Celebrating Togetherness

Whether making dessert for 25 or 50, let me make it fast and easy for you. These two cakes made 48 generous slices. They could have been sliced a bit smaller making 30 servings per 1/2 sheet cake pan, 60 total. I love gatherings but used to get exhausted trying to do it all. I found not only is organization key but recipes that look and taste delicious with the least amount of effort are best when serving a large group. I do fall into the believers … deliciousness comes from not only the palate but the visual too. For these cakes I chose attractive gold colored half cake pans. I knew I wasn’t going to remove the baked cakes to another dish. Side by side, they looked lovely on the self-serve dessert table. If you wish to perfect this further, a la Martha Stewart, use a ruler when slicing the entire cake to give the eye the beauty of exactness, and use attractive, sterling perhaps, serving utensils.

Now for the cakes … Just about any three layered cake recipe works. For the German Chocolate Cake I used the Baker’s German Chocolate recipe for the cake and frosting. These recipes are printed on the Baker’s German Chocolate inside wrapper. I’ll list the ingredients later. This cake whips up nicely with a few extra steps like melting the chocolate and beating the egg whites separately. It’s worth it if you love sweet chocolate with a pecan coconut topping. Hard to beat. For the white cake I used this delicious recipe, here. It was time to try a new (to me) white cake recipe. I liked the idea that this one uses whole eggs and doesn’t require the extra step of beating egg whites. It also uses a bit of shortening and I knew this meant the cake would hold moisture. It didn’t disappoint! For the frosting I used my simple butter cream, recipe to follow. A few things to keep in mind when preparing to bake these recipes in a 1/2 sheet cake pan: 1.) Grease and lightly flour your pan wiping off excess on the top edges of the pan. Remember you will be serving the cake in this pan and want it to look tidy. 2.) Spread the batter evenly especially in the corners of the pan. 3.) The cake will bake faster, 15-30 minutes depending on your oven. 4.) Use a toothpick in the center for doneness. Keep in mind the center is likely to take longer to bake. However, the cake will continue to cook when removed from the oven. If the cake is pulling away from the edges of the pan and the toothpick is almost clean when pierced in the center it is safe to remove from the oven and allow the heat to continue the cooking process.

Butter Cream Frosting for Half Sheet White Cake

1 Box of powdered sugar (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 Cube of butter-room temperature
2 Teaspoons vanilla
Pinch of salt
Milk to moisten (start with 3 tablespoons and increase as needed for spreadability)

Add the five ingredients and beat until creamy. When you begin beating it will seem there isn’t enough liquid. All of a sudden it will begin to cream. You say you added too much milk … just add more powdered sugar.

Ingredients for German Chocolate Cake

Four ounces of German Sweet Chocolate
1/2 Cup water
1 Cup butter-room temperature
2 Cups granulated sugar
4 Eggs
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup buttermilk

Frosting

11 Ounce can of evaporated milk (recipe may call for 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 Cups sugar
3/4 Cup butter
4 Egg yolks
1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla
2 Cups flaked coconut
1 1/2 Cups pecan pieces