Day 16: The Queen of Hearts

It has been a little while since I've posted.  The reason for the small hiatus: cash flow.  I'm taking up this new hobby partially because I love baking, but also because it's much less expensive than some alternatives (ahem, going out, anywhere).

This week was a friend's birthday and I decided to make her a cake.  I figured that it was a great excuse to experiment with fondant.  I have been perusing recipes for some time, but many of them have not easily obtained ingredients.  I  haven't been able to find glycerin, so I went on a search for a non-glycerin recipe.  I had a choice between a marshmallow base, or a 'normal' base.  I went with 'normal'.  Don't go with the normal.  Bad choice.  It crumbled and broke.  It had no elasticity and I couldn't even lift it without it breaking.  It's not at all the supple, glossy wrapping for a cake.  Long story short, don't skimp on the ingredients.  Next to try: marshmallow fondant, and trying to find glycerin.

The sour creamchocolate frosting was great, like last time, but I didn't get a chance to taste the cake, so I can't vouch for it's tastiness. 

Hurray for my first tiered cake!

Fondant Recipe from Yahoo Answers
INGREDIENTS
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt 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.


White Cake from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

 Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
 See this post for the recipe