“Homemade Smash Cake Recipe”

 

Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time45 mins
My homemade Smash Cake recipe is simple, delicious, and way cheaper than buying one from a bakery — plus your baby will love it!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 1 small cake
Ingredients
  • 1 ½cups (7½ oz./213g)cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½cup(4 oz./115g) butter(at room temperature)
  • 1cup (8 oz./225g)granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½cup(4 FL oz./115ml) whole milk
  • ½ recipe vanilla buttercream
  • sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) then butter and line two 6 inch tins with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.
  • In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add in the egg and egg white, mixing well on medium speed until combined.
  • Pour in the oil, vanilla extract, and milk and mix well.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until the batter is formed.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Let cool completely, then gently turn the cakes out onto a cooling wrack.
  • Once the cakes have cooled place them on a cake stand or plate. Using a large palette knife spread an even layer of vanilla buttercream across the first layer of cake.
  • Place the second layer of cake on top and repeat. Using the remaining frosting spread the frosting around the outside of the cake.
  • Do a crumb coat, chill and then repeat the coat with more frosting until the cake is fully covered.
  • Decorate as you like, I just added sprinkles and a candle.
  • Smash within 48 hours.

 


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“Recipe of the Day French Bread”

Recipe of the Day

French Bread
Prep:  60 minutes
Bake:  20 minutes
Total Prep:  1 hour 20 minutes
Servings:  2 loaves

Ingredients:

2¼ cups water
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups flour plus 3¼ to ¾ tablespoons
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons yeast

 

Instructions:

Mix water and margarine or butter in saucepan and heat to 120°.

In separate bowl, add 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt.

Slowly add liquid mixture to dry ingredients.

Add remaining flour and knead until smooth and not sticky.

Set aside and covered. Let rise until doubled in size.

Divide dough in half and shape l each half into a long cylinder shape.

Using a sharp knife, cut three slashes in the top. Cover and let rise again.

Make an egg wash using 1 egg and water mixed well. Brush across the top of each loaf.

Bake in a 375° oven for 20 minutes.

For added decoration, sprinkle sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds or toasted onion or garlic on dough before baking.


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“After the Storm of Cold Weather”

“9Lives” to the Rescue!

With all the snow we have had – lots of ice and snow covered ground for the last two weeks –guess…  what shows up? The “Sunset Cat” – herself!

Since we had so much snow and the ground was covered with the thick white stuff… there was no way the birds could get a good meal… so we put out more bird feeders,  even hung some on our deck,  and  can you guess…who comes for a visit to my back door – the “Sunset Cat”  herself… and always to my door.

Well, with  all of the bad weather – the “Sunset Cat”  finally found her favorite safe place to keep warm and  also … find a free meal?

“I’m guessing” that and  because,  no one will own a “cat” …. they  will make that big decision… for their selves… to own you.

They show up and you hurry  and scramble faster than you do… even for  yourself  and or even  for your own  family members… just to please them and…  as long as you please them – they will continue to visit you – since cats like that “royal” treatment… that they will receive from  the best of some of their  special friends.

Like I have been telling everyone, the birds of all “NATIONS” and “KINDS” have found a free meal here, as well as an old squirrel, who eats  and or likes something in the bird feed – just as if  it was a good “nut” for them to enjoy and scare the poor birds away!

So, a new job for me is to be a “police man” and run off the old squirrel. So, when I do not see the birds eating – there has to be a good reason – someone big enough to eat “birds”  is lurking around  – that’s when I go in for the running off of  the old “critters” that are not nice to birds.

Yesterday, shortly after having put fresh food in the feeders – no birds – flying in for a free meal? Looking out on the deck… who do you think is sitting on the rail watching all the birds fly by and then away … all wondering … who in our world… invited a cat?

I had a small amount of cat food and fed the cat. After awhile the cat left…  and a long time after her departure… finally, the birds did start to come back for a meal.

Would you believe … the “SUNSET Cat” returned for a second meal…  in the same day?

My son, Al went to the store and picked up a bag of  “9Lives” …  just for the
“Sunset Cat!”

I told the cat, as if she understands a word that I’m saying …  “we all have to share our space … and if she runs into problems… this “9Lives” will help her to live longer!” 

I do not know how many “Lives” she has used… but … for me to guess, I just may start counting the years… that she stops by… to see  all of her old friends here!

We will see what happens!


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“My NEW NAME for doing Hard Work”

“Powerful Katrinka”

When you hear words and or names that sound… “funny to your ears”….  there is also an old song with those words… as I remember… funny that I should also…  think of that phrase, but…

That is  what you will do…. when you are a little kid, just keep your mouth shut and listen to what the grown-ups are saying… as some things…  just  may be about you… and some things are  so new and or different and will  have a strange  way of getting stuck in your brain, somewhere, and maybe forever!

My Mother had the best command of the “English Language” and with her voice and diction – she could have been a stand-in for actress, Betty Davis.

When my Mother wanted your attention – she had that “voice” to let you know exactly, what she wanted and there was no way for you to escape – it came across so very clear!

As I grew – up – taller- and  more able to reach and to do that which  she was not able to – my Mother would refer to me as her “Powerful Katrinka!”

 I always thought that I was the next “Super Woman” since I was able to do whatever Mom wanted me to do!

There was the time, when my Father was not around and not available and with the cold weather coming  on… and Mom needed the storm-windows hung and she was unable to do that  kind of a job … the heavy lifting and then  hanging  of  six outside storm windows.

First of all… she was not able to carry then up from the basement.     (I was the only one around and available to be told …. how you  are to carry  each of  these eight foot long  windows up from the basement, and  without breaking, to a safe place in the back yard to clean and  then when dry to hang.)

We lived in North Saint Louis and you may have seen the windows  on some of the old houses. The height was at least 8 foot and all one piece with the hanging hooks at the top.

So, the job for me was to bring each one up from the basement – without breaking – wash both sides and dry. The windows have all been washed on the outside of the house – so that when this storm-window was hung,  we would have clean glass to see through.

There were 6 storm-windows for me to hang – now that I am even thinking about those days…just thinking about doing that  kind of a job  “TODAY”… I’m  all worn out…  and could not  even begin to  even think of  my  doing… such  a heavy lifting  up and over my head… to attach to those clips above each window that our home had and then  holding each window… in place and pushing tight … for MOM to attach to the hooks inside…

While my Mother … who is inside… is trying to pull each window in  place…I am standing outside and on my tippy-toes… doing the pushing… for a closed tight fit .. so as that no cold air will be coming into the house during those Winter months!

Just to even think,  of   me trying to balance each storm window , as well as  any of the above work,  that…  I was required  to do… back in those 1950’s era… was too hard and too involved!

This was just  another one of those good ole’times…  when I was called “Powerful Katrinka!”


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“Polish Doughnuts – Pączki”

Pączki - Polish Doughnuts

Polish Doughnuts – Pączki

You can fill these with jam, lemon curd, chocolate pudding, or custard (my favorite). It’s best to have the egg yolks & oil at room temperature and be sure to aerate your flour before measuring. – Jenny Jones

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Makes: 12

Paczki (Polish Doughnuts)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons (1 packet = 7 grams) yeast (instant or dry active)
  • 2/3 cup milk (reduced fat or whole milk) warmed to 120°F for instant/110°F for dry active yeast
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • about 1/4 cup extra flour
  • 1 Tablespoon melted butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar for coating
  • 1 cup jam, custard, or filling of choice

Instructions:

    1. Place flour, sugar, salt, & yeast in large bowl.
    2. Stir in warm milk, followed by oil, egg yolks & vanilla.
    3. With electric mixer, beat for 2 minutes on high speed.
    4. Stir in enough flour until the dough holds together.
    5. On a floured surface, knead 50 turns, cover with plastic and let rest 10 min.
    6. If using custard filling, make it now so it can cool. (see recipe below)
    7. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    8. On a floured surface, roll dough 1/2-inch thick. Cut circles using a 2 1/2 -inch round cutter, dipped in flour. Re-roll scraps.
    9. Place mounds on baking sheet, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot about 45 minutes. (1 hour at room temp.) During this time, preheat oven to 375° F.
    10. When paczki are puffy, but not necessarily doubled in size, bake for 10 minutes.
    11. Melt butter and place 1/3 cup sugar in a plastic produce bag. Lay down some wax paper to save cleanup.
    12. Remove paczki immediately from pan to wax paper. Brush each one while warm (top & sides) with melted butter and roll in bag to coat with sugar.
    13. For jam, fill warm or cooled paczki using a pastry bag with a long tip, pushing into the side, or cut a slit in the side and insert filling with a spoon. For custard, cool paczki before filling. All paczki are best served right away.
Custard Filling:
  1. In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup sugar + 4 teaspoons cornstarch. Slowly stir in 1 cup low fat or whole milk + 1 egg yolk. Bring to a boil. Cook & stir about a minute. (it thickens more as it cools) Spread onto a dinner plate and let it stand, undisturbed, to cool thoroughly before using – refrigerate if necessary.

Note: If using a pastry bag, choose a smooth jam and not one with pieces of fruit as they can clog the tip.

Polish Doughnuts – Pączki….Click on Donut and watch how to start making.;..

Pączki (Polish Doughnuts)

 “Polish Doughnuts – Pączki”

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“Gemma’s Best Ever Brownie Recipe”

5 Pro Chefs secrets to the Perfect Brownie Recipe

  1. Brown sugar is a key ingredient in Brownies! it makes them moister, more flavor and makes for a more fudgy brownie. You can easily make your own Brown sugar at home.
  2. Use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder for your brownies for thee ultimate decadent brownie. Please do not use hot chocolate powder
  3. Use bittersweet chocolate (70%) chunks! this will make your brownies extra rich.
  4. Season your Brownies!! Salt and Vanilla are key ingreidents in brownies adding extra flavor and dimension. Please don’t leave them out.
  5. Be careful not to over bake your brownies! You know when your brownies are perfectly cooked when they’re firm around the edges but they’re still soft to the touch in the middle. After baking, let your brownie relax at room temperature for best results. Factor in that they continue to set once they comes out of the oven.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time1 hr.
My chef-tested, Best Ever Brownies recipe are everything you’d want in a homemade brownie: ooey-gooey, fudge-like, and oh so delicious!
Servings: 16 Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (8 oz./225g) butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (coconut or canola)
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6 1/4 oz./177g) brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 1/4 oz./227g) white sugar
  • 4 large eggs , room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (5 oz./142g) all purpose flour
  • 1 cup (4 oz./115g) good quality, unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (9 oz./255g) roughly chopped chocolate or large chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) then line a 7×11 inch baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. 
  • In a large bowl combine melted butter, oil and both sugars.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla and salt then whisk for about one minute until evenly combined and light in color.
  • Over the same bowl sift in the flour and cocoa powder.
  • Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined (do NOT over mix).
  • Fold in half of the chocolate chunks.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then smooth the top. Generously top with the remaining chocolate chunks.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the centre of the brownies no longer jiggles and is JUST set to the touch.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before removing from the baking tray and slicing into 16 brownies.
  • Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze.

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