The other day I was given the opportunity to bake a cake for a friend of mine here in Thailand that is graduating from high-school. I was so excited to finally have an excuse to make a cake again! I quickly turned to my never fail, Better Crocker cook book and came up with a nice/sweet concoction =)
I was a little nervous though, cause I’m no artist (unless I have some hidden artistic ability within that…well…is still hiding) and even though my friend’s mom never requested anything specific, I really wanted to bless my friend by making the cake with more than just plain white frosting. So, I started to mix some colors with my limited about of food coloring, popped in one of the two or three tips I could find, prayed and started moving my hand. For this being only my second cake to actually try to decorate with more than just a fanned strawberry or chocolate chips, I loved how it came out. Simple and sweet 🙂
Ingrediants:
Starlight Yellow Cake ~
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour*
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups milk
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla**
3 large eggs
1.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 2 round pans with shortening; lightly flour.
2.) Beat all indrediants with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.
3.) Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes our clean or until cake springs back then touched lightly in center. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4.) Split the layers into two more layers so as to make four. Generously fill with White Mountain Frosting and cover cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.
White Mountain Frosting ~
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 TBSP water
2 large egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1.) Mix water, sugar and corn syrup in 1-quart saucepan. Cover and heat to a rolling boil over medium heat. Uncover and boil 4 to 8 minutes, without stirring, to 242 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a firm ball that holds its shape until pressed. FOr an accurate temperature readying tilt saucepan slightly so mixture is deep enough for the thermometer.
2.) While mixture is boiling, beat egg whites in medium bowl with electric miser on high speed just until stiff peaks form.
3.) Pour hot syrup very slowly in thin stream into egg whites, beating constantly on medium speed. Add vanilla. Beat on high speed about 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting*** ~
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 TBSP milk
1.) Mix powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk.
2.) Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable.
*If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt
**I always add a bit more vanilla than the recipe calls for.
***For my cake, I doubled the Buttercream frosting.
Country Girl Recipes 