Just Stick to Cookies

Maybe I should just stick to cookies. I have made a couple of cakes in the last few weeks, from scratch, and I'm not really pleased with the results. Yet again, I didn't have the correct sized pans for this cake. It called for 3, 8-inch round pans and I had 3, 9-inch round pans. So, I baked the cakes a little less than the recipe but still had a little burn. The cake was a pistachio cake with a honey/vanilla frosting. It surprisingly tasted very good, however, it was a little crumbly and the frosting was not as whipped looking as in the picture.


My frosting was a little glossy, almost wet looking. I don't know if I was supposed to whip it more or less or something totally different was the problem.

I ate a slice and took the rest of the cake to work on Oscar night. Everyone that had a slice commented positively on the flavor. So I suppose it was a success.









Aunt Sassy Cake
from: Baked Explorations
Ingredients:


Cake

1 cup shelled pistachios
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (I used vanilla paste, for the 1st time)
1 large egg
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Honey Vanilla Buttercream

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons honey

Assembly
1/3 cup crushed shelled pistachios (I didn't do this)


Make the Cake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment pater, and butter the parchment. Dust the parchment with flour and knock out the excess flour.


In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the pistachios until they are coarsely chopped. Transfer about 2 tablespoons' worth of the coarse pistachios to a large bowl. Continue to process the rest of the pistachios until they are almost powdery-but not a superfine dust. Stir the pistachio powder into the reserved coarse pistachios. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together over the large bowl containing the pistachio mix. Stir to combine.


In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the whole egg, and beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low.


In a measuring cup, make 1 1/2 cups ice water. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in three parts, alternating with the ice water, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. For each addition, turn the mixer to low to add ingredients, then up to medium speed for a few seconds until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form (You can do this by hand. don't be intimidated, it should only take 2 to 3 minutes). Do not over beat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.


Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cook for 20 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the rack and let cool completely. Remove the parchment paper.

Make the Honey Vanilla Buttercream

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.


Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool (this takes at least 7 to 9 minutes of mixing; you can speed up the precess by pressing bags of frozen berries or frozen corn against the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl). Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.


Add the vanilla and honey and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. (I should have probably done this step) If the frosting is too firm, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.


Assemble the Cake

Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface, and evenly spread about 1 1/4 cups frosting on top. Add the next layer, trim and frost it, then add the third layer. Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the sides and top of the cake and put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm up. (This is known as crumb coating and will help to keep loose cake crumbs under control when yo frost the outside of the cake,) Spread the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish the cake with crushed pistachios and refrigerate it for 15 minutes to it firm up before serving.


I will continue to practice at making cakes but, I am much better at baking cookies.

My son's birthday is coming up and I am making cupcakes for school and scouts and I am making a baseball cake for a little party at home. I am using cake mixes and can frosting for everything :)

~Michelle

Thursday Night Cake

Sunday Night Cake, recipe by: Baked Explorations

Here is another recipe from my Baked Explorations cook book. I called this recipe Thursday Night Cake because I work on Sunday nights so we don't have a Sunday night dinner at our home.
So, I made the cake on a Thursday night instead. I am the only in the house that had a slice. Hubby on a diet and the kids would rather eat Hershey kisses or some other valentine candy. I made the and took most of it to work last week. I, of course, had a piece and the remainder was devoured by my co-workers.

I only took the one picture of the cake and here it is. The recipe called for a 9x9 pan and I only had an 8x8 pan so I used that. I should have left some of the batter out because I had to bake it a little longer and the edges became a bit to brown. Now, my co-workers really don't mind that is for sure.
The frosting, on the other hand came out beautifully and tasted just divine. It has a wonderfully pudding like texture and is so delicious that it made up for the bit of dryness in the cake. The cake actually reminded me of this other recipe that I made. It contains cinnamon and sour cream, two ingredients that are great together in a cake batter. I always say that I love a cake recipe that has sour cream.

Ingredients:

for the cake:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
10 tablespoons (1 1/4sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream


for the chocolate frosting:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona) honestly I just used Hershey
3 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature


Make the Cake
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper and butter the sides and bottom of the parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the four mixture. Scrape down the bowl and beat for a few more seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes, loosen the sides of the cake from the pan then turn the cake our onto the rack. Remove the parchment and flip the cake right side up. Let the cake completely cool.

Make the Chocolate Frosting

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa powder. Add the chopped chocolate. Pour 1 cup boiling water into the pan, wait 30 seconds, then whisk until the mixture is combined and the chocolate is melted.

Turn the heat to medium-high and whisk continuously for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. (Once pudding begins to thicken, it will come together very quickly.)

Remove the pan from the heat and put the mixture into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high until the steam escapes and the mixture is room temperature. Add the butter and mix for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the frosting is light and pudding-like. If you prefer a fluffier, more spreadable frosting, continue to mix for a few minutes longer.

Frost the top of the cake, allowing a little of the frosting to drip down the edges. Chill for 5 minutes to set the frosting. serve immediately.

The cake can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.
~Michelle

Spring and Color

I figured with spring just around the corner. I thought I would make a few items that were colored inspired. It is always fun to add something new to your wardrobe when the seasons change. How about some great handmade jewelry to jump start your spring/summer clothes.

The first college of photos are on the more neutral side. Silver dangle earrings with window style beads, white round mother-of-pearl earrings, beautiful metal flower dangles. All of the earrings here have sterling silver ear wires. The necklace features hearts and a key charms with red beads. Check out my Etsy shop.

Here is the first set of colored items in the shop. Turquoise stones are just perfect for spring and into summer. Pair these beautiful pieces with something pink or brown or cream. There are really so many options.

These are also new to the shop. Enjoy green for spring. Think of a beautiful rolling lawn looking down at a lake with a light breeze blowing your hair, just a bit. These are the perfect summer pair of earrings and necklace to go with a nice summer dress or blazer for the office.

~Michelle

Cub Scout Cake Auction Cakes 2011

The last entry was about the search for the perfect cakes for the cake auction. drum roll.......

Here are the cakes for the cub scout cake auction. After much debate, this year we decided on a race track cake for Trevor. It is a chocolate cake with white frosting covered with green sprinkles, that I ran all over town for the night before, and Oreo cookie crumbs for the track.

Oreo used to make Oreo crumbs already in the box crushed up. They sold it in the baking isle with the graham cracker crumbs. Well, I could not find it at any grocery store where I live, OK I just checked 2. So, all four of us crushed up the cookies for the cake. Trevor made the cake and did the decorating, with my guidance, all by himself.

Nathan decided on a cake and didn't change his mind. He decided to make a football field cake. It is also a chocolate cake with white icing and green sprinkles. Those sprinkles went a long way. He did the baking and the decorating all by himself. I made the white lines for him.

The auction is really fun. The boys have to pay $1 to get in and you bring a cake. Then you use the points that you have collected during the year and the summer to bid on cakes made by other boys. The boys have such a great time. We brought two chocolate cakes and came home with two yellow cakes.
One of the cakes was a gumball machine cake with M&M's for the gum and the other cake was a little campsite with graham cracker tents.
~Michelle