A Celebration Cake and a Giveaway

Happy Mother's Day!

My Wilton course 3 is over. Although I am pretty excited that I do not have to make anymore vegetable shortening type buttercream, I am pretty sad it is over. I met some wonderful people in my class.

Course 3 is all about fondant. Fondant may taste pretty bad but it sure looks pretty on a cake. Its so smooth and so versatile. There are so many things you can do with fondant. I am so excited to make cakes for my kids but that is some time away.

Since our final cake was about fondant I decided to make some real buttercream with real butter. I wanted to make a lot to ensure I had enough to cover the two layers. I made a vanilla and Frangelico buttercream that was pretty tastey. But really how can you go wrong with a little sugar, egg whites and a ton of butter. Wrong maybe in the health department but oh so right in the taste department.

I made the buttermilk cake that I had previously posted. It really is a wonderful, sturdy, great tasting cake. Since I have used it twice now I guess I must like it. I put Nutella between the layers and frosted with the buttercream. Then of course the fondant. Topped with some flowers I made in class, along with one or two that my instructor shared with me and some quick buttercream (the vegetabe shortening one) that I made in class. I still have to practice my roses but I am getting a little better. (A little).

Frangelico and Vanilla Bean Buttercream
You can halve this recipe. I wanted a lot of buttercream to make sure I had enough to cover my two cakes.

8 ounces of egg whites (about 7 extra large eggs)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 pound butter
2 tablespoons Frangelico
1 vanilla beans worth of seeds scraped

Whisk egg whites and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Continue whisking while the mixture heats up to about 140 degrees F. If you don't have a thermometer, the mixture should feel warm to the touch. Remove from heat and place bowl back in stand mixer. Let the whisk beaters run until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Begin to add the butter in pieces. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temp. Once the butter has been added and fully incorporated add in the vanilla seeds. Finally the Frangelico. Don't worry if the mixture curdles. Keep beating it will come together.

Without further ado...

After 500 posts I think it is time for a celebration.  My blog turned two back in early February but I thought I would wait until my 500th post to celebrate.  So here I am cake in hand, want a piece?  Oh, that's right this is the internet- we can't do that.  No matter, I will put the cake aside and send you a little gift instead.  Here it is:

Here is what you have to do to enter:

1. Enter your name one time only.  Duplicate entries will be deleted.
2. Tell me what are the three vegetables or fruits that you most look forward to in the Spring and Summer?
3. The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only.  

4. The deadline for entries is Wednesday May 12th at midnight.

Full Disclosure:  Everything I am giving away has been bought by me.