cake #1

Yesterday was class 2 of the Wilton Course 1 and we got to decorate the cakes we had made and frosted at home. I did a two layer 8-inch cake. I followed the Wilton recipe for buttercream (see below) subbing butter for half of the Crisco and using almond extract for the filling and frosting and just did the regular class buttercream for the rainbow and other decorations. The difference is huge. One tastes greasy and bland and the other has a sweet buttery taste, just like buttercream should be.

I knew, from what I’d read online, that the decorating would be left until the last half an hour or so of class so during class I made sure to keep the pace up and I think I was the only one to finish my cake. Everyone else took there’s home to complete. Granted it was rushed a little so not perfect and my frosting had melted some by the end of class so the stars kind of all melded into eachother but I was pleased with my first attempt.

After class I went to Marie’s house to meet Stephen and Willow there and brought the cake with me. We all tried it there and everyone liked it. And they would not hesitate to tell me if they didn’t hah! I used a box white cake mix, subbing whole eggs for the whites, and butter for the oil, added some vanilla extract, some melted white chocolate, a little milk and 1 tbsp meringue powder. It was scrumptious. I got the recipe from the Cake Mix Doctor cookbook.

I am making the graduation/21st birthday cake for Mike and Nick’s party this Saturday and I think I might use this recipe again. But with a raspberry filling because raspberry and white chocolate go very nicely. Still trying to come up with a nice cake idea to incorporate both occasions. Marie says to just write, ‘congratulations’ but it would be nice to do maybe a graduation cap and a present on the cake or something. It will have to be big!

Next week in class we are learning to make clowns and roses. Fun!


Wilton's buttercream recipe:
1 ts Clear vanilla extract (can use almond or butter too)
2 tb Water (can use milk)
1 c Shortening
1 tb Wilton Meringue Powder
1 lb Sifted powdered sugar