Donations for the Local Food Pantry

Our church has been working with a local food pantry to serve the community. In October, the members of our Relief Society decided to donate baked goods to the pantry.

I made Coconut Pumpkin Snack Cake. The food pantry asked that the donations be individually wrapped in plastic sandwich bags. This cake is delicious and holds together well when packaged.

 

Some of our members were able to assist at the pantry by organizing food and helping people collect and bag their groceries to take home. Since I have young children at home, I am not always able to help with this kind of service project. I was happy that, even though I could not assist inside the pantry, I could still serve by baking treats to donate.

My house was the drop-off point for the donations last year. I just had to take a picture with all of the donations together. This is what 21 1/2 dozen baked goods look like - all packed up and ready to go.

Pumpkin Coconut Snack Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

8 oz. pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

6 oz. white chocolate chips

2 cups shredded coconut

-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

-Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13" baking pan with foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

-Combine cake mix, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and cinnamon in a mixer on medium speed until well combined 

  (about 2 minutes). 

-Stir in white chocolate chips.  

-Pour cake mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly across pan.

-Sprinkle coconut over the top.

-Bake for 30-35 minutes. 

-Check to make sure the middle is done by inserting a toothpick and making sure it comes out clean. 

-Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Cupcakes

This chic little cupcake is surprisingly easy to make...using a cake mix and a can of frosting!



Follow the package directions to bake 24 cupcakes in cupcake liners. (The cupcake liners will stabilize the cupcake during the dipping process.) Allow to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, start kneading some modelling chocolate to make it pliable enough to roll. Then roll the chocolate out to about 1/8" and use a small flower cutter to make the tiny flower decorations. Quickly remove the flower cutouts from the board or counter you are using before they harden. Attach a sugar pearl to the center of each one using royal icing.



Get ready to dip! Scoop the canned frosting into a microwave save bowl. The frosting will need to be heated to a thin consistency for easy dipping. Start by heating in the microwave for 10 seconds, then stir. If it's still too thick, heat for another ten seconds and stir. Continue until you achieve the right consistency.



Hold a cupcake upside down by the liner, and dip it straight into the frosting. Pivot the cupcake a little to make sure the frosting covers the edges. Slowly remove the cupcake and twist it to keep any frosting from dripping over the edges. Place cupcake right-side up on the counter and arrange one of the tiny chocolate flowers in the center of the chocolate while still the chocolate is still wet. The chocolate will set up as it dries.



These cupcakes are going to a local food pantry that asked for cupcake donations. The reason I chose this frosting and design is because they asked that each cupcake be individually wrapped in a plastic sandwich bag. I thought these would be perfect because they're not too tall and the frosting wouldn't be easily smashed. They were very easy to bag up and still looked pretty.



I'll definitely be using this method again. It was quick and a lot of fun! Give them a try!



STATS:

Modeling Chocolate
Melt 10 ounces of chocolate chips in a microwave or in a double boiler. Stir in 2 ounces of light corn syrup. Stir for about a minute until well combined. Spread on waxed paper and allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours. When cool, break large chunks off and knead until soft. Store in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag for up to a month. Break off small pieces and knead when you are ready to make something with your modeling chocolate. Return to refrigerator for 10-15 minutes if it starts to get too warm and sticky from the heat of your hands.

Royal Icing
http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Royal-Icing