share with you some interesting and simple Christmas cake decorating ideas that you can find in supermarkets.
First turn the cake over so that the underside is on the top as this makes it easy to decorate the cake with a neat finish. Brush your cake with apricot jam or marmalade that has been softened in the microwave and then dust it with icing sugar. Now that your cake is sticky, it is ready for the marzipan layer. 500 grams of marzipan are enough to coat a cake that is of 8’’cake. Knead the marzipan and roll out a sausage.
Now use a rolling pin to roll it out. Measure the thickness of your cake so that it surrounds the outside of the cake. Trim neatly the two edges meet. Now take some more marzipan and roll it out into a circle. Using the tin that you used to bake the cake, cut out a circle for the top of the cake and gently seal the edges. Now start with the decoration:
Chocolate tree cake: Get some tree shaped chocolates that you can easily find in the supermarkets. Spread icing over the cake with a palette knife giving it a rippling effect and place the trees. Sprinkle edible glitters and sugar snowflake decorations.
Let party cake: Give a star effect on the icing by using a star pattern rolling pin. Push it firmly to leave a star print. Now place a 3D Lets Party sign on top of the cake and place some sparklers and light them when you bring it to the table.
Floral design cake: Take simple icing and cover the layer of marzipan. Then use a star shaped cutter to create stars. Fill each shape with edible silver balls and place some star cut out from the remaining icing to have a floating effect.
Fruit cake decoration: This Christmas cake decoration idea is simple but effective. Just buy marzipan fruit and arrange them round the rim of the cake.
I hope the above decoration ideas will help you to decorate your cake beautifully this time!
My sister in law has recently given birth to a baby boy and all the members in our family are anxious about the name of the little bundle of joy. Our family is a bit traditional and wants to choose baby names based on strong characters, mythological figures or Gods.
Names have their own meaning and significance and that is why choosing a good identity is very important for your baby. Parents wish that their child has a suitable name that he or she can relate to in the future and can feel proud of it.
While choosing an appropriate name for our new family member, we were suggested by our priest that the names of Lord Shiva would be best suitable for the baby. And from that day onwards we were on a hunt for names of Lord Shiva for the baby boy. Here in this blog, let me share with you the names that we had shortlisted for the baby.
Hindu mythology has some of the richest and fascinating characters that leave a lasting impression in our minds. Choosing a baby name inspired by our rich tradition shows the appreciation for our culture and beliefs.
The fascinating deity- Lord Shiva is the most powerful Gods of the Hindu pantheon. Known by various names Lord Shiva represents the energies that are necessary for life in the world. The Lord is the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality. With a snake coiled around him, it symbolizes the power that he has over the most deadly creatures. Names of Lord Shiva for baby boy also reflect the same qualities.
Here are few names that you can consider:
Aniket: Derived from the Sanskrit word Aniketa which means “having no residence” or one who is not confined to a physical home. It is a name of someone who resides in everything like Lord Shiva.
Dakshesh: The word is formed by two Sanskrit words Daksh which means prompt and Shesh means balanced. It means someone who is prompt and balanced that is Lord Shiva.
Pushkal: This name means Lord Shiva and it represents energy and strength.
Rudra: The meaning is fearsome, and it represents Lord Shiva – mightiest of the mighty.
Somnath: This is another name of Lord Shiva and he was called Somnath as he was fond of samaras - a herbal intoxicating drink.
Besides these names, there are many others like Mahesh, Jayant, Viresh, Niranjan and etc. I hope that the suggestions will help you to choose a baby name if you are considering a name that means Lord Shiva.
Are you planning to throw a baby shower soon? Baby shower is a party that is arranged to honor the would be mommy and daddy and also to welcome the little baby. Once the date is fixed, you may be busy sending invitations to your guests and start making arrangements related to the decorations, food and even games to entertain the guests. Few months back, I had arranged for a baby shower party for my sister in law. The decoration ideas and games that we had arranged are still fresh in my mind.
So, let me share with you some unique ideas to organize baby shower games for large groups that can keep your guests engaged and busy.
Everyone loves to play games, but not everyone loves those run of the mill baby shower games.
Here are few interesting games that your guests will simply love:
Baby products in the basket: Give each guest a pen and paper before you start this game. Prepare a basket containing different baby products. Now place the basket before the guests to have a look at the items for a minute and then remove it from there. Ask the guest to write down the names of the items on paper. The one who is able to write the maximum correct names wins the game.
Diaper themed games: You can arrange your guests into teams and each team gets a doll and diapers. Each member of the team should remove the current diaper and put a new one on the doll and then pass it to the other member of the team. The team that completes first wins the game.
Dirty diaper game: The host of this game should melt some chocolate in the diaper. Ask your guests to sit in a circle and then play music and ask them to pass the dirty diaper. When the music stops the guest holding the diaper is out of the game. The last person remaining is the winner.
Balloon games: Make your guests form teams of four to five members and give each person a balloon. When the host blows the whistle to start, the first person from the team has to blow the balloon and stick it under their dress. After the first person, the second has to do the same, etc. Once all the members of the team have done it, they have to burst the balloon. The team that completes the task first wins the game.
So, start preparing for the party games for large groups to keep your guests engaged and entertained!
Desserts often hold a special place in any party menus and a luscious collection of dessert recipes are something that everyone loves to eat. Hot or cold, desserts can turn an average meal into something that is simply great and whether it is pudding, cakes or etc, children or adults, everyone relishes them to their heart.
Delicious desserts are always a major highlight and a baby shower can be a great reason to enjoy some great baby shower dessert recipes. While you are gearing up to welcome the unborn bundle of joy, it is also a time to treat your taste buds with some collection of desserts that may include ice creams, mini donuts, strawberry pies and many more.
One most exciting thing of the baby shower is to have an amazing dessert table that can be decorated based on any theme with a beautiful backdrop. This will not only delight your guests, but will also make the baby shower party chic and standard. So, in this blog we will share with you some great ideas for your baby shower’s dessert display.
Carrot pudding: If you are celebrating your baby shower during the winter season then Carrot pudding should surely be there in the menu. Made with grated carrot, condensed milk, nuts and ghee, this is a recipe that everyone loves to eat.
Rasmalai: For those who prefer to remain strictly Indian, they can enjoy Rasmalai that is a popular dessert, which simply melts in your mouth. This sweet dish is best served chilled and your guest will simply crave for more and more.
Season fruit bowl: A refreshing fruit salad is something that is a welcome addition to the meal. You can cut fresh fruits and serve them in glass bowls. This looks absolutely gorgeous on a dessert table.
Flower cupcakes: These beautiful floral cupcakes are simple to place on the table and offer a wonderful look. You can use cookie cutters to cut the cakes into different shapes and then decorate them like a flower. Cupcakes are something that children love to eat very much.
Sugar cookies: Cookies are great recipes that are shared by grandmothers for generations. So bake some cookies using different cookie cutters and prepare them in advance for this special occasion.
Rice pudding: For all the sweet lovers, nothing can be better than delicious rice pudding that contains dry fruits and nuts. This dish can either be served warm or chilled according to your choice.
So, try these delicious baby shower dessert ideas that are perfect for the celebration.
