Baking Workshop 7/24, Monday Morning

[absolutesnark]

"Good morning," Piper says cheerfully as the students arrive. "Today, you're going to bake a cake. I made a sample cake for you, but I also brought muffins again. Take whatever you want."

She hands them a list of instructions. "You'll notice that one of the ingredients is coffee, but it's optional. I made a pot of it if you do want to use it. You can even drink it if you want to."

"There are a lot of instructions here, so you can work with a partner if you want to. As always, ask questions if you need help with anything," she adds.



Equipment Needed

Mixer

2 Cake Pans

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Cooling Rack

Wax Paper

Non-Stick Spray


Ingredients

2 cups Sugar

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 cup Cocoa

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 cup Coffee (optional)

1/2 cup Buttermilk

2 Eggs

2 cups Flour

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda


Instructions

Mix sugar, butter and cocoa.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and coffee.

Mix flour, salt, and baking soda on a paper plate.

Then while the mixer is on a low speed add the ingredients from the paper plate into mixing bowl slowly.

Continue to mix the cake batter until there are no more dry ingredients visible.

Scrape sides of bowl if needed while mixing.

Take both cake pans and spray them with cooking spray.

Then put a round sheet of wax paper (the size of the bottom of the pans) in the bottom of each of the cake pans.

After this spray them again so that all the insides of both are covered.

Pour the cake batter into the cake pans making sure that each pan has half of the batter.

Place them into the pre-heated oven for 35 minutes.

Test if done by inserting a tooth pick, if tooth pick comes out clean cake is done.

Cool to room temperature.

Once the cake has cooled take a knife and cut around the side of the pan to loosen the cake.

Then put a cooling rack on top of it and flip the cake over.

Slowly remove the cake pan.

Remove the wax paper by slowly peeling it off horizontally rather than straight up. This will prevent the wax paper from taking pieces of cake with it.




Equipment Needed

Mixer

Spatulas

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

2 Paper Towels


Ingredients

1 Pound Powdered Sugar

1/2 Cup Cocoa

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Vanilla

6 Tablespoons Coffee (optional)

6 Tablespoons Soft Butter


Instructions

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt.

Add vanilla, coffee and butter while the mixer is stirring.

Wet the paper towels, ring them out and lay them over the frosting bowl. This will prevent the chocolate frosting from drying on top until you are ready to frost the chocolate cake.


Frosting the Cake

Take a spatula and spread on a very thin layer of frosting.

You only need enough so that the other layer will stick, don't drench it in frosting.

Now place the unfrosted second layer on the frosted first layer.

Frost the sides of the cake.

To frost the top, scoop out a large amount of frosting onto the top and then spread it around using the end of your spatula rather than the edge.


[ooc: ingredients and instructions from here.]

Comments

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"I don't need a boyfriend," Molly said with a shake of her head.

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"If that's what you want, or don't want, then good for you," Isabel said with a smile. "Don't let anyone tell you any different."

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly smiled back. "I won't."

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Good," she nodded. "And if you ever need to talk, I'm around and available for all your sounding board needs."

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"Thanks, Isabel," Molly said. "I wish I would have told you sooner, about me and Cam, but it was hard to bring up and I felt... stupid."

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"There's no reason for you to feel stupid," Isabel said firmly. "It didn't work out. That's nothing to be embarassed about. As for it being hard to bring up, I totally understand where you're coming from. Sometimes it's easier to just keep quiet."

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly smiled. "Thanks again, for understanding."

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Anytime," she assured her. "It's what friends are for."

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly smiled again and took another spoonful of frosting. "So, how are things going with you and Greg?"

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

If Isabel looked like she was glowing it was only a trick of the light. Really. "Very well. He's promised me a surprise this afternoon. I have no idea what it is."

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly smiled at Isabel's expression. "Surprises are good. You have no clue?"

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

She shook her head. "No clue. I'm not sure if I should be scared or not."

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly laughed. "It's Greg. I would definitely be scared. But, maybe he's better with you."

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"As long as it doesn't involve Johnina and Petra, I think it'll be okay," Isabel laughed. "I know he can seem like a goof at times. But when we're together? He makes me feel special." Blushing, she suddenly found the bowl of frosting extremely interesting.

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

Molly smiled again. "Good for Greg. I'm glad it's going well. He's nice, even if he is a goof sometimes."

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I've dated jocks and football players," Isabel admitted. "You know, the guys that you're supposed to want to date. I don't think I ever enjoyed myself with them, the way I do with Greg. There's definitely something to be said for the nice guys."

Re: Bake

[bruiser-in-pink.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad Greg makes you happy. You deserve it."

Re: Bake

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," she said, taking one last spoonful of frosting. "It's nice to be happy for a change."