Icing

It's time to prepare the icing. It is preferable to ice and decorate the cake the day after baking so the cake does not crumble. For icing I use Pastry Pride, which comes in a carton and is located in the refrigerator/freezer section of your market. I shop at Smart & Final because it is a staple there. I'm not sure if you can find it in any regular supermarket.

Beat the Pastry Pride for about five minutes to get a really thick consistency. It's almost like stiff meringue but not quite. I add a dash of vanilla and a little bit of confectioner's sugar but not much because the PP has a delicious flavor that blends well with your cake flavor.

I add softened (or room temperature) cream cheese. Whipped cream cheese works well also. Beat until you decide that the icing will spread smoothly on the cake.

Tomorrow I will explain how to ice a cake!

Happy Baking

Delia Baker

Lemon Cake

Today is cake-baking day. My favorite is meyer lemon cake with a cream cheese icing. The key to a fluffy cake is to beat the eggs first before you add any ingredients. Once you have hand-beaten the eggs so they have tripled in your bowl, you can add the liquids and dry ingredients. Always add the oil towards the end.
A trick I learned from one of my baking instructors is to place an 9-inch cake pan filled with water (and I add a sprinkle of cinnamon) in the middle oven rack while your oven is pre-heating. Then you place the cake pans with the batter on the rack over the pan with the water. This will ensure an even moister cake.
Don't open the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking. If you need to look at the cake, hopefully you have a window to peek through an a light. If not, just steel yourself through the first half hour. You don't want your cake to cave in.
It is raining in Santa Monica. It hailed for a few minutes earlier today. The sun came out while it was raining. Good day to be productive at home.
Happy baking!
Delia Baker

Food Musings

I am finally getting around to posting in this blog, which I created a while back to share my baking ideas, experiences and recipes.
It hasn't been a winter of discontent but I haven't been mixing and measuring much. Finally I'm firing up the oven (connecting the gas).
My goal - having just seen "Julie & Julia" - for 2010 is the following.
Cakes in what's left of January.
Puddings in February.
Cookies in March.

Let me know what you think I should do in April...

Happy baking!