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How to make strawberry shortcake...

Everyone loves strawberry shortcake - by using the angel food cake recipe I have provided and making your own homemade whipped topping your family is sure to be pleased!

 

 

Mix strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar and refrigerate while juices develop, at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Place mixture in an ungreased 8-inch square pan and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally.
Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve.
Whipped Cream: Using a mixer, beat the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Mary Nolan

Angel Lush Cake....

One of my favorite cakes for a light summer dessert is Angel Food Cake.  Everything about it screams summer!  It's light and airy and to be honest I think I could eat an entire one all myself.

I found this recipe on the JELL-O website and I have to tell you - it's absolutely fabulous.  You can make this as a whole cake or small personal desserts, but no matter how you serve it everyone will love it!

 

Ingredients

1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple in Juice, undrained     

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding 

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

1 round angel food cake, cut into 3 layers 

10 small fresh strawberries

 

Directions

Mix pineapple and dry pudding mix. Gently stir in COOL WHIP.

Stack cake layers on plate, spreading pudding mixture between layers and on top of cake.

Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with berries.



Homemade Whoopie Pies.....

Tonight I made the most delicious chocolate Whoopie Pies....I know most of you (unless you are from New England) are asking yourself "What in the world is a whoopie pie?" well it is similar to what the south refers to as a "Moon Pie."

The cake is a devil's food cake and the filling is a delicious whipped type icing. It's not exactly decorating a cake but you can get pretty creative with these.  They make great desserts to wrap individually and sell at a bake sale.

My plan for tonight was to roll the edges of the icing in some different types of candies...but I forgot to stop at the store to pick them up - so I will have to post those pictures tomorrow when I finish.

Here is my recipe for the most delicious Whoopie Pies....

Ingredients

•             1/2 cup baking cocoa
•             1/2 cup hot water
•             1/2 cup shortening
•             1-1/2 cups sugar
•             2 eggs
•             1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•             2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
•             1 teaspoon baking powder
•             1 teaspoon baking soda
•             1/4 teaspoon salt
•             1/2 cup buttermilk
Filling
•             3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•             Dash salt
•             1 cup 2% milk
•             3/4 cup shortening
•             1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
•             2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water. Cool for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and cocoa mixture. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition 
2.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove to wire racks to cool. 
3.  In a small saucepan, combine flour and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth; cook and stir over medium-high heat until thick, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool. 
4.  In a small bowl, cream the shortening, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add milk mixture; beat for 7 minutes or until fluffy. Spread filling on half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

How to make your own Fondant....

I have found that although fondant makes beautiful cakes - kids do not love the taste.  At my niece's first birthday party a couple years ago was my first experience with the fondant taste test. 

My niece's mother ordered a ridiculous sized birthday cake to feed the huge crowd of people - it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!  Gorgeous shades of purple and teal with the "owl" theme that has been so popular...and if you judge a cake by looks, this one was going to be tasty!

I took my son over to get his piece of cake and went to sit down with my nephews.  Everyone of them had pulled the layer of fondant off of their cake and moved it to the side.  I asked them why they weren't eating that part of the cake and my son replies "Mommy, why would anyone put rubber on a cake - it's gross!"

As I tried the cake I realized that although it was beautiful - it tasted horrible.  So now that I am into cake decorating I completely understand the need for fondant but how could I make it taste good enough for the kids to eat??? 

I have messed with a couple different options and have finally come up with a child approved fondant that I use on all my cakes - no matter the color!

Ingredients

16 ounces (454 g) mini marshmallows
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) lemon extract
2 tablespoons (30 ml) light corn syrup (helps with pliability)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla - clear
2 pounds (approx. 7 cups, 907 g) confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 cup (100 g) vegetable shortening
Gel colors if tinting fondant or white food coloring to create a true white

Directions

Grease microwave proof bowl and spatula with vegetable shortening. Pour marshmallows and water into bowl then microwave on high for approximately one minute. Stir well for about one minute. Continue to microwave on high in 30 second intervals until all the marshmallows are melted.

Take out of microwave and add remaining ingredients except powdered sugar. At this point you can add any gel colors to your fondant in order to create uniform color, including white coloring to get a true white color.

Add half the bag of powdered sugar and mix until you can't mix anymore! Turn the mixture out onto the other half bag of powdered sugar you mounded on your counter.

Slowly knead the dough working from the outside in. Knead until you incorporate most all the powdered sugar.

Rub your hands with a generous amount of vegetable shortening and begin kneading the fondant until it's not coated in powdered sugar anymore and it becomes smooth. Continue to add a little vegetable shortening until it's pliable and smooth.

Coat again with vegetable shortening and wrap up in two layers of plastic wrap and then place in a zip lock bag overnight to rest.

Angel Food Cake with Cherry Glaze

One of my all time favorite summer desserts is Angel Food Cake, it's light and sweet.  Adding just a little bit of cherry flavor to it makes it that much more amazing.

Ingredients you will need:
1 1/4 cups egg whites (approx. 9)
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small jar of maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons powder sugar

Directions

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside.

Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time. Drain juice from cherries and place in a separate bowl (you will need this later). Dice cherries into small pieces (your desire) and mix into cake batter.

Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.  Mix cherry juice with powered sugar until sugar is completely incorporated.

 

Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Pour cherry syrup over the top of the cake and serve.

 

This dessert is amazing....I hope you enjoy

How to cover a round cake with fondant....

Well I tried to make a video on the how to's with fondant.... it was a disaster! This video will give you all the tips and tricks you need to cover a round cake.  I found it to be very helpful when I was struggling with the correct measurements for my fondant.