Sunday, March 29, 2009

Polka Dot Cake


Happy Blue Monday, hosted by Sally @ smilingsally.
To see more wonderful participants of Blue Monday please visit Sally at http://www.smilingsally.blogspot.com/


Fabulous, Luscious deserts that are sure to be a hit a your Easter gathering.

Polka Dot Cake

Lemon Cake with lemon curd filling gets a fun twist with blue-tinted buttercream frosting and polka dots.

3 cup(s) cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 cup(s) butter, softened
2 1/2 cup(s) sugar
5 eggs
1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1/4 cup(s) lemon juice
3/4 cup(s) buttermilk


Filling:

Lemon curd, raspberry jam, or icing

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 parchment-paper-lined 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using a mixer set on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the lemon juice and buttermilk.
  3. Divide the batter between the pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick tests clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Unmold the cakes and cool completely.
  4. Split cakes into 4 layers using a long serrated knife. Fill with lemon curd, jam, or icing. Apply crumb coat, and decorate as desired.

    Almost Homemade Buttercream


    INGREDIENTS




    16 ounce(s) marshmallow cream
    1 1/2 cup(s) butter, softened
    5 teaspoon(s) fresh lemon juice
    1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
    1/2 cup(s) confectioners' sugar

    DIRECTIONS

    Beat the marshmallow cream using an electric mixer set on low. Add the butter (in 1-inch pieces) and beat until smooth. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, and continue to beat on medium-high until smooth and fluffy.
For neatly piped dots, hold the pastry bag in both hands; keep the tip just above the cake's surface, at a slight angle. Gently squeeze out icing, release, and pull back. Frosting dots will also help to hide smudged edges or spotty icing; start with the large ones.



Ornate Cupcake

Add elegant touches to cupcakes for special occasions. This cupcake was wrapped in an ornate paper cuff and put on a plate with candy pearls to match the aqua frosting. You can also embellish paper cupcake liners with ribbons, bows, or fabric rosettes.

Photos & recipe courtesy of Country Living

Till next time, Happy Decorating

16 comments:

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

oh my what a yummy looking cake...almost too pretty to eat (I said almost...LOL)

Susan

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

What an absolutely gorgeous cake and cup cake. I love the look and the blue is so different. I will try the recipe and hopefully can do half as good as you. Hugs, Marty

SmilingSally said...

I'm smart enough to KNOW that I'd never be able to make such a gorgeous cake as that one. However, you can invite me over for a slice any time. Thanks for sharing. Happy Blue Monday.

Tink *~*~* said...

Lovely idea to have a pastel blue cake for Easter!

Tink *~*~*
Colorful birds from Orlando, Florida

~ Lisa @ AbidingThere~ said...

Love that polka dot cake!! And your blog's new look is gorgeous, dahling . . . :)

fitty's pinky rose cottage said...

gosh.. too beautiful to eat.. and look so yummy.. just look at the cupcake cuff.. so beautiful.. Happy blue monday

Victorian Garden Gourmet said...

What absolutely gorgeous desserts! To me it makes the sweet even sweeter when someone has taken the time to make it extra fancy. I want to try your recipe. It sounds delicious!
Kate

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Fabulous Blue Monday post! That cake is literally too pretty to eat. Not that it would stop me :)
♥, Susan

claudie said...

Ok maybe my favorite color today is Blue...yum yum
even though I'm a PINK lover. I would take that one in a flash.
Happy Blue Cake Monday Kathleen and nice to meet you.
Love Claudie
xoxo

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Kathleen! What an amazing cake! I've never seen anything that cute, and it's BLUE! Thanks so much for the recipe. I love having it.

And I hope you don't mind, but I signed up to be a follower. Love this so much that I know I would love the rest of your blog, too!

Happy Blue Monday...

XO,

Sheila :-)

Lynda said...

That is such a pretty cake!! I don't think I'd want anyone to cut into it! lol!!

CC said...

This is way too pretty to cut..it's just so lovely and spring like. Happy belated Blue Monday and have a wonderful week.

Valerie said...

Wow, that is beautiful!

Thank you so much for sharing...not only the delightful cake (and cupcake) picture, but for providing the recipes as well! I can't wait to try this out for Easter.

Blessings to you from Kansas,
Valerie

Maya said...

Oh, does that cake look gorgeous! And I love your new header.

LisaShaw said...

O my that cake looks delicious!

Anna said...

Do you know where I could purchase the paper cuff for cupcakes? That is just absolutely exquisite.