Easter Dessert Menu !!!

Here is my line of Easter/ Spring Delights.  Many of you have been posting pictures of festive cakes on my Facebook page.  The images of these cakes are not all my own but are of the images of cakes that you have asked me to make.  I wanted to show you the line of cakes that I am willing to make for you this Easter  I can also do some of them Gluten Free for an additional charge. I can also do cupcakes or other festive desserts if you have a picture of something that you want to pass my way. I may be adding a few more items to the menu so keep checking back.  Your Easter order will help support our fundraising efforts as a portion of anything anyone ever buys from me ALWAYS goes towards our projects.  This my friends is Baking with a Mission :)  All cakes can be tailored to your specific request of vanilla, chocolate, marble or any other flavor you want.

Please email or private Facebook your orders.  amandaagwuocha@gmail.com   Blessings!!!!

$40

$35

$40 

$25

$40

Mmmm Pies

Did you know that a $100 donation towards our Thanksgiving Project: Restoring Rose qualified you for a free pie from Amanda's Sweets?  This very pie below is going to one of those recipients.  It blesses me to bake for a purpose.  We are still in need of a miracle for Rose.  Please consider making a donation.  Our online goal was 2k but now with the surgery at hand we are in need of about 6k more.  Ah ya...we need a miracle. Please consider giving today!  https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/2dJnc/ab/42BeK1

Like many of you, I am sure your home is smelling sweet with the wonderful baked goods that come with the holiday season.  If not, come on over!  My house has a 24/7 sweet smell of baked goods because this kitchen is nearly never closed!  I don't mind.  Last night I clocked about 4 hrs of sleep.  It just comes with the holiday baking season.  I wanted to share something with you that I don't really ever do. I want to share my pumpkin pie recipe.  Now for those of you out there that are always telling me that your crusts don't turn out pretty, don't stress... I've got a few secrets up my sleeve.

Pumpkin Pie is really a pretty easy pie to make.

Ingredients:
1/8 tsp. cloves
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
1 15 oz can of 100% pumpkin (sometimes I use my own pumpkin puree from my very own pumpkins)
1 can of evaporated milk
One pie crust (store bought or homemade)

Baking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl.  Set aside
Beat in your mixer the 2 eggs then add the pumpkin. Gradually add your dry ingredients. Slowly mix in your evaporated milk and mix on low or stir until fully incorporated.

Pour into your pie shell.

Here are a few tricks I have to making your pie crusts look pretty:
 Make a double batch of pie crust so that you have plenty of dough to work with.  I hate it when my crust is uneven all around and looks lopsided.  Now one thing I love and I believe it was before Martha Stewart came up with the fabulous idea because I've been doing it long before I heard her chime in about it, is to use festive cookie cutters to cut out pie dough to  line around the edge of my pie.  This way you don't have to worry about how your crust looks because the cookie cutter shapes cover it anyway and it always looks so pretty.

To apply the shapes to the crust use a basting brush and one egg white.  Whisk the egg whites for a few seconds with a fork and then brush your pie crust with the egg whites and then again on your shapes and gently press the shapes onto the edge of your crust.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes and then reduce temperature to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes or until it looks cooked.  I know this by shaking my pan a little bit and it doesn't look like liquid still in the center.  Some recipes will tell you to place a knife in the center and if it comes out clean then it is done...but to me that ruins the whole look so I don't follow that one step. Cool for a few hours and then refrigerate until ready to eat.  And of course don't forget the Whipped Cream!

Voila!  You've got Pumpkin Pie!

Happy Baking!

Amanda's Sweets

Here Nnenna and I made a cake for the late Jude Agwuocha on his last birthday.

Today I was reflecting on my little baking adventure.  Three years ago I would have never imagined that people would see me as a "baker."  I have always been one to be in the kitchen. Since childhood, baking chocolate chip cookies was my thing.  In college I would bake for my roomates.  When I first met my husband I used to kick him out of the kitchen because, "I knew what I was doing!" and of course He didn't! During the holidays I would pride myself in baking dozens of cookies to share with friends, teachers, neighbors etc... While living in Nigeria, my husband bought me a small oven and there next to my mother in-laws wood burning stove would be myself baking away cookies on Christmas day for all the village visitors to get a treat!  All of that I saw as me just being myself, a homey, feel good, cozy kind of person who loved to invite others into that world.  Little did  I know that this would turn into something more.

I had baked 3 cakes for Nnenna's 3rd
birthday party in the village!

Three years ago my husband and I returned back to the states after a year in Nigeria.  We learned shortly after that Barnabas' mother was having heart troubles.  We tried to no avail to find someone who could help her.  That was when we learned that a good friend of ours who is a Cardiologist was traveling on a medical mission trip to Cameroon which is the country next to Nigeria.  We so badly wanted that opportunity to send Mama to see Dr. Johansson.  My husband was working different smaller jobs at the time and I was homeschooling for a family and babysitting and doing whatever I could to make ends meet.  We knew we couldn't make it happen on our own.  That was when I decided to make pies for Thanksgiving that people could order and I would save all of the money from that to put towards that project.  Sure enough people gave above and beyond and bought pies and it was glorious!  I was so amazed!  After that people wanted desserts for Christmas and then birthdays and then baby and bridal showers and then weddings and on and on.  I did not make this happen but believe that God has allowed me to have what I need to do this so that I can be a blessing to others in need.

This Thanksgiving I have posted about our project of giving to help Restore Rose, my husbands sister.  Follow previous blogs to learn more.  With that said those that do order from me for Thanksgiving will be assured that this tradition will be carried on.  A portion of proceeds will go towards this project.  If you would like to order a dessert please let me know and I can forward you a menu.  If you make a $100 donation you will recieve a free pie for Thanksgiving.  If you want to just make a donation you can also go to this link to donate directly.  :https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/2dJnc