Mindy Belle

Easter Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
3 cups of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup of granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Method
Mix flour salt and baking soda in a bowl and leave to one side.
In another bowl beat the butter and sugar with a electric mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add the flour and beat until you have a nice smooth dough.
Divide the dough into two pieces and wrap with glad wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly flour surface to about 1 cm thickness.
Cut out your shapes, place on a tray with backing paper and bake at 180 degrees
for 7 to 10 mins or until golden on the outside edges.

Royal Icing
2 to 3 egg whites
4 cups of icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar

Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar, slowly add icing sugar.
Whip until a smooth fluffy icing.
Pipe onto the cookies and decorate with your kids.

Enjoy!
Happy Easter 2014 !!

Vanilla White Cake

Margie’s 30th

Serves 20 to 25 Ladies

Ingredients
1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups of white sugar
5 eggs
3 cups of plain flour ( white wings )
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of full cream milk
1/2 cup of buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method
1. Preheat Oven to 180 degrees.
Prepare 3 X 23cm Cake Pans with non-stick baking paper on the base and butter the walls and base and finish with flour.
2. Cream Butter and Shortening until light and fluffy with a electric mixer.
Add 1 cup of sugar at a time , making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another.
Add one egg at a time beat well between additions.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milks and vanilla into a measuring jug and whisk together with a fork.
4. Add to butter and shortening mix alternatively with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
5. Gently mix all ingredients until well combined. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl making sure all ingredients
are well combined.

6. Evenly distribute cake batter between cake pans and place pans in oven. Bake for 25 mins or until cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Allow cakes to cook completely before frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting

4 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup of shortening
2 to 3 tablespoons of full cream milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

In a large bowl beat icing sugar, butter, shortening on low speed until blended.
Beat in milk and vanilla on medium speed until smooth.

Blob some frosting on the cake stand then place first layer frost each layer finishing
with a thick layer on the sides and top of cake.

I decorated the finished cake with silver Cachous and fresh Roses.

Chill for a hour before serving.

Enjoy !!!