What's the hype about this yellow cake?

Anyone who has ever read my blog, or looked at my Facebook, or spent any amount of time with me, knows I love cake. Cake. Is. Delicious. Period. But I like baking cake even more than actually eating it.

I have been looking for a really great yellow cake recipe for some time now, so when Buzzfeed published this recipe this weekend, I HAD to try it. One day I saw it on Buzzfeed, the next it was all over my Facebook and Pinterest. I just had to know how it stacked up. (Pun totally intended.)

I am happy to report it really was a good cake. But it was just good, not great. It had a good crumb, but it will be quick to dry out. Over time I think I will continue to tweak this recipe to find its perfect sweet spot, but for now why not enjoy a delicious cake because you can!

Below is the recipe as laid out by Buzzfeed, but I am providing my own step by step instructions. I have a few things that I changed, and a few instructions that will help you ace this cake that they left out.

For the Yellow Cake:

• Nonstick spray (like Baker's Joy) 
• 4 cups all-purpose or cake flour 
• 2 tsp. baking powder 
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt 
• 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk 
• ½ cup vegetable oil 
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 cups sugar 
• ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar 
• 4 large eggs 
• 4 large egg yolks 

At least 45 minutes before you plan to begin making your cake batter, take your butter, eggs, and buttermilk out of the refrigerator. It's important that all the ingredients are room temperature to make a consistent batter and to help it come together. You will want to separate the egg yolks and whites for 4 of the eggs while they are still cold. (It is so much easier to do when they are cold.) Place the white back in the fridge in a sealed container, and leave the yolks out on the counter. The other 4 eggs do not need to be cracked at this time.

(45 minutest later) Preheat oven to 325° and position one rack in the top of the oven and one rack in the middle of the oven. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray like Baker's Joy, or spread butter/shortening all over the pans using a pastry brush and then coat in flour. [I used an 8 inch pan because that is what I have. I also baked the cake in stages. Do what you gotta do!]

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together; set aside. For extra points, sift the ingredients together. It makes a difference in the texture of the batter. In a measuring cup combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; set aside. Beat together until the mixture is no longer separated.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and light brown sugar. Using an electric mixer on high, beat everything together until it’s super light and fluffy. You want the sugar to be losing its crystal texture.

Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating in between additions. Beat the batter until it’s almost doubled in volume and very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You want this mixture to be a pale yellow, and for there to be absolutely no sugar granules. It is important to scrape down the sides of the bowl during this process, and make sure you get all the way to the bottom so no crystals remain in the end.

Now it's time to add the liquid and dry ingredients. The great Paula Deen suggets beginning and ending with the liquid to ensure a velvety texture, so who am I to argue. Start by adding about one fourth of the liquid mixture into the batter and beat on low to slowly incorporate. Then add one third of the dry mixture, and slowly beat into the cake. Alternate with the remaining ingredients until everything is incorporated. Make certain to end with liquid.

Divide the batter into the pans. (Or if you're me with one pan, measure it out following Wilton's handy chart according to what pan you are using.) Be very careful not to overfill the pans, because this cake rises! I almost had a HUGE problem on my hands (which led me to bumping down the temperature from the original recipe.) Each cake will need to bake between 35 and 40 minutes, or until golden, pulling away from the pan, and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for just a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Make sure all the layers are completely cool before icing. Also, don't forget to level the cakes before stacking them!

My mom's Chocolate Buttercream Icing: 

• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2-4 tbsp cream/milk 

Beat together the butter and shortening until smooth. Beat in the cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add in the powder sugar, beating the mixture and stopping periodically to scrape down the bowl. Before adding the last cup of powder sugar, add no more than 2 tbsp of cream and beat until well combined. Add the last cup of powder sugar. At this point continue beating the icing until it is smooth and creamy. If the icing is to stiff, add more cream, if it is too soft or will not set up on its own, add a little more powder sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

All in all this was a good cake. Not the best I have ever had, definitely nowhere near the worst. It was a crazy five and a half inches tall! I wasn't sure it was going to pit in my cake stand. Hopefully you'll have a chance to try this recipe and let me know what tips and tricks you used to make this your own. And don't forget to check out more of my cakes and recipes!

I'm back! With some Bourbon Caramel Buttercream, of course!

You know what, sometimes life throws you some curve balls. The last time I updated my food blog I was living in Lubbock and just looking for my first teaching job. SOOOOOOO much has changed since then, and I am finally ready to start sharing my foodie life with y’all again!

For those of you that had no idea I even had a cooking blog, well, that isn’t surprising at all. For those of you that were around the first time, I hope you will excuse my absence. I am happy to say that I have been thinking about ‘Manda’s Menu Musings’ quite a lot recently and it was something I couldn’t shake. I kept promising myself that I would pick the blog back up after grad school, but that just didn’t seem to be enough. I dreamed of recipes I wanted to write about, I found myself helping all of my friends with their cooking questions, and my fiancé has heard me talk about this project for months now.

So, I am very pleased to say Manda’s Menu Musings is back and is going through a major over haul! Thanks for coming on this journey with me as I start to document my life again!

Today’s recipe actually forced me to pick the blog up a little earlier than I had even planned (thanks for that Ryan!) I posted this picture to my Facebook and got lots of positive feedback, and requests for the recipe. I have done a few caramel frostings before, so I really just did this by guessing. It was delicious, even though I wish I had mixed more caramel in. (Don’t worry, I have already adjusted the recipe for y’all.)

Is your mouth watering yet?

I hope y’all enjoy this boozy treat!

Bourbon Caramel Buttercream

Bourbon Caramel Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp Bourbon (personally, I like Makers Mark, and of course, I used a little extra, because I’m from Kentucky and everything)

To prepare the caramel, using the thickest bottom pot you have, mix the sugar and water and swirl around in pan. It’s important to remember NEVER USE A SPOON AT THIS STEP!!!!! Over medium heat let this mixture disintegrate, bubble, boil, and come to an amber color. This will probably be about 15 minutes. It’s important to not let this burn. Watch very carefully.

When you see the amber color pull it off the heat, and grab your spoon. Very slowly stir in the heavy cream, making sure to never stop stirring. Finish by stirring in the bourbon. And viola! You have it! Feel free to eat a spoonful now, because heaven knows I did!

Buttercream Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• ½ shortening
• 4 cups powdered sugar (plus some extra just in case you need it post caramel)
• Heavy cream

This is my basic butter cream recipe I grew up making with my mom. Pretty much anytime I make icing this is the base I will start with. Why change something that works so well. The more I blog the more you will see variations of this same buttercream recipe.

Yeah, I'm using the paddle. Do as I say and not as I do!

Cream the butter and shortening together. For this version I choose to use some shortening because I always feel like the icing sets firmer than if I did an entire batch with just butter. Since we are going to be whipping in the caramel, we want to make sure the icing will hold its shape.

Slowly beat in the 4 cups of powdered sugar. In between the 3^rd and 4^th cup you will probably start to notice that it looks dry, add in a tablespoon or two of your heavy cream. To help it incorporate.

If you are using a stand mixer switch over from your paddle mixing attachment to your whipping attachment. Add in up to half of your bourbon caramel and whip until it is incorporated and fluffy. When I was making this the other night I only made half a batch of the caramel and so this is where I stopped. You can add more caramel to your taste specifications, but be prepared to add some extra powdered sugar and cream.

And that’s it! You have some delicious frosting to put on top of any cup cake, cake, or let’s be honest, to just eat with a spoon!

It’s great to be back guys! I hope you will have me!

Chocolate Explosions

There have been several times in my lifetime that my mom, and then my mom and I have made chocolate cups. These amazing show pieces really grab attention and make a statement! To fill them I really wanted to do something different than the normal chocolate mousse, then I stumbled upon a recipe for lemon curd. Hmm, interesting idea, but I want something with key lime, I've been craving key lime recently! VIOLA! Key lime curd! But you can't just put curd into a cup, so, BAM! Key lime mousse was born! So yummy! Now, the story of how it came together!

Chocolate Cups with Key Lime Mousse

Cups:
For these you need chocolate that is used as dipping chocolate. You can find this with the Wilton cake supplies at any store that carries the brand. Then you'll need real balloons, not water balloons, but actual latex balloons. Blow these up just enough to make a round shape, and you can always judge the size by what size bowl you'd like to make. Wash off the balloons, then make sure they are fully dry. THERE SHOULD BE NO WATER ON THE BALLOONS WHEN YOU DIP THEM IN THE CHOCOLATE! I cannot stress that enough. If any water gets into chocolate it will seize up and your chocolate will no longer be, well, chocolate, instead it will be a clumped mess.

[Side note, the reason this is called chocolate explosions is not because they are full of amazing chocolate. In fact the chocolate is just a sweet undertone. What originally happened is that I wanted to make small cups so I decided to use water balloons for my first go around... BIG MISTAKE! I got one balloon dipped and placed onto the parchment before, BANG!!!! and chocolate was all over me, the counter, all of my friends counter tops. All in all, it was a mess. The latex on water balloons is made to pop with the slightest impact, so when it is heated, it will pop, sending chocolate everywhere. Stick with balloons that have thicker walls.]

Now in a double broiler (a pot that has about an inch of water with another pot or a glass bowl nested on top) place the chocolate into the top and allow to melt, stirring occasionally. Once the chocolate is melted slowly dip a balloon into the chocolate and place on to piece of parchment paper. Dip the appropriate number of balloons for the amount of people you wish to serve, and then allow to cool. Once the chocolate has set, dip the balloons again. Allow to set.

Once the chocolate is solid you can stab the balloon and it will deflate. Slowly peel off the latex and you will be left with your cups!

Key Lime Mousse:

Curd-

• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tbsp butter (cut these into 

Squeeze key limes for juice, this could take a while. (Before slicing into any citrus you are about to juice try this: press the fruit against the counter with the palm of your hand and roll forward. Repeat while rolling the citrus around. You'll notice that the fruit will soften, basically you are juicing the fruit inside the skin. But be careful when you slice into it, a lot of juice will flow.) Make sure to strain the juice to remove pulp. 

In a medium sauce pot combine the juice, sugar, yolks, and eggs and beat with a whisk. Slowly bring this up to medium heat while whisking, then add in the butter and continue to whisk. Now you will need to continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the mixture becomes like jelly, remove from heat and allow to sit. You now have key lime curd!

Allow this to cool fully before trying to mix with the cream. This can also be used on scones, as a filling for cupcakes, or really with most anything sweet. Its heavenly!!!

To complete the mousse:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

*Work with a metal bowl and whisk attachment that have been in the freezer for at least 15 mins. The cooler these materials are the better the whipped cream will be*

Place all the ingredients into the bowl and whisk on high until the whipped cream forms peaks. Take off mixing stand and fold in half of the cooled lime curd. 

Alright, now all that's left is to savor this wonderful dessert. I plated mine with fresh raspberries and a raspberries sauce. (I'll teach you the sauce in an upcoming post, so stay tuned.) I hope you guys enjoy this scrumptious dessert, its something not a lot of people have every day. 

Enjoy!