Which Cake for the Big Day?

I love weddings! They are so happy and exciting...and there is a HUGE cake! I have always dreamed of making my own wedding cake one day, and I would love to cater weddings and make wedding cakes. I have been asked by someone to make their wedding cake later this year!! Since I have never made one before, I thought it would be smart to have a couple of practice runs at it. I made my first wedding cake this week...and I've decided there need to be many more practices in the future! I decided to make three different cake recipes and 2 different icing recipes. Each layer of the cake was a different flavor: vanilla, white, and almond. And then I iced one of the layers with a vanilla buttercream, and the other two layers with an almond buttercream. I did not take step-by-step pictures of these recipes, but I do have some pictures and I will post the recipes.

one of the layers before frosting

 I have a lot to learn..haha

 The top layer is vanilla, the middle layer is a silver white cake, and the bottom layer is almond.

After I had my family and tons of friends taste test, the favorite cake was the almond and the favorite frosting was the vanilla buttercream! The cakes were all delicious, but I have to agree with everyone else. Now I just need to keep practicing! Let me know if you have any advice, especially decorating tips.

Vanilla Cake
by: Magnolia Bakery

1 cup unsalted butter, soft

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cup AP flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beat about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, combine flours. In another small bowl, combine milk and vanilla. In 3 parts, alternately add the flours and milk and vanilla, until just mixed. (Beginning and ending with flours.)  Pour into 2 greased round pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Silver White Cake

by: Gold Medal Flour

2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2/3 cup shortening

1 tsp. vanilla

5 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, shortening, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occassionally, 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites on high speed, scraping bowl occassionally, 2 minutes. Pour into 2 greased round pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Almond Butter Cake

by: Southern Living

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs, separated

2 1/4 cups All-Purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. buttermilk

1 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degress. Beat butter and almond extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour and baking soda; add the butter mixer alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely. Frost with desired frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

by: Southern Living

1 cup butter, softened

1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating at low speed after each addition.

Almond Butter Frosting

by: Better Homes and Gardens

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

milk

Beat butter and extracts with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/3 cup milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar. Beat in additional milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

Sugar Bars

Cut out sugar cookies are delicious, but also time consuming and hard work. So if you are looking for a quick, easy, and tasty sugar cookie.. why not make sugar cookie bars? It's kind of like a sugar cookie cake. Chewy and sweet, topped with almond buttercream frosting. Here's what you need for the sugar cookie bars

Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and flour. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar

Once creamy, add the vanilla and eggs

When well combined, add the flour, baking soda, and salt

Stir until just mixed

Spread evenly into a foil-lined and greased 8x8 inch square baking pan

Bake about 15 minutes, let cool and prepare the frosting

You can make about any frosting you want for these, but I made an almond buttercream. Here's what you'll need

Butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream or milk, food coloring, and sprinkles (optional). Mix together butter and extracts until smooth. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time

Once sugar is all mixed in, add the food coloring

Once mixed in, gradually add in the liquid being careful not to add to much because it could become too thin

Spread the frosting over the cooled sugar cookie bars. Decorate with sprinkles, if using

Cut and serve!

Sugar Cookie Bars
1/2 cup butter, soft
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, and baking soda until combined. Spread evenly in a foil-lined and greased 8x8 baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees about 12-22 minutes, or until done (not jiggly). While the bars are cooling, prepare the frosting.

Almond Buttercream:
1/2 cup butter, soft
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 tsp. almond extract
1-2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream
food coloring

Mix together butter and extracts until smooth. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time. Once sugar is all mixed in, add the food coloring. Once mixed in, gradually add in the liquid being careful not to add to much because it could become too thin. Spread the frosting over the cooled sugar cookie bars. Decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut and serve!

Almond Layer Cake

Sorry we haven't posted lately! I made chocolate cake batter sandwich cookies with cake batter frosting. Sounds delicious, I know, but it was somewhat of a fail. I mean, I ate it but it wasn't 'blog worthy'. The frosting was perfect, but I didn't love the cookies. So maybe I'll try again sometime for yall. I had to redeem myself with a cake, what could go wrong with almond flavored cake? Nothing, it was absolutely lish! The one thing I worry about most with my cakes is the moistness, this was definitely moist. Here's what you need for the cake

White cake mix, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, sour cream, oil, water, and egg whites. First, sift cake mix, sugar, flour, and salt into a large bowl

Stir until fully combined

Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, sour cream, oil, and water, mix until just combined. Separate the eggs and put the egg whites in a small, deep bowl. (Since you don't use the egg yolks in the cake, you can just throw them away, unless you think you will use them for something else.)

*Beating the egg whites before adding them to the cake will create a slight spongey and fluffy texture to the cake. That is optional, if you want a denser cake, do not beat the egg whites. Add them straight into the cake when you mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, sour cream, oil, and water.

Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy, just before soft peaks start to form

Add to the first mixture and gently fold in

Pour into 3 8-inch greased and parchment lined baking pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, making sure the pans do not touch in the oven.

Pull the cakes out of the oven and let cool about 2 minutes in the pans

while cooling set out wire racks topped with parchment or wax paper

Gently flip the cakes out onto the wracks

Peel off the parchment paper

While the cakes are cooling completely, prepare the almond cream cheese frosting!

You'll need unsalted butter, cream cheese, almond extract, and powdered sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes

(Sorry about the shadow, I'm still not so hot at photography) Anyways, add the almond extract and the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time

After all the powdered sugar is mixed in, you should have this bowl of almond heaven

You may need to add a little more powdered sugar for extra sweetness. Blob about a tablespoon of frosting onto the middle of the plate you are going to use. Spread it around (this is so the cake won't slip around on the plate)

Place the first layer on the plate top-side down (beacause it is the moistest side)

Scoop a cup of frosting onto the first layer and evenly spread it out. Repeat for the rest of the cake

Coat the rest of the cake with frosting, if you want to pipe it all pretty like, then leave a little bit to the side. Fully iced cake..

Since it's an almond cake, I bought some handy-dandy sliced almonds to decorate it with

I piped the frosting all around the top and bottom edges of the cake and sprinkled almonds in the center of the cake

I couldn't stand it, so I cut into it right away

And ate this honkin piece of cake

I'm not a fan of cold cake, so I heated my piece in the microwave about 10-15 seconds and it was one of the best decisions I've made. Dramatic, I know. Exaggerated, not at all.

Almond Cake with Almond Cream Cheese Frosting

1 white cake mix                1 cup sugar

1 cup flour                          1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/3 cup water                   1 cup sour cream

2 Tbs. vegetable oil            1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. almond extract          4 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spay onto of the paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the white cake mix, sugar, flour, and salt. Add the water, sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract until just combined. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Pour into the first mixture and gently fold in, making sure it's well combined. Pour even amounts into the 3 pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 2 minutes. While cooling in pans, set out wire racks lined with parchment or wax paper. Carefully, flip cakes out onto the prepared while racks. Cool completely. While cooling, prepare the frosting.

frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.         3/4 cup butter, room temp.

2 tsp. almond extract                         5 cups powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter about 2 minutes. Add the extract and 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. Add the rest of the powdered sugar by 1 cup-fulls until it is all mixed in. Keep beating until the frosting is light and fluffy (you may need to add more powdered sugar). When the cakes are cooled, frost. Spread one tablespoon of frosting in the middle of the plate you are going to use for the cake. (this is so the cake will not slide around while frosting). Set one cake layer on the plate top-side down. Measure 1 cup of forsting and place on top of the first layer of cake. Evenly spread around, adding more frosting if needed. Do this with the next two layers. Frost the outside of the cake, making sure it is fully coated. If you have left over frosting, you can pipe a design on the cake. I also sprinkled sliced almonds on the top of the cake, but that is optional. Serve! Keep cake stored in the fridge.  

*If you don't like cold cake, heat your slice in the microwave about 10 seconds, I think it makes it extra flavorful. :)