24 JULY
LET'S FINISH THIS CAKE FROM H*LL!
Mixing station up and running (well, beating, actually) . . .
. . . butter & cream cheese. Then, adding sugar & strawberry reduction,
as well as a few drops of red food color . . .
When I first try a recipe, I just have it on a sheet of paper;
not until we decide something is a "keeper" do I make recipe cards.
Note about the mixer: I know, all the professionals are using the offset mixers,
where the bowl is stationary and the paddle moves, like KitchenAid.
When we moved to Florida, Neal bought me a Cuisinart offset mixer;
I disliked it because you have to STOP the mixer and REMOVE the bowl to scrape,
and believe me, you HAVE to scrape because all the ingredients get stuck under the paddle.
Late last year, I found that Sunbeam was again on the market,
and it's what I've always used (I've worn out several),
so after only using the Cuisinart a few times, I gave it away
and purchased the Sunbeam . . . now I can scrape the bowl while it's in motion . . .
When I began baking again last Christmas, after a hiatus of several years,
I realized I couldn't do more baking with the offset mixer.
I am very happy with the Sunbeam and its two beaters;
it also has two whisks & two bread hooks.
CAKE DECORATING CENTRAL . . .
The new cake plate fits right on top of the turntable, sooooo,
I thought I'd try frosting the cake directly on it,
protecting the edges of the plate with wax paper . . .
I know I was supposed to just slather on the frosting,
but I wanted some practice with the piping bag & tips . . .
. . . I tried two different tips; the middle is where I said,
"The heck with it" and emptied the piping bag willy-nilly.
The frosting was too soft; my back hurt; it was lunchtime.
I'd had enough "fun," so I sprinkled on a bit of edible pink glitter . . .
. . . put the cake cover on, and I was finished.
I put the leftover frosting (yes, because the cake didn't rise as it should have,
there was leftover frosting) into a piping bag to store in the fridge.
THE CUTTING AND THE TASTING
Again, it looks like RicoBadBoy would like a lick . . .
My Official Taste Tester . . .
The three UNofficial Taste Testers were at our feet,
hoping they'd get some cake AND get onto this webpage.
Sorry, girls . . . no cake for you!
So, how many decorated cakes could I have purchased with that $1000, I wonder.
31 JULY ADDENDUM
This will NOT be a keeper; too much work, not much taste.
Well, except for the frosting. I have full piping bag left over,
and I have plans to for it. STAY TUNED . . . FRENCH MACARONS
WITHOUT ALMOND FLOUR . . . COMING TO A COMPUTER NEAR YOU!
We both decided we preferred the Strawberry Pie on the next page.
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