Marin County Fair Cake: Day 3

Day 3: Royal Icing Flowers and Decorations
Hours: 4

Royal Icing is super easy to make and fun to worth with. It's not the best-tasting stuff in the world, but the decorations dry rock-hand and keep forever - and cleaning up is a dream because there's no grease or butter.

Royal Icing

4 cups powdered sugar
3 egg whites

Mix the egg whites into the sugar at low speed until incorporated, then increase the mixer speed to med-high and beat for 5-7 minutes. Icing will be very stiff, and can be thinned with a little water as needed. Store airtight, and keep bowls covered with a damp cloth or paper towel, the icing hardens very quickly.



Once I had the icing made, I colored it as close as I could to the fondant colors



For the top layer, I made about 16 daffodils to arrange around the pink band in the center. The middle layer was decorated with a row of lilies of the valley. For the bottom layer, I piped a pattern of leaves and flowers, and then used a brush embroidery technique.



I made also made the "Local Flora" letters for the topper pieces. I printed out a photo of the sign at the size I needed and laid a sheet of wax paper over it. I outlined the letters in purple with a #1 tip, then filled it in with thinned-out white royal icing. Once they're dry, they can be attached to the pieces with royal icing "glue."



Other than being a little bummed that the pink fondant really, really faded (not sure why... I need to investigate this.....) I'm v. happy with how things are stacking up.

Now That Really Frosts My Cupcake!

I mean, really - it does. It's an easy white chocolate buttercream and quite yummy. I usually don't care for powdered sugar-based frostings, I find them to sweet and cloying, but this one has a smooth texture and luscious mouthfeel due to the addition of melted white chocolate.

If you've got access to luxurious white chocolate bars by all means use them, but this works just as well with chips. The finished frosting gets quite white, even with the addition of real butter, so you can color it and achieve bright, true hues.

White Chocolate Buttercream (courtesy of Baker's Chocolate)

6 oz white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cream or milk
1 cup cold unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar

Microwave the white chocolate and the cream/milk in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 1-1/2 minutes. Stir 1/2 way through cooking time. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted. Cool 30 minutes or until room temperature.

Beat butter and sugar gradually into the cooled white chocolate mixture with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.

Makes 3 to 3-1/2 cups

Love, Loss and What I Baked: The Prince's Castle

We had Max's 4th birthday party at Round Table Pizza in Novato. It's a great place for a party - there's a large indoor play structure that the kids can run around on. For the cost of a couple of pizzas everything's taken care of - no clean up or dishes for Mom. Sweet!

Since the theme of the place is King Arthur - I decided a castle cake was in order. I stacked two 8" squares for the main part of the cake, and baked batter in two Progresso soup cans for the turrets. (Is that what they're called? Turrets?) The towers are ice cream cones covered in blue buttercream.

For the doors, windows and bricks around the top, I used Dark Chocolate Dough. I love this stuff - it's tasty (like a really good Tootsie roll) super easy to roll out and work with, and freezes like a dream. I've used it to make all kinds of decorations - including bows for a present cake.

I achieved the brick effect using a #47 Basketweave Tip on the plain side (as opposed to the serrated side you usually see in basketweaving) piping out 1/2" bricks and alternating the rows.

The day before the party I was at the park with the boy thinking about finishing the cake later in the afternoon - then I spied a toy castle in the sandbox. It had a drawbridge. Drawbridge! My cake needed a drawbridge! Max had a Bob the Builder Play-Doh set that included a mold to make a 3"-ish rectangle of "wood." Perfect! I used that to mold a drawbridge that not only was the just the right size, but also had a faux bois pattern.

Of course, there's no point in a drawbridge without a moat, so I swirled one around the castle in blue buttercream. The rest of the baking sheet was filled in with crushed chocolate graham cracker "dirt."

My little prince loved his party and his cake

Dark Chocolate Dough

6 (1 cup) ounces chocolate chips
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Melt the chocolate and syrup in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring with a spatula until the mixture is smooth. Scrape the dough into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the chocolate mixture. Let it sit up to 8 hours (the recipe I copied from a book I can't remember says not to put it in the fridge - but I do, just bring it to room temp before using)


Remove the dough from the bowl and kneed it a few times. You can mold it into shapes and flowers as is, or roll it out to cut into shapes. To roll it, pat the dough into a flat disk and roll it out between two sheets of waxed paper. Pull off the top sheet of waxed paper. If it is too sticky to pull off cleanly - stick it in the fridge for a few minutes.

Cut out shapes with a sharp knife.

White Chocolate Dough

6 oz (1 cup) white chocolate (I've used both chips and bars)
3-1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup

The procedure is pretty much the same as for the Dark Dough, but the recipe says you should put it in the fridge and bring it to room temp to use. If it's too hard to roll, put it in a warm place for a few minutes (or zap it on low for 15 seconds at a time)

And the winner is...

.... not me. Well, not quite. I was first runner up in the first Fairfax Cake Art contest. However, if the winner is unable to fulfill her duties I am ready and willing to step in :)

The event was a hoot - about 12-15 cakes made by kids and adults with lots of different takes on the theme of "Fairfax."

I'm not an expert in fondant by any means - and I definitely learned a thing or three in the process of making the all-carb replica of the iconic Fairfax Theater.

The Fairfax Theater

The Fairfax Theater - in cake!

My Major Award - a pretty hand-painted cake trivet

I started with 2 10" x 15" layers of basic yellow cake (flavored with almond extract just for kicks). I cut them in half and stacked three of the layers to form the main part of the cake (I've got plans for that fourth piece - watch this space!) I filled and frosted them with the Crisco-based class Buttercream we use in the Wilton Classes, and say what you want about Crisco but I'm glad I did because it was 80 degrees today and I hate to think how the cake would have behaved had it been made with my usual NeoClassic Buttercream.

Per the recommendation of R.L.B. in the Cake Bible, I beveled the top corners of the cake before covering it in fondant, in retrospect, I think I would have left the sharp edges and cut slabs of fondant for each of the sides, but hey - you live, you learn.

R.L.B definitely got it right when she said to color the fondant in the food processor - it worked brilliantly!

The architectural details were made out of Rice Krispies treats - and I must give full props to Max Starr for that brilliant suggestion. I snipped and bent a small arrow-shaped cookie cutter into the rectangle needed for the top piece.

The "Fairfax" sign was made using the Wilton Color-Flow product, but the technique works with royal icing as well. I made a template for the letters on a piece of paper, then put a sheet of waxed paper over it. Then I outlined the letters in white full-strength icing with a #1 tip and let them dry for a few minutes. Then I thinned out and colored the frosting red and let it flow from a #2 tip into the outline. It took a few hours to dry, but once they did the letters were rock hard and will last forever.

I used the same Color Flow frosting for the details on the marquis - and in case you can't read the movies that are showing, they are:

• Frosting/Nixon
• Slice Age
• Crumb
• Citizen Cake
• A Sprinkle in Time

Max stuffs the ballot box for Mom

After the prizes were awarded the cakes were cut and served - I was glad to see that Amy Gosman had entered the contest because she's a fabulous baker and I knew her cake would be both pretty and delish - and it was! Her fondant tie-died T-shirt covered a yummy chocolate cake filled with cherries and hazelnut meringue cream.

The Contest was held in the Fairfax Pavillion

The Pavilion -in cake!
I didn't mind loosing to this amazing creation

The Pavilion After the Quake - Get Ready Marin!

No one seemed to have the heart to cut into my cake - and as much as I go on and on about how cakes are like sand mandalas (you work on them with mindfulness and and then let them go) I couldn't bring myself to do it either. As I was leaving the Pavilion with the cake, thinking I'd bring it to my Book Club or cake class, a fellow who was having a picnic in Bolinas Park came up to admire the cake and said I should bring it to the Fairfax Theater - brilliant! I brought it to the Theater and the staff just loved it -I said they could keep it there as long as they wanted (locals can drop by and take a peek)

My first foray into competitive cakery was a a lot of fun, next stop: Marin County Fair!

Classic Rolled Fondant (from the Cake Bible)

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon/1 envelope gelatin
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tablespoon glycerin (sometimes hard to find, look in the skincare aisle at Walgreens or "Aisle 15" at Rite Aid)
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
8 cups/2 pounds powdered sugar (I don't bother to sift it)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Sprinkle gelatin over the water in a 2-cup heatproof glass measure and let stand for 5 minutes. Set into a small pan of simmering water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. (This can be done in a microwave on high for a few seconds).

Blend in the glucose and glycerin, then add the shortening and stir until melted. Remove from heat. (I do this whole process in the microwave)

Place the sugar in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the gelatin mixture and stir with a lightly greased wooden spoon until blended. Mix lightly with greased hand and knead vigorously in the bowl until most of the sugar is incorporated. Turn onto a smooth, lightly greased surface such as Formica or marble and knead until smooth and satiny. If the Fondant seems dry, add several drops of water and knead well. If it seems too sticky, knead in more powdered sugar. The Fondant will resemble a smooth, well-shaped stone.

When dropped, it should spread very slightly but retain its shape. It should be malleable like clay, soft but not sticky.

Rolled Fondant may be used at once but seems to work more easily when allowed to rest for several hours, preferably overnight. It is important to keep Fondant covered to prevent it from drying. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. It will firm slightly upon standing.

When ready to roll out, spray the work surface and rolling pin with nonstick vegetable spray.

Store 1 month at room temp or forever in the freezer

Love, Loss and What I Baked: Dapper Dan

For my mom's birthday in 2002, she wanted to have a bunch of us go to Film Night in the Park and see one of her favorite movies, Oh Brother Where Art Thou.

I was of course delighted to make the cake, and very happily the date coincided with what John and I like to call "Golden Time" - that period of time when you leave one job before you start a new job and you've got lots of free time with no stress about money or returning to a desk of piled-up work.

I took advantage of the time to attempt one of my more ambitious adventures in fondant. Dapper Dan Pomade plays a small yet pivotal role in "Oh Brother" (and has the pleasure of being run through George Clooney's hair) and is the perfect shape to be translated into cake.

The red is smoothed NeoClassic Buttercream (recipe follows) and the decorations are rolled fondant. I brushed the edges with silver poweder to create the metalic look of the can. I enlarged a photo of the movie prop and used it to trace the lettering in chocolate (what you do is place a sheet of wax paper over what you want to trace, and go over it with a small pastry bag full of melted chocolate with just a teeny, tiny hole in the tip of the bag)

Dapper Dan himself is also fondant - I cut out the features from the photo of the prop and traced them onto rolled pieces of colored fondant, then reassembled them on the cake like a puzzle. Around foil on the cake circle I piped "Oh Mother, Where Art Thou?"

It was so fun and relaxing to have a whole, free, uninterupted day to work on the cake. I was thrilled with how it came out, as was my mom. And, because I'm a big show-off, I loved carrying it through the crowds of people at the park and collecting all of the "oohs" and "aahs."

NeoClassic Buttercream (from The Cake Bible)

Neoclassic Buttercream

6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 cups unsalted butter 2 cups (4 sticks)

optional: 2-4 tablespoons liqueur or eau-de-vie of your choice


Have ready a greased 1-cup heatproof glass measure near the range.

In a medium bowl, beat the yolks with an electric mixer until light in color. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan (preferably with a nonstick lining) and heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a rolling boil. (The entire surface will be covered with large bubbles.) Immediately transfer the syrup to the glass measure to stop the cooking.

If using an electric hand-held mixer, beat the syrup into the yolks in a steady stream. Don't allow syrup to fall on the beaters or they will spin it onto the sides of the bowl. If using a stand mixer, pour a small amount of syrup over the yolks with the mixer turned off. Immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of syrup. Beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining syrup. For the last addition, use a rubber scraper to remove the syrup clinging to the glass measure. Continue beating until completely cool.

Gradually beat in the butter and, if desired, any optional flavoring.. The buttercream will not thicken until almost all of the butter has been added. Place in an airtight bowl. Bring to room temperature before using. Rebeat to restore texture but not until it has reached room temperature to avoid curdling.

Pointers for Success

• The syrup must come to a rolling boil or the buttercream will be too thin.
• Don't allow the syrup to fall directly onto the beaters as it will spin the syrup around
• the sides of the bowl.
• The egg/syrup mixture must be completely cool before adding the butter.
• Using a hand-held beater makes this easier

Variations

• Chocolate: Add up to 6 ounces of melted, cooled chocolate
• Coffee: Add 1 tablespoon instant coffee disolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
• Raspberry: add 1 recipe of Raspberry Sauce

Flourless & Fabulous

(Max piped all of the whipped cream on the cake - he did a great job, no?)

Back in the day, the treats at the end of the Passover Seder were limited to canned coconut maccaroons (yuck) and dry sponge cake (double yuck)

Somwhere in the mid-80s, my family discovered that flourless could be fabulous, and mom and Aunt Ruthy started producing a series of delectable Kosher for passover desserts.

This super-rich flourless chocolate cake reminds me of the "fondant au chocolat" I had in Paris. I prefer the smooth texture to "crunchy" flourless cakes made with whipped egg whites - and it's also much easier to make.


Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake (adapted from Bon Appetit)

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
(you can fudge a bit here - I've made with all semisweet and 14 oz semi + 2 oz unsweetened just fine)
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
(I only had 3 sticks of unsalted - I added 1 stick of salted with no flavor difference)
1 cup freshly brewed espresso or 1 tablespoon instant espresso or coffee powder dissolved in 1 cup hot water or coffee
1 cup (packed) brown sugar (dark or light - whatever you have)
8 large eggs, beaten to blend

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Raspberry Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2-inch-high sides with parchment. Place all chocolate in large bowl. Bring butter, espresso and sugar to boil in medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add to chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in eggs.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until center of cake is set and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour. Remove pan from water. Chill cake overnight.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Place platter over pan. Hold pan and platter together tightly and invert. Lift off cake pan; peel off parchment.

Whip cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form - spread or pipe onto the top of the cake.

If you have some extra chocolate around, grate it over the top or decorate with chocolate curls.

Bon Appetit claims this will serve up to 20

Raspberry Sauce (from The Cake Bible)

2 12-oz bags of frozen unsweetened raspberries
2 tsp lemon juice
2/3 c sugar (optional)

In a strainer suspended over a deep bowl, thaw the raspberries completely. This will take several hours. (To speed thawing, place in an owen with a pilot light.) Press the berries to force out all the juice. There should be 1 cup.

In a saucepan boil the juice until reduced to 1/4 cup. (You can also do this in a microwave on high power. If you do so, make sure that you use a big enough heatproof glass measure or bowl to allow for bubbling.) Pour it into a lightly oiled heatproof cup.

Puree the raspberries and sieve them with a food mill with a fine disc. Or use a fine strainer to remove all the seeds. (This part is really time consuming.) You should have 1 liquid cup of puree. Stir in the raspberry syrup and lemon juice. Measure again, there should be 1 1/3 liquid cups. If you have less, add less sugar. The correct amount of sugar 1/2 the volume of the puree. Stir until sugar dissolves.

Love, Loss and What I Baked: Scarlet O'Hara

For most of 1997 I worked at Conari Press, a small book publisher in Berkeley. I had the pleasure to work with some amazing and creative people, including the co-author of my book The Party Girl Cookbook, Nina Lesowitz

1997 was a pivotal year for Nina. She turned 40, went through a divorce, moved and met her future husband. She also dressed up as Scarlet O'Hara and passed out matchbooks to strangers inviting them to "light her fire."

See, we were publishing a book called Hells Belles: A Tribute to the Spitfires, Bad Seeds & Steel Magnolias of the New and Old South (written by our colleague and friend, Seale Ballenger) and cooked a scheme to promote it at BookExpo by having Seale and Nina dress up as Rhett and Scarlet and hand-out promotional matchbooks. Being the "go-for-it" good sports they are, they eagerly jumped into their roles and had a blast.

So, for Nina's 40th Birthday I knew I had to attempt my first doll cake - and dress her like Ms. O'Hara-Hamilton-Kennedy-Butler. I baked the Black Magic Cake (recipe follows) in a large metal bowl. It took a LONG time to bake, but worked like a charm. I found a black-haired off-brand Barbie at the dollar store, and even found a mini straw hat in the doll making dept. of the hobby shop. I stuck green sequins into her ears with straight pins for earrings.

The dress is inspired by the one Scarlett wears in the "Picnic at 12 Oaks" scene:


I cheated a little and did vines instead of clusters of flowers, but I think it worked, and most importantly - Nina was thrilled!

Black Magic Cake

This is the best, easiest chocolate cake ever. I've made it hundreds of times. Sometimes I forget the salt or vanilla, sometimes I use buttermilk usually I don't and it still comes out yummy every time. I also love that it calls for oil rather than butter - which means you can make it on the fly without having to wait for butter to soften. I can get this puppy into the oven in 10 minutes.

The recipe is from my well-worn, butter-stained copy of Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, a circa 1990 recipe book that I picked up at Crown Books in LA and have had for a million years - the book pretty much opens itself to this recipe.

1-3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong black coffee
1 cup buttermilk, regular milk or sourmilk (1 tablespoon vinegar + milk to equal 1 cup)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350

Grease & flour two 8 or 9" cake pans or a 9" x 13" baking pan. In large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, powder and salt. Add eggs, coffee, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. The batter is very thin.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes for round pans, 40-45 minutes for a sheet pan, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Also makes great cupcakes - used a 1/4 cup measure to fill standard cupcake pan