Makin' Things

It's been a week of nice weather so far.  That's scheduled to change tomorrow so interspersed with reading sessions on the front porch I've been working on makin' things.

 Part Two of the Chocolate Cake Showdown.  This one was a malted milk chocolate cake with the the frosting I had left from last week's cake (Last week I made Ina Garten's cake but not her frosting.)  For this one, once the leftover frosting was warmed to room temperature I added lots of malted milk powder to the frosting, too.  The concensus was three to one.  Daughter liked this one better because the cake was a little more dense. Taste was a tie.

And, as I put this together I prayed a lot to my guardian angel.  I do so hate piecing by machine.  I hate points.  I hate bits of fabric.  I hate that no matter how careful I am they just don't look like they do in the pictures.  But I persevered, mumbled, and gave thanks when it got to this point where the rows could be attached.  Now, I'm tired of scraps. I've come to realize I will never, ever be rid of scraps.  I want to make a real quilt, a planned out quilt that I hand applique and feel good about while working it.    I want to do a basket quilt but all I see are those HSTs and points and I'm not loving that idea so I continue the search for ideas.


Here's the recipe for the frosting I made for Chocolate Cake Showdown Number 1 (and used the leftover for cake #2)
Last week's cake was Ina Garten's chocolate cake recipe.  You can find it anywhere online. The kids all put it in a hands down winner category. This is the frosting I used:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups softened butter*
8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
7-8 cups powdered sugar
about 1/4 cup milk as needed

Yup, that's 1.5 cups butter and 8 oz. cream cheese.  I told you it was good.    So, mix everything together but stop adding the powdered sugar at 7 cups and see how it feels to you. Powdered sugar measures differently depending on: how long it's been in the cupboard and settled, how you scoop it, do you pack it into the measuring cup or just spoon it loosely? It can be finicky, so stop at 7 and see what it feels like.   I used more than 1/4 cup milk, it was almost 1/2 cup by the time I got the consistency I wanted. The cake is moist and light so you want this frosting to be smoothable.  It makes way more than you will need. The frosting on the 10 inch single layer cake in this picture is what was left over from last week!  You might want to refrigerate the frosted cake if not eating it right away.  The kids didn't wait that long.

For the second week's cake I added malt powder to the softened left over frosting and used a mixer to combine.

* I don't really have to tell you to use REAL BUTTER do I?  No margarine, no fake stuff, just real, honest to goodness BUTTER.