White Cake Recipe

I have a fondness for the color white when it comes to adorning cakes and cookies, yet today's cake surprises me with its white interior. Light hues have always held a special place in my heart, particularly white, pink, and light blue. Occasionally, I deviate from these tones to infuse variety and uplift my spirits—like the time I opted for brick-colored kitchen tiles with a cream backsplash. 

Receta de Bizcocho con Masa Blanca en español. 

Reflecting on that decision eight years later, I find myself pondering what led me to choose such a color scheme. Now, I daydream about renovating my kitchen, and unsurprisingly, the color scheme I lean towards is white! My Pinterest board brims with inspirations for my future kitchen; feel free to visit and pin your favorites.

Shifting gears to the recipe... This white cake recipe is my go-to for creating vividly colored cakes without the yellowish tint that butter and egg yolks often impart. It served as the foundation for my Dominican flag cake. While a white cake mix could suffice, when aiming for a white, light, fluffy, creamy vanilla cake with a subtle hint of almond, nothing beats the homemade recipe I'm about to share. It's a gem for your culinary repertoire. Initially planning to frost the cake in white, I eventually blended in a touch of pink to complement the chocolate roses. Indulge in this delightful creation.

The texture of this cake is fluffy and moist. For the filling, I used vanilla buttercream with a little strawberry puree, and the frosting is Italian meringue. You can find both frosting recipes in this blog.

What is your favorite cake recipe? Do you have a favorite white cake recipe?

White Cake 

This simple recipe for moist, fluffy white cake is incredibly easy to prepare.

½ cup shortening or ¼ cup unsalted butter (see notes)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon clear vanilla

2 teaspoon almond extract (or more)

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour minus 1 Tablespoon

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon of cornstarch

Pinch of salt

½ cup + 2 Tablespoons milk (135 ml)

4 egg whites

Instructions: 

1. Measure all ingredients accurately. Lightly grease pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350˚F (175˚C).

2. With the attachment paddle beat the shorting and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the extracts and beat for a minute. Add the flour mixture alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir until just combined.

4. In another bowl beat the egg whites until foamy and fold into the flour and shortening mixture in two parts.

5. Divide the batter into pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Cool on wire racks until slightly cooled, flip the cake to a serving plate. Cool completely before frosting.

Yield: Two layer 9” (23 cm) cake.

Notes: 

a) When it comes to the butter measurement, I typically use 1/4 cup in this recipe to avoid the cakes turning out too greasy with the butter available in my area. However, if you do not face the same issue, feel free to use 1/2 cup of butter. Personally, I opt for shortening when making this cake.

b) I recommend using shorting for a whiter color cake. 

c) Vibrant and precise color sponge cake: To achieve an exact and vibrant color without the yellow tone that butter and egg yolks provide, follow this recipe to the letter and add the gel food coloring at the end. If you want to create multiple colors, divide the batter into different containers and add the colors of your choice according to your preference.

"Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; look, new things have come!"  ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17.

How to Make Modeling Clay with Chocolate Candy Melts

If you enjoy making fondant flowers and decorations, then working with chocolate modeling clay is a true delight. The edible flowers created with this clay are not only enticing but also luscious, making them a must-have for any dessert. With only two ingredients needed, this chocolate clay is simple to make and can be done in no time at all.

Receta de Chocolate para Modelar en español. 

The weather in my area hasn't been ideal for working with modeling chocolate, which is why I haven't shared any of my creations until now. However, I have found that candy melts are more resistant to heat, so I have been using them to make cake pops. Recently, I decided to try my hand at making chocolate roses. While they may not be perfect, as they are my first attempt, I plan to use them on a cake I am making for my daughters.

Have you ever worked with candy clay before? What types of decorations do you typically create with candy melts? Share your experiences and creations with us!

 

Chocolate Modeling Clay 

Ingredients: 
14 ounces candy melts (397 g)
⅓ cup of corn syrup (79 ml)

Instructions: 

Melt chocolate in microwave or bain marie following package instructions and be careful not to overheat. Stir the chocolate until it's completely melted and once it has cooled to room temperature (cool to the touch) add the corn syrup.

With a spatula gently stir scraping the sides of the bowl until the corn syrup has fully incorporated and blended with all the chocolate. It takes about a minute, and the mixture should look like a ball of cookie dough. Be careful not to over mix or you will damage the mixture and the chocolate will break up into pieces. Pour the mixture onto a plastic sheet and spread a little and wrap. Leave to set overnight at room temperature.

The next day your chocolate clay will be ready for you to mold into any shape or decoration your heart dictates. Enjoy!!

Notes: To color chocolate clay add drops a knead in after the clay has set. Only use candy colors or powder candy colors since they are oil-based and won't cease the modeling clay. I use an oil-based candy color.  A little color can be added to the chocolate at the time of adding the corn syrup and no further mixing is required; however, if a lot of color is going to be used to make a very bright or dark color, then the amount of corn syrup must be adjusted since less of it will be needed to compensate the color amount used.

Cool References:
Melting chocolate tips
How to make a chocolate rose
Introduction to moldeling clay
Lauren Sulser wonderful video below:

Lauren has made a wonderful video with the steps, except that the measurements are different and she uses gourmet chips (pure chocolate). The measurements she used are 1 pound of chocolate (454 g) and ½ cup of light corn syrup (118 ml).

“Flowers wilt, jewelry tarnishes, and candles burn out...but chocolate doesn't hang around long ehough to get old.” ― Sr. Cocoa Loca

Cake Pops for Mom!!

I made some cake pops using the strawberry cake recipe I shared in the previous post and they tasted like a heavenly experience, I highly recommend it. I also made a classic at home, chocolate cake pops... scrumptious and yummy too! I used pink and white chocolate colors, kept it simple but elegant to make these, special cake pops, for moms. I hope to inspire you to make some today or anytime soon.

I dedicated these cake pops to my mom and my three precious daughters. Thanks to them, I feel I am the happiest daughter / mom in the world. May the Lord continue to less them. I would also like to congratulate all my readers moms who celebrate Mother's Day today.

Make, Enjoy, Pin and Share :)

To make the pops no exact recipe, you can use any cake recipe and frosting of your preference.

What you need: 

Rice with Cod Fish/ Arroz con Bacalao

Today, I'm excited to share a long-awaited recipe: Arroz con bacalao, a delightful rice dish featuring codfish. This particular recipe, a type of "Locrios," has become a cherished favorite for both my husband and me. The key to this dish is finding a quality salted codfish fillet, which I recently discovered at my local supermarket. What sets this fillet apart is its lack of fishy odor during cooking, its exceptional taste, and its ease of preparation.

Receta de Locrio de Bacalao en español, aquí.

Before cooking, I recommend soaking the codfish fillet overnight and changing the water twice. This process effectively hydrates and desalinates the fish, ensuring a milder flavor and eliminating the need for rapid boiling to remove excess salt. By taking this step, we can avoid any overpowering fishy odors that may not be to everyone's liking.

This time I use jasmine rice, but you can use any rice of your choice. I hope you can prepare and enjoy this dish soon.

Arroz con Bacalao (Cod Fish Locrio) 

 Ingredients:
2 pounds cod fish fillet (1 kilo)
2 pounds of jasmine rice or regular rice
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons tomato paste or ½ cup tomato sauce
juice of one bitter orange or 2  Tablespoons vinegar
1 ½ Tablespoon crushed garlic
1 bay leaf
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

For Seasoning:
1 onion
1 green or red pepper
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 cube of chicken (optional)
1 envelope of seasoning with achiote (annatto) and saffron

Instructions:

1. Rinse cod fish fillets and allow them to soak in water overnight. Change the water twice during this soaking time. Before cooking, drain off the water, and cut the fillet into two-inch pieces.

2. In a food processor or blender mix the seasoning ingredients: onion, pepper, cilantro, chicken bouillon, and seasoning with achiote, process with little water to achieve desired puree consistency.

3. In a pot pour the oil, when hot, add the seasoning, tomato paste, and bitter orange juice. Bring to a boil, add the cod fish, cover, and cook for five minutes over low heat. After the five minutes have gone by, remove fish from the pot leaving as much sauce as possible in the pot. Reserve.

4. In the boiling cod sauce pour the garlic, bay leaf, rice, and enough water to almost cover it, about 6 cups of water, check for salt, and add ground black pepper. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes stirring frequently to avoid rice sticking in the bottom of the pot. Cook until the water has reduced.

5. Add the reserved cod with sauce to rice, mix carefully so as not to disrupt the cod, and leave it as whole chunks if possible. Cover and continue to cook over low heat until the rice is thoroughly cooked, about 15 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is firm but fluffy and soft inside. Serve with a salad and/or fried ripe plantains (yellow ones) or fried plantains (tostones).

Yield: 8 Servings.

Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. - 1 Chronicles 22:13

Decorated Cookies: Blue Hearts with White Border

I recently made these beautifully decorated cookies for my daughters and nieces, and I must say, they are my favorite creations so far this year. The combination of my favorite color and the resemblance to jasperware, which I adore, make these cookies extra special to me. I am eager to continue practicing and perfecting the lace technique I used on the edges, and I plan to create more cookies like these in the future. With Mother's Day approaching, I believe these cookies would make lovely and thoughtful gifts to show appreciation and love.

Galletas Decoradas en español.

Below are the recipes for the cookie dough and icing I used to create these delightful cookies Blue Heart Decorated Cookies with White Border:

Sugar Cookie Dough: This easy-to-prepare and workable dough recipe is perfect for creating beautifully decorated cookies.

Royal Icing: This versatile icing is used to fill and make the edges of the cookies. For more information on how to make this recipe and the ideal consistency for decorating cookies, please refer to the instructions.

Adaptation: For the cookies I made, I used 1½ cups of powdered sugar and ¼ cup of granulated sugar, resulting in a perfectly textured cookie.

Tips for outlining and filling cookies:

When outlining and filling (flooding) cookies, it's best to work with only four to six cookies at a time. The number of cookies you handle should depend on how long it takes you to outline them. If you work slowly, outline only four at a time; if you work quickly, outline six cookies. Proceed to fill each cookie until it is completely covered. The filling can be done using tips #2, #3, or #4, depending on the consistency of the icing. For instance, when working a ¼ inch from the edge of the cookie and there is no need to be overly precise, I used tip #4 to outline and flood all the cookies at once.

If you have good control of getting the right consistency in royal icing, you can outline and flood with the same tip size. This is how I prefer to make my cookies to avoid the outline from showing on the final product.

The tips I used to fill are #4 for the blue and #00 for the white border. I think the cookies came out pretty cute besides great tasting.

You might be interested in the following recipes for cookie dough:

Chocolate Sugar Cookie Dough

Gingerbread Cookie Dough

Chocolate Chip Decorated Cookie Dough

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ~ Luke 6:45.

Cashew Apple Dessert, Dulce de Cajuil

En Español

Cashews are not just nuts ... their fruit is great for making a delicious marmalade like dessert. The cashew is a fruit that is mainly consumed for its nut, but its fruit is still coveted by many. This is the third time I prepare this cashew Dominican dessert. As I had said in this post, my aunt Fresa makes a delicious "dulce de cajuil".  She always make some for us, but this time she brought a bag full of this fruit and I decided to make some dulce to my taste ... with little sugar.

Did you know? The cashew, Anacardium occidentale, is a crop native to northeastern Brazil, where it is known as caju. It has great medicinal and nutritional properties. Despite having a unique flavor,
this fruit has a variety of names. A few of the names it is known as in countries that visit this blog are the following: in Spain it is known as anacardo, in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile as castaña de cajú, in Peru and Mexico, Colombia, and rest of Central America known as marañón, in Venezuela as merey, and Puerto Rico as pajuil.

Orchid Cupcakes

A few weeks ago I shared a photo on facebook of the dendrobium superbum orchids we have at home when they had just flourish. It is the first time that they bloom since my husband and I bought them last year. The beauty and aroma of these flowers inspire to enjoy nature, and to thank our Creator for their beautiful display which He gives to us freely. These also inspired me to create some orchid cupcakes. Below you'll also find a how to video on how I did each step. I thank my wonderful daughter, Crystal, for helping me with the video. THANK YOU Cookie :)


I am sure these cupcakes would have been nicer and neater if made with buttercream or fondant, but wanted to make it with our favorite frosting, Italian meringue to share with all friends who daily create awesome cakes and look for different options. It's the first time I do this type of flower, I know I can improve the technique, but for now I share it with you as is. I am sure that together we can learn from each other how to make prettier.  I hope you like the idea.

First we lightly frost the cakes with white or light green Italian meringue or frosting of your preference. I used tip #12 to do this.

Next we make the three sepals (tepals) using tip #104.

Then with tip #352 make the two curled petals.

Fill the pastry bag with a line of dark purple or burgundy. I recommend using a table knife or thin spatula when performing this step. If it get a bit do not worry, it will help to make it like the actual  veins that petals have.

Finish filling the pastry bag with purple or hot pink frosting. Squeeze a few times into a plate to blend in the two colors of frosting before working with it on the cupcake.

I see the lip petal (labellum) as a heart shape, so that's how I interpreted it. I used tip #61 with the two toned frosting pastry bag to form the center lip petal of the orchid. You can see how I make this step in the video below.

Have an awesome week :)


But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. ~ Genesis 50:20