Drop Sugar Cookies

Recipe from Carolyn Nielson

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together 2 minutes:

2 c. sugar

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. shortening

Add:

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix in:

1 1/2 tsp. each baking soda, baking powder, salt

5 c. flour

Scoop or roll dough into 1.5 inch balls, then roll balls in sugar. Regular sugar works, but I like coarse sugar better. 

Smash them flat. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 minutes. 

Notes:

These freeze well. I put them in a small container with wax paper between.

The key to making these cookies taste fantastic is to underbake them a decent amount--no hint of brown except maybe on the very bottom. If they get fully baked, they're crumbly and dry and sad. Pull them out while they still look puffy and a little doughy and you think they're not done yet. Move them to a rack after a few minutes, then let them cool into chewy, buttery, yummy cookies.

Wilton Cake Class Part 2

This last month I completed step two of one of my life long goals and took another cake decorating class. This was the second Wilton Cake Decorating Course also known as Flowers and Cake Design.  I am one step closer to confidently decorating my children's cakes.

Here are my thoughts on the second course. You can see my review and materials needed for course one here. 

• Spread the courses out over the course of a year. I am burnt out of decorating cakes. It takes a lot of time and resources to get everything together.
• Keep practicing whenever you get the chance.
• Check out videos on youtube to review. I really like Cake Darla.

Here is schedule of the supplies you will need to complete Course 2. I'm still adding things to my cake tackle box when I get a coupon. I highly recommend this box. It fits almost all of my cake decorating supplies inside.

Week 1
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Wet wipes/towel/napkins/paper towels
Plastic bags
Apron
Gum Paste
Neon Fondant Multipack (You really need the neon. The gum paste turns it into pastel colors.)
Small container with water
White vegetable shortening
1 Tb Cornstarch
1 Tb Powdered Sugar
Tapered Spatula
Angled Spatula
9 inch rolling pin with Guide Rings
Parchment Triangle (I had some left over from Kit 1)
Practice board (From Kit 1)
Student Kit 2
Box for flowers

Week 2 
Cloth wipes
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
25 Waxed Paper Squares
Wax Paper
Repositionable glue stick
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

20 paper napkins
1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Apron
Practice board (From Kit 1)
10 Parchment Triangle Bags
Student Kit 2
Assorted colors of Royal Icing
Regular Sized Muffin tin to carry home flowers

Week 3

Cloth wipes
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
25 Waxed Paper Squares
Candy Foil Squares
Wax Paper
Repositionable glue stick
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Apron
Practice board (From Kit 1)
10 Parchment Triangle Bags
Student Kit 2
Assorted colors of Royal Icing
Regular Sized Muffin tin to carry home flowers

Week 4
Cloth wipes

Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
Waxed Paper
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

20 paper napkins
1/2 c. corn starch
1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Repositionable glue stick
Practice board with stand (From Kit 1)
Flowers made class 1-3
Colored buttercream frosting
Iced cake ready to decorate
Cake Carrier (optional)
Turntable (optional)
Cake design

My ultimate goal is to one day make something as elegant as this cake. Right now I still need to practice my roses and leaves.

Source

Wilton Cake Class Part 1

One of my life long goals was to take a cake decorating class. So when a local craft store had a 50% off sale on Wilton cake decorating classes and kits I jumped on it and signed up for the first two classes.

After completing the first course I decided to share my thoughts with you. 

• Classes are expensive. Wait until they are on sale. 
• Take the class with a friend. You can share supplies. You also have someone to listen to your snide remarks and reassure you that the frosting blob kind of resembles a flower.
• Buy things online or with coupons. Almost every other week my craft store has a coupon. I use them and buy my supplies slowly. Sign up for the stores email and check your mailbox for fliers. I've saved over $50 by using coupons. 
• Be patient with yourself. Decorating cakes is hard. 
• Make time to practice. 
• Be prepared to bake a lot. 
• Find someone to give your finished products too. I've discovered that my husband doesn't really care for frosted cakes. 

Here is schedule of the supplies you will need to complete Course 1 Cake Decorating Basics. I personally did not buy everything. I'm still adding new things to my cake arsenal when I get a new coupon. I wish that I had been able to find this list before I started my class. Then I could have started gathering my supplies earlier.

Week 1
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Wet wipes/towel/napkins/paper towels
Plastic bags
Apron
Box for cookies
3-4 Cookies (I would suggest buying a box of oatmeal cookies and frosting the back.)

Student Kit 1
Small tub of Wilton Buttercream Frosting


Week 2 
Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
Waxed Paper
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

20 paper napkins
1 c. powdered sugar
1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Apron
Student Kit 1
1 recipe thin consistency buttercream icing
1 recipe medium consistency buttercream icing
8 inch cake on a 10 inch cake board
Cake filling (optional)
Piping gel
Cake leveler (Bread knife works as well in a pinch)
Turntable (optional)
Icing colors
10 inch cake board for torting
16 inch featherweight decorating bag (optional)
Tip 789 (optional)
Cake Lifter (optional)
Cake Carrier (optional)

Week 3
Cloth wipes

Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
Waxed Paper
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

20 paper napkins
1 c. powdered sugar
1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Apron
Colored thin and medium buttercream icing
20 - 2 inch wax paper squares (I cut my own.)
6 plain cupcakes (Bake these from the leftover batter when you make a cake and freeze them in a ziplock bag until you are ready to use them.)
Cake Carrier (optional)

Week 4

Cloth wipes

Pen/Pencil
Scissors
Toothpicks
Tape
Waxed Paper
Plastic bags
Several disposable plastic cups

20 paper napkins
1 c. powdered sugar
1 water bottle
Paper bag (For your trash)
Repositionable glue stick
Colored buttercream frosting
Iced cake ready to decorate
Cake Carrier (optional)
Turntable (optional)

I had a lot of fun. But I still need to practice a lot of my technique. Here is my update on class two.