Picture Perfect Cooking

Well, I had planned on making candy for our Christmas celebrations, but the weather would just not cooperate!  First it was warm and humid (at least for December), and then the wind and rain started.  With that much moisture in the air, most candies just will not set up correctly, so on to plan B. 

For my nanny’s Christmas dinner, I decided to try a couple of new recipes.  One is for Tender White Cake that I found on the back of the King Arthur Flour Company’s cake flour package.  My favorite cakes are white with chocolate frosting, and this cake recipe did not disappoint.  The original recipe called for 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp almond extract.  I did not have the almond extract so I just used 3 tsp vanilla.

I went searching online for a new frosting recipe to go with the cake.  I discovered this on www.myrecipes.com which is one of my favorite cooking sites.  There are several magazines that publish their recipes to this page, including “Southern Living”.  Check it out.  I think you will enjoy it. 

Tender White Cake

2 3/4 cups cake flour (I use King Arthur Flour Company’s Queen Guinevere)

1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

4 large egg whites + 1 whole large egg

1 cup whole milk

3 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9” cake pans, a 9×13” pan, two 8” pans, or a cupcake pan.  I used the 9 inch pans. 

Separate the 4 eggs.

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.  Stir on low speed for 2 minutes to combine and aerate.

Add the butter and mix into a paste.  Add the egg whites, then the whole egg, beating after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically.

 

In a small bowl, whisk the whole milk with the vanilla extract.  Add that mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the batter.  Beat for 1-2 minutes after each addition, until fluffy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake for 25-30 minutes for a 2 layer cake.  Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.  Turn out onto racks and cool completely before frosting.  My cakes had a few loose crumbs around the edges so I brushed them off before frosting

 

 

Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

3 cups mini marshmallows

3/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup evaporated milk

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

4-5 cups powdered sugar (The original recipe calls for 6 cups, but the frosting was almost too stiff to spread.  Start with 4 or 5.  You can always add more if needed.)

1 tbsp vanilla

Melt first 4 ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl set over a larger bowl with ice water in it.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating at low speed with an electric mixer.  Increase speed to medium-high, and beat for 5 minutes or until frosting is cool, thick and spreadable.  Stir in vanilla and frost your cake.