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