Running away? I'll help you pack.: 2012

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix (Bag it for Later or Use it Now)

Instead of me linking to a post where I used this recipe I thought I could actually make a post just for the recipe and you don't have to weed through all my words (ok maybe a few) to get to the recipe. I found this amazing recipe for Homemade Yellow Cake Mix on Chickens in the Road. I don't make it up and have it set aside (because that would be being prepared) BUT you can and keep in an airtight bag for MONTHS!

How to make Homemade Yellow Cake Mix:

(This is the standard size mix for recipes calling for an 18.25 ounce mix.)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup non-fat dry milk
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and non-fat dry milk. Store in an airtight container or baggie. Keeps well in the pantry for months!

To replace in recipes calling for a standard-size 18.25 ounce store-bought yellow cake mix:
Use in any recipe calling for a yellow cake mix as a base (add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the recipe along with the cake mix as the recipe will assume vanilla was included in the store-bought mix).

Or to make a basic yellow cake, use the following instructions.
Cake mix directions:.
1 recipe Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 eggs

Place Homemade Yellow Cake Mix in a bowl. Add water, vanilla, butter, and eggs. Combine with an electric mixer then beat two more minutes. Pour into a greased and floured cake pan. Bake at 350-degrees, using these baking times (watch carefully as your oven may vary–test for doneness using a toothpick).

8″ or 9″ cake rounds — 20-25 minutes
13 x 9 pan — 35-40 minutes
cupcakes — 12-15 minutes
tube/bundt pan — 45-50 minutes

This has become my go to for all my baking!

I get more compliments on my cupcakes and cakes then every before!

Sturdy Buttercream Frosting (The Best Frosting EVER)

Since this has become my go to frosting and I'm linking to a post with tons of words so I wanted to break it out and put it in a post on it's own. This has become my favorite frosting for cupcakes I've been making and getting tons of compliments on this flavor. It holds up great for parties and if you leave it out. I found this amazing recipe for Sturdy Buttercream Frosting on Coleen's Recipes.

Sturdy Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 cup white Crisco shortening
1 cup butter (room temperature)
6 to 6½ cups of powdered sugar
½ cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (important)

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, whip the shortening and butter together for about 3 minutes on high. Add 6 cups of powdered sugar, the extracts and whipping cream to the butter mixture and whip ON HIGH for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Depending on climate, you may want to add an additional ½ cup of powdered sugar.

Once you frost your cake, put it in the fridge to let everything "set". Remove your cake from the fridge about an hour before serving.

ALEXIS NOTE: I used just almond instead of vanilla and almond (I personally prefer the taste). I found this to be the best and putting in fridge is perfect to hold up for the next day or in my case 2 days later and they were still in perfect condition! This frosting also does great in the freezer!

Easy recipe to make and the best frosting I've come across.

Rolled Buttercream Fondant (The BEST fondant EVER)

This fondant has become like part of my go to. Who knew a fondant would be so easy and taste great? NOT this girl! I really thought it was not possible to find one and my friend showed me this one and it's the best thing ever. It really takes minutes to make and rolls great even for this fondant challenged girl! My friend found this recipe for Rolled Buttercream Fondant found on food.com.

Ingredients

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, clear
2 lbs confectioners' sugar
Wilton's Gel Food coloring

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt, food coloring and vanilla flavoring, then gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until it is a stiff dough. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Otherwise, knead by hand. If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners' sugar until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick or thinner if you can. Drape over frosted and chilled cakes and smooth the sides down, or cut into strips to make bows and other decorations.

I promise this will be your go to fondant!

Moist White Cake Recipe

I found this very easy Moist White Cake on Cooks.com. This is a great recipe that doesn't call for a ton of egg whites (I hate this because I feel like I'm wasting eggs - most I found call for 6 and most times I'm doubling recipes so that is a whole carton of eggs!). This is a simple one to make and comes out perfect.

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Ingredients:

2 Cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 Cup Shortening (I used White Crisco)
2 Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla (You could use clear to keep your cake White)

1 1/4 Cup Milk

Pre Heat Oven to 350F.

Mix shortening, eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk. Then mix flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Then add dry ingredients to other mixture. Pour into a well greased 9 x 12 pan.

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes (20 -25 minutes for cupcakes).

ALEXIS NOTES: Instead of greasing my pan I now ONLY use Cake Release by Wilton. I swear by it, so many times I've had cakes not come out when greased but when I use Cake Release EVERY TIME it comes out right. You can pick up at Walmart or Michael's it's less then $3 and you only use the size of a nickel each time ... WORTH every penny which is about what it cost each time!

It's a Wrap 2012

It really has been a year of ups and downs. I wanted to do something fun and go threw the year of post and find the post that had the most views and re-cap them here! Even with the downs you have to take them brush yourself off and keep moving forward. I wish you all a wonderful New Year that will bring many joys and moments to come. May God Bless you in this new year! Thank you for being my friends and I'm so blessed to have you all and I enjoy reading about your families, your meals and all the fun things you post about. Thank you again for being part of my life!

Here we go! Hang on 12 months and 12 recaps! And just to have some fun I thought I'd add some of my favorite post also.

January 2012 Most Popular Post (Views 82)

Feeding the Troops

Here is a taste of what was in that post: