Soft and Poofy Sugar Cookies (with Frosting)

Posted on February 24, 2012 by kitchenbelle

Like Annie from Annie’s Eats, my husband LOVES those poofy soft sugar cookies from the grocery store. (And who am I kidding? So do I!) I decided to give these a go. As Annie says, they are buttery, pillowy, and delicious. The frosting is perfect and they make a lovely presentation.

I decorated with purple frosting and silver sprinkles. What’s fun about these cookies is you can use any color frosting and sprinkles to match your festivities. They are perfect “party cookies.”

It’s important to keep an eye on these cookies as they bake, though, because just a second too long and they easily become a bit dry. I’ve always struggled with determining when a cookie is done. There is the afterbake to account for and each dough is so different. Furthermore, the desired texture for different cookie recipes varies dramatically–crispy, chewy, pillowy, soft. As I’ve said before, I will just have to keep baking cookies over and over until I’ve figured it out. Not a bad problem to have, do you think?

Check out the recipe at Annies Eats. Bake them and let me know what you think.

P.S. Remember the last time I used the silver sprinkles? It was for these mini chocolate halloween cupcakes with silver frosting!

Filed under: cookies, Dessert, frosting, vanilla | 2 Comments »

Yellow Cake with Quick Vanilla Frosting

Posted on April 21, 2010 by kitchenbelle

As I mentioned, my husband ran the Boston Marathon on Monday and I am incredibly proud of him!

This was his first marathon and he ran with the Dana Farber team as part of the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC).  He raised more than $5,000 towards Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research.

While I didn’t participate in the weekly Dana Farber team runs or the training sessions with 1976 Boston marathon winner (now coach) Jack Fultz, I did meet him and other team members here and there and I did attend the pasta party on Sunday evening prior to the race.

I cannot say enough about this organization. I am incredibly impressed and inspired by what a wonderful group of kind individuals that they are. The pasta party was perfectly touching and inspiring. It felt like we (well, really my husband) and all of the other runners really made an impact and contributed toward the group’s goal of a world without cancer. I left the evening feeling touched, emotional, uplifted, and inspired.

Race day was GORGEOUS! There was such a wonderful BUZZ in the city. My husband did incredibly well and cheering for him was so exhilarating. All of his hard work paid off. I am proud of his accomplishment and feel so lucky to live with someone who inspires me every day.

Now on to the cake!

As you know, I spend quite a bit of time researching new and creative cake recipes/flavors/frosting combinations, sometimes to the point where my head feels like it is going to explode! (Remember how hard it was for me to decide what I should make for my nephew’s birthday cake?  And remember when I could not for the life of me settle on which  fruit-flavored cupcakes I should make?) What’s funny is whenever I ask my husband what kind of cake he wants the answer is always the same: yellow cake with vanilla frosting. I always dismiss it thinking it is too plain and too simple. 

This time, however, I didn’t even ask. This cake was in honor of his tremendous commitment to fundraising and training and if he likes plain on plain, that is what he should get!

Of course, I didn’t want it to be too plain. So, even though I usually try not to make a habit of eating or serving fluorescent-colored foods, I went out on a limb here and matched the frosting to the Dana Farber team shirts.

This isn't my husband--this photo is taken from the DF site.

Like the race, the cake was successful. It was moist and simple.  The key to the frosting is the perfect balance of milk and sugar. (I think this batch of frosting actually turned out a tad dry–it needed a touch more milk.) 

What a wonderful occasion it was for cake, celebration, and time with family!

Yellow Cake:

  • shortening
  • 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
  • 1/2  cup  butter
  • 8 oz.  sour cream
  • 1 1/2  cups  granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 3/4  cup buttermilk

 Rub shortening on the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans.  Sprinkle with flour.  Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup butter and sour cream in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add sugars and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until well blended.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 27-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Quick Vanilla Frosting:

  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 5-6 cups of confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup milk (more or less depending on desired texture)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt

Whip the butter in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, while the mixer is on low. Add milk a few splashes at time until desired consistency is achieved. Add vanilla and salt and mix until fully incorporated.

Filed under: cake, Dessert, frosting, icing, vanilla | 9 Comments »

Fresh Fruit Trifle

Posted on March 24, 2010 by kitchenbelle

 

The birthdays of my mother and my brother are within just a few days of each other.  The members of my family don’t love sweets as much as I do, and when I bake a cake for them I tend to eat the biggest piece of all! Last year I made this orange coconut cake for my mom’s birthday. But this year, rather than make two frosting-laden cakes (one for my brother and one for my mother) I decided to do something a little lighter and fresher.  A birthday trifle seemed like a perfect option. It is light because it is made with fluffy angel food cake and it incorporates all fresh fruit.  Additionally, it isn’t wrapped in a thick layer of sugary frosting. 

This trifle was so creamy and delicious!

Notes/Thoughts:

  • Everyone agreed that the cinnamon really added the flavor that pulled the entire dish together.
  • Feel free to “make it yours” by adding fruit you like and omitting those you don’t.
  • Trifles are just so pretty to look at! Best of all they don’t really require much skill.  You can’t really do anything “wrong” because in the end everything mixes together!  
  • For the pudding I used this recipe, the filling for Boston Cream Pie, and I was very happy with it.  It is very fresh and creamy.  I find boxed puddings to be a little sweet, but by all means, you could definitely substitute store-bought pudding here.
  • I purchased a round angel food cake from the bakery of my grocery store for $4.99 and I was very happy with it.  However, you could absolutely make your own angel food cake and use it in this recipe.

Fresh Fruit Trifle:

Fruit

  • approximately 1 pint of fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
  • approximately 1 pint of fresh strawberries, rinsed, drained, hulled and sliced (save one whole berry for garnish)
  • 2-3 fresh peaches, peeled, cored and diced
  • 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Pudding

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups light cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

    • Garnish and Assembly

    • one store bought angel food cake (or you can bake your own)
    • one small container of Cool Whip or whipped cream

    Make the pudding:

    In a saucepan bring the butter, milk, and light cream to a boil. While this mixture is cooking, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and eggs in a bowl and whip using a whisk.

    When the cream/ milk/butter mixture reaches the boiling point, whisk in the egg mixture and cook to boiling.  Stir constantly with a wooden spoon.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent it from burning.  As it begins to thicken, clumps may form.  Use a whisk to smooth it out. Boil for 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to press the pastry cream through a strainer into a bowl.  Whisk in vanilla extract. Cover the surface with plastic wrap touching the pudding.  (This prevents a film from forming.)  Chill for about one hour. 

    Prepare the fruit:

    Combine all fruit, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and use a wooden spoon to toss well to combine.  Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

    Assemble:

    Slice angel food cake into one-inch thick pieces and layer on the bottom of a glass trifle dish, covering the bottom of the dish.   Spoon half of the fruit mixture on top of the angel food cake.  (Be sure to drizzle any liquid that formed from the fruit and sugar. Don’t waste it!) Spread half of the pudding over the fruit mixture.  Repeat these layers until you have used all of your components. Top final layer with Cool Whip (or whipped cream) and garnish with a berry, if desired. Keep refrigerated until just before serving.

    Recipe inspired by French Vanilla Summer Trifle on MyRecipes.com.

    Filed under: blueberry, cake, Cool Whip, Dessert, pudding, strawberry, vanilla, VEGETARIAN | 5 Comments »

    Mandarin Orange and Pomegranate Tart

    Posted on November 2, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    October

    This cake on MyRecipes.com caught my eye.  I absolutely love the brilliant orange of the mandarins contrasting with the bright ruby pomegranate arils!  Isn’t it such a beautiful and striking combination for fall?  I decided to use it as an inspiration for this tart. 

    Mandarin Orange and Pomegranate Tart:

    For the crust I combined about two cups of ginger snap cookie crumbs with granulated sugar, melted butter and a pinch of salt.  I baked it and let it cool.  For the filling I used this pastry cream filling  recipe and poured it into the cooled crust.  I then arranged the fruit (about two small cans of mandarin oranges and the seeds of half a fresh pomegranate) on top and painted it with some melted apricot jam.  For more tart ideas check this out!

     October

    Filed under: Dessert, orange, pudding, tart, vanilla | 7 Comments »

    Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Pink Frosting and Sprinkles (over Times Square!)

    Posted on August 24, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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    For my friend’s NYC bachelorette party I made some festive cookie favors!  I was running late for the bus so I didn’t realize until we arrived and checked into the hotel that I hadn’t snagged any photos yet.  As I was positioning the cookies near the window in order to capture some natural light I noticed a cool view of Times Square below.  How fun!

    The cookies were light and cakey, not chewy, and the frosting paired perfectly!  Something to note: I chose to roll the cookie dough into little balls rather then roll it flat with a rolling pin and use cookie cutters.  They hardly spread at all so they ended up much smaller than I anticipated.  They were dainty little two-bite cookies–very light and delicious, I must say.  The ladies seemed to really enjoy them!

    Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Pink Frosting and Sprinkles:

    Cookies

    •  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

    Preheat oven to 375 F.

    Blend butter and sugar on medium speed with an electric hand mixer or with the paddle in a standing mixer. Add egg and vanilla and blend. Mix dry ingredients and gradually mix in. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. Remove from refrigerator and either roll out on a floured surface and use cookie cutters to cut shapes OR pinch about one tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball and bake on a parchment paper-lined baking tray in a preheated 375 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes. 

     Pink Frosting

    • 4 tablespoons meringue powder
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 6-7 cups confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup Crisco
    • a few drops of gel food coloring (I used the smallest drops of Wilton Creamy Peach)

    Whip the meringue powder and water on high speed for several minutes until it’s fluffy and peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ingredients until desired consistency is reached.  Add more water if frosting is too thick and more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin.  Add food coloring and continue to beat until color is evenly distributed.

    Assemble

    When cookies are completely cool, use a small offset spatula to spread a thin layer of frosting on top if each cookie.  Frosting side down, dip cookie into a bowl of sprinkles.  (Or “jimmies” as we like to call them in Boston!)  Allow frosting to set before packaging.

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    Adapted from The Decorated Cookie.

    Filed under: chocolate, cookies, Dessert, frosting, icing, vanilla | 3 Comments »

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