Bridal Shower Cake

Bridal Shower Cake

My cousin's bridal shower was this past weekend and I was asked to make the shower cake. Yikes, no pressure! I wanted it to be perfect and beautiful. I decided to make a chocolate cake with a raspberry jam filling because it is my cousin's favourite. For the decoration I used a combination of buttercream icing and fondant.

The cake took me 3 hours to make and decorate and it was gone in 10 minutes. :) I think it turned out pretty good.

Chocolate Cake
Adapted from www.wilton.com

I doubled this basic recipe to make two cakes and filled the middle with 1 1/2 cups of raspberry jam.

Makes: One 13 x 9 inch cake.

Ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch pan.

2. Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

3. Pour into mixer bowl. Add sugar; beat until well blended.

4. Beat in eggs, one at time. Add vanilla.

5. Stir in 1/2 cup flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.

6. Add remaining flour and milk; mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

7. Bake 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done. Place pan on cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.

Buttercream Icing
Adapted from www.wilton.com

Again, I doubled this recipe to get enough icing to cover and decorate the cake. One batch was a medium consistency and other was a thin consistency.

Makes: 3 cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
2 tablespoons water

Directions:(Medium Consistency)

1. In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer.

2. Add vanilla.

3. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.

4. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.

5. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.

6. Add water and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

7. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

8. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use.

For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add an additional 2 tablespoons of water to the icing.