My Favorite Cake to Date

One of my favorite kinds of cakes is Angel Food Cake so I thought I would attempt to make what I thought would be one of the more difficult recipes. In the end, it was pretty easy and turned out GREAT! Way better than the store bought and to top it off, I even made my own whipped cream! Even easier and tastes WAY better!!! Just call me Betty Crocker ;-) This recipe and the recipe for the whipped cream are from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Bridal Edition.

Angel Food Cake

1 1/2 cups egg whites (10 to 12 large)
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar

1. In a very large mixing bowl allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sift powdered sugar and flour together three times; set aside.

2. Add cream of tartar and vanilla to egg whites. Beat with an elecric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add granulated sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

3. Sift one-fourth of the powdered sugar mixture over beaten egg whites; fold in gently. Repeat, folding in the remaining powdered sugar mixture by fourths. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Gently cut through batter with narrow metal spatula to remove air pockets.

4. Bake on the lowest rack in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert cake; cool thoroughly in pan. Loosen cake from pan; remove cake.





Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Chill a medium mixing bowl and the beaters of an electric mixer.

2. In chilled bowl beat whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Cookies!!

Meredith and I threw a baby shower for a friend of ours from work. With a blue and green theme and a need for some more sweets, I figured these cookies would be perfect. Who doesn't love sugar cookies?! This recipe was taken from a blog of a fellow "Nestie" (www.thenest.com) and also from the "Now That's What's Cooking" blog.

Super Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Cream margarine and sugar well.

2. Add vanilla and eggs; combine well.

3. In separate bowl, sift the baking powder, salt and flour. Add to wet ingredients slowly until thoroughly combined.

4. Cookie dough must be chilled until firm, or overnight.

5. Remove dough from fridge and roll out to a 1/4-inch thickness.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

7. With cookie cutters or rim of drinking glass, cut out cookies.

8. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, depending on oven. Check often to prevent over cooking or burning. Cool on baking rack when done.

9. Meanwhile, prepare frosting

FROSTING:

1 teaspoon real vanilla
1 stick real butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon cream or whole milk

10. Cream butter, milk and vanilla together.

11. Slowly add powdered sugar to butter until desired consistency. If you'd like, add liquid food coloring for festive cookies

12. When cookies are cooled, slather this heavenly frosting. For more texture and color, press the top of the cookie in sprinkles, colored sugar or just eat plain!

More Cake!

Today I wanted to try a different kind of cake. So I ended up with a Vanilla-Fudge Marble Cake from the Better Homes and Garden Bridal Edition cookbook.

Vanilla-Fudge Marble Cake
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup chocolate-flavored syrup
1 recipe Semisweet Chocolate Icing

- Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

-In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixeer on low to medium speed about 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low to medium speed 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Reserve 2 cups batter. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan.

-In a small mixing bowl combine chocolate syrup and reserved 2 cups batter. Beat on low speed until well combined. Pour chocolate batter over vanilla batter in pan. Do not mix!

-Bake at 350 degrees about 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Drizzle cake with Semisweet Chocolate Icing.

Semisweet Chocolate Icing

1/2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

-In a small saucepan heat semisweet chocolate pieces, butter, corn syrup, and vanilla over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Use immediately.