Monday, December 27, 2010

Make your cake and eat it too!

I am getting together with my family this week for New Years.  This year Grandmaw is having everyone make a dip or dessert to bring down.  I looked and a few things before I finally decided what to make.  Making cakes from scratch has never been a favorite of mine.  I always enjoyed baking cookies and pies, but cakes seem to be much more finicky.  Especially, ones like Italian Cream cakes.

It requires separating the egg, stiffening the egg whites, and alternating ingredients.  I guess it is because of all the extra things that a cake requires but, for me, it creates a sense of anxiety.  I feel tense throughout the whole process.  It takes time, thought, and patience. Still, through all the mixing, sifting and de-panning they always seem to turn out.  Though, unlike the cookies and pies, there is always a greater sense of accomplishment when you finish with a cake.  After a couple hours of holding your breath, and you swipe the last bit of icing on.  It is one of the best feelings in the world.



If you want to try making this cake here is the Recipe:

Italian Cream Cake
1 stick butter softened                         2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 c. shortening                                 1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar                                            3/4 c. coconut
5 egg yolks                                         3/4 c. chopped pecans
5 egg whites stiffly beaten                   1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Icing
8 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, sogtened
1 tsp vanilla
1 box powdered sugar (I measured out 1 lb)
1/4 c. coconut
1/4 c. pecans, chopped

For cake:
Cream butter and shortening together. 
Add sugar and beat until fluffy
Add egg yolks one at a time. Beat well after each yolk.
Mix vanilla ans butter milk together and set aside.
Sift together flour and baking soda
Alternately add butter milk mixture and flour mixture.  Mix well.
Mix in coconut and pecans by hand.
Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Bake in 3 greased and floured 9 in cake pans
Bake at 350 for 25-30 min.

For Icing: 
Cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth
Add sugar gradually until fluffy.
Add vanilla. Mix well.
Stir in coconut and pecans.
Ice cake and ENJOY!

As always the best part is eating the fruits of your labor!
 




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diez año

Day 2: Where would you like to be in 10 years?

Well, 10 years from now I will be 34.  That is a very interesting concept to think about...me? 34?

To be honest sometimes lately i don't know what I want to be doing a year from now, much less 10.  Even more honesty, I have no idea what God has for me in 10 years, other than a closer relationship with Him.  That is always in the plan, thank goodness.  There are things that I hope do be doing in ten years.  I hope to be married, maybe have a kid or two, teaching something somewhere, and still waiting on God.  All these things are contingent though. I am not counting on them, I just know the desires that are in my heart.  Like I said I don't know that God is planning in this book, but I do know that it will be something wonderful, and better then I could ever imagine.  Now that I am counting on.


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