More Graduations = More Crazy Cakes!

Early this month two more labmates graduated which meant more cakes for me to make!

Taste wise, this cake was everyone's favorite! I used a boxed Devil's Food cake mix and made a peanut butter version of the fluffy buttercream from my last post. I took out 1/4 cup of vegetable shortening and added a 1/2 cup of peanut  butter. I crushed ~18 peanut butter cups and sprinkled the pieces on top of the middle layer of icing.

For this cake, I used a strawberry boxed cake mix and store bought cream cheese icing that I died green.

Relay For Life

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to from 18 - 24 hours in length.

May 20, 2011 at 6pm in Lake Shore Park, Lake Park, FL

www.relayforlife.org/lakeparkfl

Cupcakes for the Kickoff Party!

Fluffy Buttercream Icing
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (only if using unsalted butter)
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup meringue powder 
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Food coloring
2 cups (4 sticks) soft butter, vegetable shortening, or a combination of both
(I used 1 cup butter and 1 cup vegetable shortening because of the heat and humidity)


Dissolve the sugar (and salt) in the boiling water (I used a combination of the mixer and spatula) and cool to room temperature. Mix in the meringue powder and beat at slow speed for several minutes until the powder is dissolved and the mixture is foamy. Increase speed (Use the "Egg White Beating" setting) until soft peaks (peaks fall over when you pick up the beaters) form. 


Beat in vanilla and then confectioners' sugar. Add the soft butter, a few tbsp. at a time and beat well after each addition. Add in food coloring.
Yields: Enough for 8" cake or 24 cupcakes.


Source: King Arthur's Flour -Fluffy White Buttercream


This is my new favorite buttercream icing! It is not the quickest but it is worth it!

Cookies!

Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff so blend the last flour by hand if necessary. Do not chill dough. Divide into 2 balls.


Roll out on a floured surface about 1/8 inch thick. Dip cutters in flour before each use. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet for 6-7 minutes or until cookies are lightly brown.


Source: Wilton (and The Kitchen of Carol Rust)


Sugar Cookie Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp. milk
2 tsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Food Coloring


Stir powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy. Add more powdered sugar if too thin and corn syrup or milk if too thick. Add food coloring until desired color is achieved.


Source: Food.com - Sugar Cookie Icing by Junebug

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