The Workshop Update: Respect For All Week...

It was a Stormy and Blustery Morning! Visibility was not good and the sheets of spiky flakes hitting our faces failed to dash our hopes for a wonderful day. It is was a wonderful day after all...The link and Recipes for the Pretzel Candy are here.

After the mini blizzard!...Quite a cold winter day but it was warm at the
Respect For All Workshop!

We had a good discussion. About how we miss our Grandma's because the good grandma didn't curse or belittle you...She'd just pull you along side of her and tell you don't do this or that...tell you how much she loved you. Hug or kiss you...so sweet is the love of the true Grandma persona. She'd make sure you had what you need before you even asked. Respecting you as the individual that you are. I wanted to give the very best to my grandmother's always. Out of respect toward her.

That led us to talk more about being a good neighbor. I want to say...when you are caught off guard by a neighbor and don't know what to say. In most cases...It's always good to just say thank you and walk away. A soft answer always turns wrath away. You know, speak softly....! I've experienced meddlesome people, but on average most people really do mean well. The intention really isn't to do harm. If more people would have this perspective we truly would all be good neighbors. I realize it's a different time but good manners is always good to practice.

A few of the other offerings The pretzels went
fast...before I took some pictures. The Display
has gum paste hearts and baby's breath.
The cake is covered in Ganache  with a chocolateModeling clay flower like the cup cakes below.

The parents and visitor made these look so cute and yummy
But you can see how simple these are to make.
Pick your cake and frosting, buy a tip(we used the french tip) at a baking supply and
You are off to a little bit a special. It just makes everyone smile

This is the same cake recipe and frosting picture above in the Workshop, only I used a spatula and a bouncy
Motion Don't you think they look scrumptious?
When the cake is good on it's own
I like to leave some without frosting...

Although the recipe isn't chocolate it lends very well to chocolate with or without the streusel filling...

Sock it to Me Cake...Mama Neely's Recipe.

Always keep something of your Heritage even when things don't work out like you'd like. Everyone comes from somewhere.

A basic yellow cake. I like the way it looked in the Neely's Cookbook. Read this recipe all the way through then proceed.

Streusel filling-

2 Tbsp. Brown sugar

2 tsp. Ground cinnamon

1 c. coarsely chopped pecans

YELLOW CAKE-

2 1/4 c. Cake flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs unbeaten

GLAZE-

1/4 c. Confectioners' sugar

2 Tbsp. Milk

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350F

Coat  a 9x13 in. Baking pan with non stick spray. To make the streusel filling, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans in a small bowl and set aside.

To make the  cake, sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Add the oil, 3/4 c. of milk, vanilla, and lemon juice and using a paddle attachment, (start slow) beat for 2 min. at high speed.

Add the remaining 1/4c. milk and eggs and beat 2 more min...Pour 2/3 of the batter into a prepped pan. Sprinkle the strudel evenly over the batter, then spoon the remaining batter evenly over the filling. Bake for 28-33 min. Or until a toothpick comes out clean. The cake will bounce back when lightly touched with a finger. Allow the cake to cool for 25 min. in the pan. run a knife around the edges. Invert onto a serving plate for complete cooling.  

To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioners'

sugar, milk and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over cooled cake.