Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Fall at the Farmhouse | 2016


I declare it at least three times a week on my Instagram feed, but Fall really is the best time on the farm. You hear tractors all day long, you see dust from the combine, fields become clean and everything opens up. Of course being married to a farmer, Fall is always extremely busy.... and this year is no different. While our weekends are busy with Apple Butter making, hayrides and other wonderful family traditions - during the week while my farmer is in the field I really get some great alone time at home (with Molly) to do what I enjoy, to do what rejuvenates me. Decorating, baking, cleaning.... All of those sort of things that to some might be chores, but to me - are therapeutic.



Like most Holiday or season décor (except the 500+ Christmas Lights on my house) I keep Fall pretty simple - pumpkins and mums!






We just finished out sidewalk and in the Spring, so this is the first Fall that I am able to decorate the steps. I am also happy about the 6" steps that are wider. When I was "designing" them I was literally picturing this right here. Pumpkins and mums spilling over each step.





The sidewalk was our last thing to do to the house for a while..... Except now I want a brick lined patio out back... Gosh I really hope my farmer isn't reading this.... and I really wish corn wasn't $2.89. #farmlifeproblems ;)



Adirondack chairs have been my new latest obsession. I have two on my front porch and two in my yard next to a big tree (the only big tree)...
 



They're fun to festively decorate each season with pillows or throws, America flags and pumpkins....


 
Can you spot Molly.... 
 

 
I love specialty pumpkins of all different colors and shapes, but nothing quite beats a good ol jack-o-lantern style pumpkin. I place them around a few trees in the yard.
 


Freshly combined corn field and turning bean field.... The views are spectacular this time of year.


 



I have a few of these lanterns sitting around by trees and on the front stairs. They contain a flame less candle and in a few weeks for a more "halloweenish" look they'll have orange string lights.



And because black and white pictures are my favorite....


 
More Adirondack chairs....
 



 







 



 
My sidekick....


 
 
Huge pumpkins by the barn..... 
 


 




 



Seriously - a typical sunset on the farm.....




I will have an updated little "spookier" look in a couple of weeks for Halloween and our annual Hayride.... Go, hurry get pumpkins and mums while supplies last. Most all of mine came from Hill Top Nursery in Dover.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Farmhouse Campfire Cake


 I made this Camp Fire cake in a cupcake version a few years ago for a big fall party that my farmer and I have every year. They were so cute and I have since been wanting to make a "cake" version.

Well here it is - the easiest boxed chocolate cake made into a little camp fire. The perfect cake for a Fall gathering or a Campfire Themed Party.



I'm usually very into making homemade icings, homemade cakes, etc..... Not for this thing. sometimes its just "easier" to grab packaged and boxed everything. Don't judge me! ;)
 











First things first - the fire.... Take red hard candies and yellow hard candies and unwrap them. Put them in a bag and smash them into little chunks (not too fine though - you don't want it powdery)
 

Place the broken up candies on a foil or parchment paper lines cookie sheet and bake on 375° for 5-10 minutes. Watch it carefully so it wont burn.  
 
 
 
It should resemble this....  

 

 Break apart carefully but try not to get them too small. If you are making cupcakes you want them smaller but for a cake you want them bigger.



In the meantime bake a chocolate cake. Yes I have a delicious chocolate cake recipe (find it here) but I settled for Betty Crocker. Sometimes its nice to just add oil, eggs and water and you still have a delicious cake. (I ALWAYS bake my cakes in 2 round pans)

We are in Harvest, so while I was in the kitchen making this cake tractor after tractor after tractor would drive by...... Fall on the farm is the absolute best.

 




 
 Back to the cake.... Bake, cool and frosting.....


 
For this "rustic" kind of cake I like the messed up frosting look. Usually I go for a perfect uniform look.


 





For the logs I used Twix candy bars and sliced them in half longwise.



 Then just assemble your campfire.


 


 
 So much cuter even in person....


 




 


 

Recipe

Camp Fire Cake:

Ingredients:

1 Box Chocolate Cake

1 Can Chocolate Icing

4 Twix Candy Bars

Red hard candy and Yellow hard candy



I hope you all are having a great Fall. I will have outdoor Fall décor pictures on the blog by the end of the week.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 
SITE DESIGN BY DESIGNER BLOGS