Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts

Monday, February 23, 2009

Birthday Bash!

Yesterday we celebrated Chelsea's 21st birtday with the family over some homemade chicken pot pie, {mine being vegetable} which is her favorite dish of mine, and plenty of cake and ice cream! She requested a coconut cream cake so early in the day Gabby and I got busy!




Dinner was set for 4:oo but the family started arriving around 2:30 to fill the house with laughter and commotion. Becky, who would be technically classified as a "friend", was the only non family member here. She is however, more family to all of us than friend! DARN ~ I didn't get a picture of her shaking her groove thing in the kitchen with Gabby!

We had a great day with lots of food, laughs, and all around nonsense. We ended the evening with a couple of rounds of our favorite game "Apples to Apples". For those of you who like to play games, if you've never tried this one, it's a LOT OF FUN!

Today, being a typical MONDAY, I have loads of laundry, etc., etc., etc., BUT....... well....... I didn't get much knitting or crocheting done over the weekend, my feet sure do hurt from being on them all day yesterday, & I'm just a bit tuckered out! How's that for a list of excuses?!

The real issue is: THIS YARNAHOLIC NEEDS A FIX!

One last little picture. I'm sure you're all getting sick of seeing Phoebe & my other assorted "babies", BUT~ I just have to give you a peek at Phoebe wrestling down her best friend ~ Gabby's {but she thinks it's hers!} glow worm. She pounces on it to get it to light up and play lullaby music. Then stands back and cocks her head every direction like it's talking to her. It's hilarious!


Happy Monday to All!
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Coconut Cream Cake
1c. butter, softened
1c. milk
2c. sugar
1t. pure vanilla
3 eggs
1t. lemon extract
3c. flour
1t. butter flavoring
2 t. baking powder
Beat butter in large bowl at medium speed. Gradually add 2 cups of sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Combine flour & baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in flavorings.
Pour batter {which is thick} into 3 greased & floured 9" cake pans {I usually use 2 - 8x8x2" square pans}. Bake at 350 degrees for 25~30 minutes. Cool 10~12 minutes on wires racks.
Remove from pans & cool completely.
While cake is cooling, combine 1/2 cup of water & 1 tablespoon of sugar in small saucepan on stove & heat to boiling. Turn down & simmer for 3 minutes. Drizzle over cooled cake layers
{I usually poke the layers gently all over with a toothpick first}.
Spread 1 cup of coconut frosting {recipe following} on each layer, top with approximately 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, then stack them. Spread rest of frosting on cake & sprinkle remaining coconut over top & sides { I usually end up using the whole bag of coconut!}.
Coconut Frosting
3 c. shredded coconut {set aside}
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. sugar
1t. pure vanilla
1t. lemon extract
2 drops butter flavoring
Combine all ingredients, except shredded coconut, in a meduim bowl & beat at medium speed until soft peaks form.
Yield 4 cups.
This makes a lovely cake for Easter. Also the coconut can be colored pink, green, or any pastel color you like!
I just realized this is my 75th post! WooHoo!! Time sure flys when you're having FUN!:-)
I'll put everyone's name who comments on this post into a drawing at the end of this week and have one of my daughters {or maybe Gabby!} draw a name. I'll announce the winner on Saturday and send off a little surprise gift!
Hmmm......... I feel a fun project coming on!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Our Just Desserts

Yesterday afternoon, while Gabby and I were home alone and waiting for the rest of the family to start trickling in from work, we decided to bake a cake. This was Gabby's first cake baking adventure. She LOVED it and was totally thrilled with the scrumptious looking finished product. She could hardly wait for her "BaPa" (her word for Grandpa) to arrive home so she could show off her great accomplishment. The minute the alarm sounded that he had pulled into the driveway (the alarm would be 3 excited, barking dogs!), she ran to the back door and frantically turned the door knob hollering, "BaPa, BaPa,... Cake, Cake, Cake!". When he finally made it in with an arm full of groceries, stepping over and around doggies to his left & right (it really is the highlight of EVERYONE'S day the minute that man gets home), she climbed back on her chair and stuck out her tummy with a look of intense joy and pride in her eyes while he applauded her achievement in grand fashion! ( Sadly, I didn't have camera in hand for that precious moment). I sat the cake on a side table in the dining room so it would remain uncut until her mommy, the last one to arrive home, could see it. Then when we tried to take it from her to cut and eat, she began to cry. The four of us (Scott, Hilary, Chelsea & myself) began to despair that we would not get to eat cake at all. So, we set her at the table with fork in hand and let her have the first bite and she finally allowed us to cut into her delectable creation. In the end we all got our just desserts!


"...and a little child shall lead them." Isaiah 11:6b