Image by alexis22578 via Flickr

Cakes for Elisa & David’s Wedding

Yellow Cake

• 2/3 c butter
• 1 ¾ c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• 3 c sifted cake flour (or 3 cups all purpose less 2T per 1C flour)
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ¼ c milk

Cream butter. Add sugar gradually, creaming till light. Add eggs and vanilla and beat till fluffy. Sift dry ingredients together; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating after each addition. Beat 1 minute. Bake in 2 greased and lightly floured 9 x 1 ½ inch round pans at 350 for 30-50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool.

Seppo’s Strawberry Filling/Topping

• 2 pints ripe strawberries, hulled, sliced in ½ if large
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

First, set aside several choice strawberries for decorating if you’ll be frosting the cake.

Puree half of the strawberries in a food processor with the honey, maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla until it is a smooth sauce.

Add the remaining strawberries and pulse until chopped, but not liquefied.

Image by alexis22578 via Flickr

Chocolate Cake

• 1 C butter, softened
• 2 ¼ C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ C flour
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 t vanilla
• ¾ C cocoa
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 2 C soured milk

Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add ingredients alternatively to mixing bowl with soured milk.

Bake 350 for 30-35 minutes for layers or 45-55 minutes for 9×13” cake. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove, cool, and frost.

Royal Frosting

Make ahead decorations harden for easy use

Combine 3 egg whites, at room temperature, one 1lb package of confectioners sugar, sifted (about 4 ¾ c), 1 tsp vanilla, and ½ tsp cream of tartar. Beat with electric mixer 7-10 minutes or till frosting is very stiff. Keep frosting covered with damp cloth at all times to prevent crust from forming. Makes 3 cups.

Swiss Buttercream

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/project-wedding-cake-swiss-buttercream/

For a wedding cake (or most of one, depending on the size)

• 2 cups of egg whites (approx. 12 large)
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 cups butter, softened (2 1/2 pounds, 10 sticks)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whisk egg whites and sugar together in a big metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk occasionally until you can’t feel the sugar granules when you rub the mixture between your fingers.

Transfer mixture into the mixer and whip until it turns white and about doubles in size. (Here’s a tip: when you transfer to the mixer, make sure you wipe the condensation off the bottom of the bowl so that no water gets into the egg whites. This can keep them from whipping up properly.)

Add the vanilla.

Finally, add the butter a stick at a time and whip, whip, whip.

Deb note: Do not have a panic attack when this takes a while to come together (though I did every time). One super-large batch took 15 minutes, but it did and will come together. Patience, young Jedis.

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