Monday, October 31, 2016

About That Cake

I told you that Genevieve made her own birthday cake, and I'm reporting back to say it was delicious and beautiful.

She made the cake by her very own self.  I just pointed her towards some good recipes and helped her to get the cakes out of the pans.

She had her heart set on a layer cake, even though I cautioned her that layer cakes require some extra skills and patience and that I didn't even attempt a layer cake until I was about 25.  I offered to ice the cake to spare her some frustration, but no, she was firm and confident. There's a section in Mennonite Country-Style about icing a layer cake, so I suggested she read that first. If you are not familiar with this cookbook, a Virginia mother wrote it for her daughters when they left home, to pass on all the cooking hints and helps she thought they would want as they started up their own kitchens.  

Then Genevieve chose an icing recipe and got up on a stool for the icing syringe my aunt got in South Africa (what a great reason for a trip:  I need more tips for the icing syringe!).  She tinted the icing, and used two different tips to pipe words and a border.  The icing had picked up chocolate crumbs as she iced the cake:  she shrugged and called it "cookies-and-cream icing."  She scattered candy pearls on top and used the last of the rice paper butterflies. I truly was not in the kitchen while this was going on and she cleaned up everything when she was done.  



And when we sliced into it that evening, it was perfectly moist and delicious on top of being pretty.  I am so impressed. Amazed.  Excited to watch her continue to grow and bloom.

8 comments:

Nancy In Boise said...

WOW, what a great job! You may have a professional chef in the making!!!

Alica said...

Great job! I'm still not confident with layer cakes and I'm (shhhh!) almost 50!

Thrifty Mom In Boise said...

What a beautiful cake! She did a wonderful job.

BLD in MT said...

That is wonderful! It looks like it turned out superbly well! Better than my first layer cake by far!! (And I was easily in my mid-twenties.) I am impressed. Also, cookies-and-cream frosting! I adore it when people can just roll with the way things turn out. It is such a good skill to possess!

Becky said...

Impressive! I do layer cakes, but my decorating skills fall way, way short of hers.

e said...

Well done, Genevieve! Truly impressive!

It's both wonderful and terrifying when they grow up, isn't it? Today a layer cake, tomorrow off to college...

Polly said...

She looks so proud, and she should be! Great job, Genevieve! I am so impressed with your skills.

And Margo, thanks: I just bought that cookbook, used, online...can't wait to check it out.

jenny_o said...

She did a really wonderful job. I'm impressed, too! Some people have a knack for cakes. Seems she might be one of those.