Windsurfing Cake

My first big cake here in Florida was a windsurfing cake for a labmate's graduation.

This was my second attempt at making cakes from scratch.  Half of the cake was "Cookies N' Cream" and half was "Yellow".

Cookies N' Cream Cake
~24 crushed Oreos
2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
3-1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup milk
1-1/2 tsps vanilla
4 egg whites (room temperature)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9" round layer cake pans. Add flour, sugar baking powder, salt, butter, milk, and vanilla into mixing bowl.


Beat on slow speed until blended. Beat on medium speed for 2 min., occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add unbeaten egg whites and beat two minutes longer at medium speed. Gently fold in crushed Oreos.


Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes and then remove.


Source: Adapted from About.com Busy Cooks White Layer Cake by Linda Larsen


Yellow Cake
4 large eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup whole milk (room temperature) (can use 2%)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, each stick cut into 8 pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease two 9-inch cake pans with vegetable shortening and cover the pan bottoms with rounds of parchment paper or wax paper. Grease the parchment rounds, dust the cake pans with flour, and tap out excess.

Beat the eggs, milk, and vanilla with a fork in a small bowl; measure out 1 cup of this mixture and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I used the regular beaters); mix on the lowest speed to blend, about 30 seconds. With the mixer still running at the lowest speed, add the butter one piece at a time; mix until the butter and flour begin to clump together and look sandy and pebbly, with pieces about the size of peas, 30 to 40 seconds after all the butter is added. Add reserved 1 cup of egg mixture and mix at the lowest speed until incorporated, 5 to 10 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining egg mixture (about 1/2 cup) in a slow steady stream, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium-high until thoroughly combined and the batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds.

Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans; spread to the sides of the pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Bake until the cake tops are light gold and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. (Cakes may mound slightly but will level when cooled.) Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeters to loosen. Invert one cake onto a large plate, peel off the parchment, and reinvert onto a lightly greased rack. Repeat with the other cake. Cool completely before icing.


Source: Adapted from Cookinglight.com Community


Quick Buttercream Icing
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar (sifted)
2 tbsp milk
Food Coloring (as needed)


Cream room temperature butter until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract.


Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add food coloring and beat for 30 seconds until smooth or the desired color is reached.


This icing is definitely not my favorite but can be used if you need something quick. It is really sweet and forms a light crust on the top when left out for a while. Everyone seemed to like it but I felt that there had to be a better icing out there!


Source: Allrecipes.com - "Quick and Almost Professional Buttercream Icing"

Rolled Buttercream Fondant
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp clear vanilla extract
2 lbs confectioners' sugar


In a large bowl stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt and vanilla extract, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until it is a stiff dough. If you are using a stand mixer use the dough hook attachment. Otherwise, knead by hand. If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners' sugar until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.


To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick. Drape over frosted and chilled cake.


Source: Allrecipes.com - "Rolled Buttercream Fondant"

I really liked this fondant. It tasted a lot better than a marshmallow fondant recipe I tried in the past. To paint the fondant, I read to mix vodka or lemon extract with your gel food coloring, however, I felt that it did not come out dark enough so I painted the gel food coloring right onto the fondant and it turned out dark and shiny.


You can find individual colors of Wilton gel food coloring at Michaels. They are pretty inexpensive and you only really need a small amount because it is so concentrated. Don't forget to print out the 40% off coupon!