Cream-Cheese Buttercream Frosting

I took on a runaway project, that was just too big for me...a kid's tea party. It started out simple, then took on a life of it's own, and consumed most of my week. I'd say never again, but I would just be fooling myself.
I haven't decorated a cake in nearly a decade, so they were just OK, but the kids were really happy.
Since I was making Red Velvet-cake and Carrot-cake  fairy cakes, I thought I would try to add a little cream cheese, to the buttercream. It really improved the flavor of Wilton's buttercream. If you haven't used meringue powder yet, you should give it  try. It makes the frosting really fluffy, like whipped cream.
Here's how I made it, I just added a little more sugar, to compensate for the cream cheese.


3-1/2cups confectioner's sugar
1Tbl. meringue powder
1cup shortening
2Tbl. cream cheese-softened
1tsp. vanilla
3Tbl. water
pinch salt

In a large bowl, beat together the shortening, meringue powder, and cream cheese, until fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla, water, and salt, until fluffy.
Beat in the sugar, a little at a time, until fluffy.

       More fairy cakes, I used marshmallow fondant for the toppers.

Cocoa Chocolate Glaze

                                             Cocoa Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients:
6Tbl. butter
1/4 cup dark-chocolate cocoa powder
1/4cup milk
2-3/4cups confectioners sugar

Preparation:
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.
Add the milk and cocoa, bring to a boil while whisking.
The glaze will thicken when it comes to a boil.
Remove from heat, and beat in the sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and glossy.
Drizzle or dip your cakes, donuts or cookies, while the glaze is still warm. It thickens as it cools.
Reheat as necessary.

Orange Butter

Orange Butter
Use on biscuits or scones.
2tbl. butter-softened
1tsp. orange marmalade
Mix to combine.

Bread Pudding With Caramel Sauce

Bread Pudding With Caramel Sauce
Another old recipe no one makes anymore.
So good, like a custard.Very easy

Ingredients for the pudding:
4 cups stale bread or toast it in the oven until very dry
2tbl. melted butter
1/2cup sugar
3cups warm milk
3eggs
1tbl. cinnamon
1tsp.nutmeg

Preparation:
Heat oven to350*
Butter a 1/2 quart baking pan
Place bread in a large bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together all other ingredients.
Pour over bread. let it stand 5 minutes.
Spread the bread mixture into the baking dish.
Add about 1 inch of water to a larger baking pan.
Place the pan of water in the oven.
Place the bread pan inside the water pan.
bake for1 hour or until custard is set, no longer runny.
Serve warm with-

Warm Caramel Sauce:
1cup sugar
1/2cup boiling water
2tbl. cream
Pinch of salt
Preparation:
Place sugar in a skillet and heat on a very low flame.
Stirring constantly until sugar begins to liquify and turn a golden-honey color.
Quickly remove from heat. Add water,cream and salt.
Stir very fast or your sauce will be too dark and bitter.
immediately pour into a bowl.It can be reheated in the microwave.
When pudding is done, pour warm sauce over pudding.Serve

Doctor Bird Cake -With Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Doctor Bird Cake-also called "Hummingbird Cake" Almost the color of gingerbread.
I have no idea how old this recipe is. A really moist delicious recipe.
It was passed on to me by a Great Aunt, who said, it had been given to her. This recipe originated in Jamaica.

Ingredients:
2cups Flour
2-1/2tsp. Baking soda
2tsp. Cinnamon
1tsp.Salt
1/2cup Oil
2cups Sugar
3Eggs
1-8oz can Crushed pineapple with the juices
2cups Grated carrots
1-1/3cups Flaked Coconut
1-2 Ripe bananas- pureed
1/2cup Chopped nuts

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350*
In a bowl mix flour,baking soda,salt and cinnamon.Whisk to blend.
In another larger bowl beat oil, sugar, eggs and bananas.
Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. beat until smooth.
Add all other ingredients and stir well, to blend.
Pour into 13x9 cake pan and bake for about 1 hour or,
until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Frost with-

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
1-8oz. package Cream cheese-softened
1 Cup Flaked coconut
1tbl. Milk
2cups Confectioners sugar
Beat the cream cheese and milk until fluffy. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, beat until well combined.
Stir in coconut. Spread over cake. (Sometimes I have to add a little more confectioners sugar.)

Texas Sheet Cake With Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting

Texas Sheet Cake
Rich and fudge like. The ultimate Chocolate cake.

For the cake:
2cups flour
2cups sugar
1tsp.baking soda
1/4tsp.salt
1cup margarine
1/2cup  cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk-( add 1tbl. white vinegar to a measuring cup then add the milk to the 1/2 cup mark. let stand 15 minutes, and you'll have buttermilk)
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting- recipe below

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350*
Grease a 15x10x1 or 13x9x2 baking pan
In a bowl whisk together, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
In a saucepan mix butter cocoa, and 1 cup of water. stirring constantly, bring to boil. remove from heat.
Add the cocoa mix to the flour mix and beat on high until combined.Add eggs buttermilk and vanilla.
Beat on high for 1 minute, and pour batter into the baking pan.Bake about 30 minutes.
Pour warm frosting over warm cake and cool.

Chocolate Buttermilk Frosting:
 1/4 cup butter
 3tbl. cocoa powder
 3tbl. buttermilk
 2-1/4cups confectioners sugar
1/2tsp.vanilla
3/4 cup chopped pecans-optional
In a saucepan mix butter, cocoa powder and  buttermilk.bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and add confectioners sugar and vanilla. beat until smooth. stir in chopped pecans.
Pour over warm cake.

Cherry Chip Cake With Cherry Buttercream

Cherry Chip Cake With Cherry Buttercream
Once the kids see this cake it's as good as gone.

Ingredients:
1jar of maraschino cherries-drain,reserve juice, chopped
1 white cake mix
3 egg whites
2 tsp.vegetable oil
Water

Cherry buttercream:
1/2cup shortening
1 stick margarine softened
3 cups confectioners sugar
4tbl. reserved cherry juice

Instructions for buttercream:
Cream together the shortening and margarine, beat until light and fluffy.
Add cherry juice and beat until well blended. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition.
Spread on cooled cake.

For the cake:
In a bowl, add cake mix,eggs,oil. in a measuring cup add the remaining cherry juice, and fill with water to the 1-1/3cups mark, add to the bowl. beat for 2 minutes, add the chopped cherries. pour into greased cake pans. bake according to box directions.Cool. Frost.

Creme Filling

Creme Filling-similar to Hostess cupcakes

Ingredients
2-tsp hot water
1/4-tsp salt
2cups marshmallow creme
1/2-cup shortening
1/3cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions
Add the salt to the hot water, and mix to dissolve.
Beat all other ingredients on high, until fluffy.
Add the cooled salt solution and mix.
Can be used to fill cupcakes, put between layers of a cake, or fill doughnuts