Sweet Treats: Mother's Day Blackberry Surprise Cake

My mother, sil and I were all together today with our families to meet my new little Elisabeth Rose, so a Mother's Day cake seemed fitting. I wanted something special, but had little time (due to a plumber showing up at 9:30 am!), so I came up with this recipe using basic cake mix and store bought frosting. You can incorporate it into your favorite yellow cake and cream cheese frosting recipe for something truly special.  This is easily one of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted!

Ingredients:

Yellow Cake Mix Box, mixed to directions (I used Duncan Hines)...
* replace oil with equal part applesauce for healthier recipe if desired
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp almond extract
lemon juice  (once cake is baked)


2 Layer Filling:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 pint blackberries


Topping:
2 cans cream cheese frosting (I used white, use food coloring if desired)
pearly white Cupacke gem sprinkles
a few blackberries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven according to cake mix recipe. Prepare cake mix. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
Prepare 2 round cake pans with baking spray. Pour cake mix evenly into both pans. Bake according to directions.

While cakes are baking, prepare filling. Mix sugar and mash blackberries together in bowl. Allow to stand to firm up for 20 mins to 1 hour. (I let it stand only for about 10 mins because I was in a hurry, and that's why it seeped into the lower layer).

Once cake is baked and cool to touch, cut off rounded top of lower cake to create an even layer. Position lower cake layer on cake stand. Poke tops of both cakes multiple times and lightly sprinkle with lemon juice. Place foil or parchment paper strips around bottom of cake layer to prevent icing from getting all over cake stand.

Melt chocolate chips and liberally drizzle on top of the bottom layer.

Add blackberry filling on top of chocolate drizzle.
Place top cake over filling.

Frost cake in large dollops using a 'swirly' motion to create peaks in the icing.
Lightly sprinkle with pearl Cupcake Gem sprinkles and add blackberries to garnish.
Remove the foil/paper layer and clean up any icing on cake stand.

Nursing mommas get to eat bigger slices ;)   ALSO... if making Mother's Day cupcakes, A Fanciful Twist is giving away free downloads of her adorable cupcake toppers here!

 

Happy Mother's Day!

These little canvases are for our moms. We just painted them their favorite colors, added hand prints, some stickers and paint flourishes. Then, we mod podged with glitter. Of course, I over glittered knowing most of it will come off during shipping. A simple, handmade gift that I hope they love as much as we loved making them :)

Thanks moms, for all you do!

 David's contribution to his mom's painting, a lovely cartoon family of us.

 One day, their hands will be much larger than mine.

 

Happy Mother's Day To You All!

I love my beautiful Mother's Day bouquet. My honey works for a major shipping co and one stop on his route is a flower shop. Well, they always give him flowers on special occasions for *free* to bring home to me! This bouquet is absolutely beautiful! I even split it up to give some blooms for my sweet mom for Mother's Day as well!



For Mother's Day, we had a lovely lesson at church on words/actions that hurt others, and how we as women may not always know when we can be hurting others. We talked ways we can show love and support to others, and try to see more clearly our own weaknesses and gifts. It was a lovely and uplifting lesson, and we followed it with a yummy Mother's Day brunch of fruits, cheese and crackers and croissant sandwiches.

We then visited my Husband's family (his dad is recovering from heart surgery) and we then came home and made Sheppard's Pie (my fav) with my mom and watched Outsourced. A cute little indie romantic comedy (yes, we did skip any love scene we encountered (there were 2).



Also, I got my Mom and Mother-in-law cup cozies. They both are always carrying around a drink of some sort wrapped in napkins, so I thought these would be perfect! Unfortunately, they got thrown in a pile somewhere, so I haven't given them the cozies yet, but they will be loved, I know it!


Bottled Water Cozy from Cozy Beans


Cup Cozy from Bagel Creations.

A quick word on Mother's Day. Not every woman is a mother. Whether it is by personal choice, or the opportunity just hasn't come yet, whether a woman is no longer a "hands-on" mother who has lost her child through death, spirit or distance, if you no longer have your mother on Earth or really despise the one you have... every woman can celebrate Mother's Day.

It is my belief that woman have divine nurturing tendencies to be mothers. You can be a mother in a sense in your community, in your home, in your prescence or career. Through love, educating ourselves, perservering and honing a sincere desire to help others are ways you can also be a mother. By using our motherlike qualities, we have the power to influence the world for good, one small child, adult, politician at a time.

Here are some free printables and ideas for next Mother's Day for you! Here is a great site for vintage cards, Vintage Holiday Crafts and second post HERE.


Vintage Mother's Day Flower Card from Hub Pages (follow link to view MORE!)


Mother and Child Vintage Card from Karen's Whimsy (click link for TONS MORE!)


70's Mother's Day Card

If you are into Digital Art, here are some Free printables compiled here at DigiFree.







This next kit isn't free, but it is beautiful, plus the designer, Blush Butter, has some stunning kits on this page!





Cute flower bouquet kid's idea from She Knows


Queen Mom coloring page to print out for your kids at Kaboose

Breakfast in Bed? Here is a fun idea for kids to easliy make homemade butter spread from Zach Aboard.



You need: one jar with a tight fitting screw on lid, a pinch of salt, 2 marbles and
heavy whipping cream filled about 1/2 way. Put all inside jar, screw on lid and let your kid shake it up till it's creamy butter.

I hope your enjoyed your Mother's Day! Remember, next year, keep it simple, fun and easy :)