Crispy Buttercream Icing

 

 

I decided to try my hand at the beautiful 'rose' cake that is all over the internet and on numerous baking blogs out there. There are a number of tutorials on You Tube as well. The secret apparently is in the icing. You definately do not want a regular buttercream made with strictly butter as it will melt and slide. (this is what people are saying) i have no experience here since I played it safe and went with Lard! Yep that's right good ol' fattening crisco shortening. P.S. I'm on a diet! Making this was just plain silliness. ;) Well not really because I was baking this cake for a lovely friend who just had a baby boy. This is the cake I made for her shower. This is what I came up with after reading a few different takes frosting using shortening. Apparently icing made with shortening is the cake decorators icing and is more for appearance than taste. By the way shortening is the way to go if you want that bright white frosting. Anyways I've rambled on here is what I came up with for a recipe.

 

 

Crispy Buttercream Icing

(this decorated a 3 layer 8" cake)

 

3/4 cup of shortening

1/4 cup of butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use clear if you want the icing to stay white)

1/4 teaspoon of almond extract

6-8 cups of icing sugar

1/2 - 3/4 cups of milk or cream

 

Blend shortening, butter, vanilla and almond extracts together. Add icing sugar a cup at a time incorporating each addition well. Add milk/cream gradually if you find the icing is getting stiff. Taste it. If it is too sweet add less sugar! Add enough liquid (milk) to reach desired consistancy.

 

 

Buttermilk Strawberry Bundt Cake

SO the other day I was on a mission, going through boxes in my basement and I stumbled across a nice little bundt pan (still in it's box). It belonged to my Grandmother (in law). I'll say in law because technically that is what she is but she is sooo MY Grandma. I just think she is a wonderful and loving person and I am so thankful to know her. She is everything a Grandmother should be. So anyways I thought to myself that I probably wouldn't ever use it and tucked it on a shelf.

 

 

 

 

 

And then here in the still very  much dead of Winter (winter lasts from October to April) I was shopping and saw some yummy looking giant strawberries. Said "what the heck" and bought them even though my littlest guy and me are the only ones going to eat them. Long story short I ended up with a bunch of strawberries and decided I should probably bake something so they weren't wasted. Googled a few recipes and the rest is history. Strawberries used .check. Bundt cake used .check. check! Awesome deliciousness that I need to pawn off on friends so that I don't devour the entire cake.

Done!

Buttermilk Strawberry Bundt Cake
Recipe adapted from this blog  Week of Menus

3 Cups of Spelt Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup of softened butter
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
4 eggs
1/2 Cup of Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 Cup of diced fresh Strawberries (I'm sure you could use any berry! )






Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle. In one bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl cream butter until smooth and then gradually mix in sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. In a third bowl combine buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla.










Add flour mixture to butter mixture in increments alternating with sour cream mixture.

 

Once combined fold in the strawberries. Prepare the bundt pan by lightly greasing and flouring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Pour mixture into pan and bake for about 60min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for a few minutes in pan and then invert onto a wire rack to fully cool. Once cooled the skys the limit. You can dust with icing sugar, make a simple glaze, serve with fresh whipped cream and some cut up strawberries. It is delicious on it's own. Enjoy!