Thursday, February 19, 2015

Champagne Cake for Mardi Gras


I am SO proud of this one!  I think it's the best decorated one yet.  I still have lots of practicing to do, especially making the corners of a square fondant-covered cake smooth.  But from where I was over a year ago, I'm doing pretty good.

I'm not one for hearts and such, so I chose a Mardi Gras theme for this February birthday cake.  I used tumeric for the gold fondant, and TruColor Natural Food colors for the purple, green, and gold decorations.  And I was also able to play around with rice paper for the feathers on top.  What fun!

I learned a lot on this cake.  I can't wait to do another like it.  Maybe on the Day of the Dead, or Talk Like a Pirate Day!  Oooooh, how much fun would those be?!


 Champagne Cake
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup champagne
6 egg whites

Preheat oven to 325° & prepare a 10" round cake pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne.
In another large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 325 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes or longer, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

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Friday, February 6, 2015

More Pictures with the New Camera


When I looked out my front window this morning,
I saw this...


The sunrise was shining off the sycamore trees.
I had to grab my camera and go play.


I walked out to the porch and looked through the viewfinder, but the scene wasn't quite right.  I walked down the front path, out to the driveway, and partway up it.

I had such a wonderful time, seeing my home through the eyes of someone else.  Instead of seeing it all at once, warts and all, I saw little places that could be framed, that would stand alone as beautiful. Everywhere I looked, there were sweet little scenes within the whole.  The sycamores led me to the barns that led me to Daddy's shop that led me to the creek that led me to the cabin that led me back to the barns.

An hour later I came back inside to download the photos. 
I did something wrong and lost all but the two above.
Sigh.  
I had an excuse to go back out again!






Who lives here I wonder.



Maybe this guy?
Nah.  He's too small.



Pecans.  Lots and lots of pecans.
I have fat squirrels.



The Open Hay Shed.
Daddy built that forty-odd years ago.



The last Longhorn.
I shall call her T-Bone.



My neighbor, Cosmo.



Sugar Pie.
Tiny little Sugar Pie.



The horses, Shirley Anne and Christmas.



They're so shiny.



He has such a kind eye.



The Big Old Barn.
We used to store hay in here.  We'd back a trailer full right up to those
double doors and pile it all up inside.  It's seventeen feet high at the 
apex.  It was always such a good feeling every year when it was full.



The End.


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