I am a year wiser folks but not a year older because I eat my candles!
For the past few weeks I decided to go look for the perfect pink Birthday cake and had even agreed to make my own. Although fairly common for me to do, I never really like to make my own cake. It is, well anticlimactic.
So off I go to FlickR, google, pinterest and even Amazon. you think this is easy, well no it really isn't. Or maybe it is and I am just one of those picky picky people who is very hard to please when it comes to food.
(side note I rarely eat in a restaurant because I feel I can do better haha and when I walk into a Bakery 8 times out of 10 ... I am disappointed.) I know it is sad!
SO I will share my links and my choices and in hopes you will share me any pink cake stories, or recipes you may have.
I adore the South which anyone who knows me clearly knows this. I was able to catch the twang and use the accent quite quickly and bake the fare ... ha! I feel like Oh Baby I am Home! I am however from the North and not even the USA as it were but that doesn't matter, my soul is south and that makes me a gosh darn southerner y'all Okay so I tell you this because Patty Pinner is the reason I knew my search would yield me success one day and for that I love her, her book and her stories. How can anyone not, I ask you =o)
Before I share Patty Pinner's recipe with you, two things you need to know ... 1) I usually think jello is creepy and 2) a cake mix can be the best pastry chef in the worlds best friend. (The key ... nobody should know there was a mix involved, that is just an affair for you to have) Ok so here we go:
The Search for my Ultimate Birthday Cake
My flickr journal of the cake hunt
The Book that saved my Birthday
The Cake:
adapted from Sweets Soul Food desserts and memories
1 18.5 ounce white cake mix (no pudding we are pushing it with jello haha)
1 3 ounce pkg Strawberry jello ( nothing else will do, don't fiddle with nostalgia)
2 tsp flour and 1 tsp double acting baking powder (okay I fiddled here)
4 tsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup veggie oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 + 2tbsp frozen, thawed and drained strawberries ( a wee fiddle)
reserve all the juice it is going to be important and dont taste any !
Combine cake mix, jello powder, flour mixt, Mix well then add oil. Then beat in each egg one at a time very well. I like to tell you to say the alphabet 3 times after each egg ... no kidding.
Add the strawberries, water and sugar and beat well ... make sure to check the bottom of the bowl because the jello likes to hide there. I use a spatula for a couple turns. Bake in 3 ... 8 inch prepared pans for 30 minutes.
I will get to the frosting in the morning because I have a date tonight...
I am back with the frosting:
8 ounces frozen strawberries, thawed and well drained reserving juice (the book wants 5 0z)
1 1/2 pounds confectioners sugar ( the book asks for 2 pounds)
1/2 stick of butter salted ( book asks for unsalted)
2 white chocolate ghiradelli baking bars ( none are asked for in book)
In a bowl you need to combine the strawberries, the confectioners sugar, the melted white chocolate bar (one is used to make garnishes with a wee strawberry cookie cutter)
Beat this frosting until smooth and creamy and strawberries are teeny tiny bits I add exactly 1/2 tsp pink wilton food colour gel and 2 tbsp strawberry juice during beating. I thicken all remaining strawberry juices with a wee bit of cornstarch (no sugar) This for my fancy little drizzles. Melt the other white chocolate bar 1/3 at a time over very low heat. Heat off for the last 1/3 to temper. Pour onto a parchment paper lined pan so the chocolate is quite thin and flat a good pan bashing does this =o) When almost set use cookie cutter dipped in cornstarch to cut out several strawberries and leaves, you can paint these later when fully hardened off.
Layer up your cake with frosting between each layer and on top then the sides of the cake. Simple is prettiest. Then decorate with a wee drizzle of strawberry gel and arrange your white chocolate strawberries I like to set each one on a little poof of whipped cream made with confectioners sugar to keep its shape. ( I use food colour gel to paint the berries and leaves and allow to dry ... you can even make these the day before.) I like to fuss but seriously this cake is amazing on it's own merit and if you don't use the white chocolate your cake is still going to grace any party.
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