Ice-Cream Cake and Cupcakes

Meet the workhorse of our family, KitchenAid mixer meet world, world meet KitchenAid mixer. Next to the espresso machine, the mixer puts in more overtime than the microwave and toaster together. It's never late, never in a bad mood and always up for a challenge. This weekend the mixer was at it again bringing our family too much joy to put into words.

My daughter Sammy celebrated her 6th birthday with 9 of her closest friends, 6 of which stayed overnight. All together, including my two girls, there were 8 girls to wrangle to bed and it was so much fun. Having all of the kids in the house with only myself and my husband to keep the entertainment going was actually a lot easier than we originally thought. After Sammy blew out the candles I damn near came undone. If there were ever a time to use the command, "Scram!" this was it. It was like someone lit a fire under the children. They all jumped up and began pawing and grabbing at my clothes to get my attention as if 12 screaming children weren't enough to make me notice them. Simultaneously but not necessarily in unison, they started beckoning me with quick sharp high pitched voices, "Maya, Maya, Maya." Followed by, "I want that piece, I want that piece, I want that piece." It was unbearable. "I want marshmallows, I want the gum, I want the lifesaver, I want the blue not the white. I want the middle piece, I want the end. . . ." It went on until my husband swooped in and demanded, "Everyone outside now!" And pouf, all the children ran off into the backyard except for one very determined child who without taking a breath said, "Maya, I want that piece, the piece with the blue. Can I have some gum? Can I have the lifesaver? Can I have a big piece?" My husband picked her up as she continued the rapid fire questioning until her voice faded away and she was banished to the backyard along with the rest of them. "Scram kids, ya boder'n me see!" Finally all kids were outside and I had elbow room and calm. My hand no longer trembled and my brain finally focused on the job at hand -- cutting the cake. Every child got exactly what they wanted, a slice of the blue part of the cake, a lifesaver and marshmallows.

The cake, a white cake with a layer of vanilla ice-cream and a layer of chocolate. This was my first attempt at an ice-cream cake. The cake itself wasn't difficult only that I had to work at lightning speed as the ice-cream began melting the moment it came out of the cake pan. I lined the cake pan with plastic wrap and spooned in the softened ice-cream and left it overnight in the fridge. By morning, all I had to do was lift it out of the cake pan. It was super duper easy. I used a 13 by 9 cake pan to make a single layer, cut it in two, and alternated cake, ice-cream, cake, ice-cream. Back in the freezer it went for 30 minutes and then I took it out to frost. I used a large tub of Cool-whip, 8 oz cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar for the frosting and then the cake went back in the fridge for a second time. After several hours, I took it out and frosted one last time with plain Cool-whip. Decorated the the top and here you have it . . .

My daughter is becoming quite the swimmer and enjoys the water so much that I decided to make a swimming pool cake. Marshmallows line the pool and a Graham cracker serves as diving board. I used gum for the lounge chairs. The lifesavers are floats.

Here's what was left after all children were served.

Silver White Cake

2 /14 cups flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups whole milk

2/3 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 egg whites (not beaten)

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour rectangular pan, 13-by-9-by-2 inches. Beat all ingredients except egg whites on low speed 30 seconds, scraping down bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping down bowl occasionally. Add unbeated egg whites; beat in egg whites on high for 2 minutes. Pour into pan.

Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

The Betty Crocker Cookbook

The cake will come out very uniform and flat so if you're not laying with ice-cream, you may want to make 3 of these and fill and frost with a Buttercream Frosting.

Even though this was a kid's party, I made cupcakes for the adults. I used the same cake recipe.

I frosted with Buttercream.

Then topped the frosted cupcakes with a slice of plumb.

I actually didn't get a chance to serve the adults the cupcakes because everyone dropped off their child. So instead, when the parents came in the morning for pick-up, I gave them a few cupcakes to take home for later.

Buttercream Frosting

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoon vanilla

About 3 tablespoons milk

Mix powdered sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. If it's too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

I just want to thank my mixer for helping me get through another event. You're the best!