cream cheese frosting

in my neck of the woods, summer is hitting in full effect. last week, the kikis got out of school and socal gave us a sneak peek at her full summer sun.

and after a few months of heavy internal debate, the 108 degree heat finally drove me back into the pool to teach little kiddos to swim. teaching swimming was always something i loved, but i truly believed when i walked away from the pool that i was closing that chapter of my life.

but how does that saying go? when you make plans, god laughs.

well whoever is up there making our plans knew what i needed more than i did. only 1.5 weeks back in the pool and i can't remember why i ever walked away. making an imprint on children that will last for their lifetime is incomparable. plus, i'm super tan. win.

with the fourth of july in sight, and my newly sunkissed skin, i'm sharing the perfect frosting to help you amp up your patriotic celebration.

in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using hand beater, combine the cream cheese and butter. whip them together on medium high speed until they are well combined and fluffy. 3-5 minutes.

turn the mixer speed down to low and add in the extract, salt and cream. just after they are combined, add in the sugar 1 cup at a time. give the frosting a taste after each cup of sugar added so you can prepare it to your desired sweetness.

xoxo
a

cream cheese frosting
serves: 2.5 cups frosting (enough to frosting for a 9inch cake)
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 8 minutes
total time: 10 minutes
ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese, room temp. 8 oz butter, room temp. 1 tbs heavy cream. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 1 pinch salt. 3-4 cups powdered sugar.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using hand beater, combine the cream cheese and butter. whip them together on medium high speed until they are well combined and fluffy. 3-5 minutes.
turn the mixer speed down to low and add in the extract, salt and cream. just after they are combined, add in the sugar 1 cup at a time. give the frosting a taste after each cup of sugar added so you can prepare it to your desired sweetness.

butter, cake, dessert, pastry, sweet treats, cream cheeseAngela SamuelsJune 28, 2016frosting, dessert, cream cheeseComment

lemon & lavender cake

while i would never go as far as to say that i was gifted as an artist, i have always thought of myself as a creative person. despite my business management major and athletic background, my spare time has always been spent dabbling in the arts. i've taken art classes, tried my hand at dance, spent years on and off working with beaded, wire wrapped and metal casting jewelry. i even went WAY out of my comfort zone once and sang with a friend at an open mike night.

clearly i was searching for my medium. nothing really stuck or felt right. until food.

creating flavors and visually appealing food has consumed me since i started cooking in 2010, but it wasn't until i actually left my very business minded, creativity stifling job that the real creativity started to flow. with out all the stress and madness clouding my mind, i seem to have been able to tap into the artistry i always felt was inside.

and you know what they say. find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life?

with my little cake business picking up a bit, i finally understand what they are talking about. every commissioned cake is just another opportunity to create something beautiful and tasty for someone special. even the test kitchen cakes end up having personalities of their own.

this cake may look sweet, but it packs a delicious lemon punch and the lavender adds something beautiful and luxurious.

the recipe i used as a base initially made me nervous as it used techniques i was not familiar with. but don't let that deter you. this cake is moist, light and down right delicious.

lemon & lavender cake
serves: 10-12
prep time: 20 minutes
bake time: 1 hour 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
ingredients: 2 tbs lavender blossoms, chopped. 1.25 c sugar. 1 c butter (2 sticks) at room temp. 1 tbs lemon zest. .25 tsp salt. 4 eggs. .5 c sifted all-purpose flour. 1.5 c almond flour or finely ground blanched almonds. 2 tbs lemon juice.

start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. generously butter two 6 inch baking rounds.

in a food processor, combine the sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt. process until the mixture is pale and fluffy. about 3 minutes. transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

alternate stirring in 1 egg and 1/4 of the flour at a time until all the flour and eggs are mixed in.

stir in the almonds and lemon juice.

pour the batter into baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes.

allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes and then turn them out onto a cooling rack. allow to cool completely before frosting or icing. i lightly frosted my cakes with cream cheese frosting and drizzled with a blueberry icing, but any of your favorite frosting/icing combos would be just lovely.

xoxo
a

start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. generously butter two 6 inch baking rounds.
in a food processor, combine the sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt. process until the mixture is pale and fluffy. about 3 minutes. transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
alternate stirring in 1 egg and 1/4 of the flour at a time until all the flour and eggs are mixed in.
stir in the almonds and lemon juice.
pour the batter into baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes.
reduce the temperature to 325 degrees f. continue to bake until a toothpick come out of the cake clean. about 50 to 55 minutes.
allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes and then turn them out onto a cooling rack. allow to cool completely before frosting or icing. i lightly frosted my cakes with cream cheese frosting and drizzled with a blueberry icing, but any of your favorite frosting/icing combos would be just lovely.

cake, sweet treats, lemon, dessert, butter, baked, treatsAngela SamuelsJune 21, 2016cake, lemon, lavender, baked, white cakeComment

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