Tis the Season

I am not a big fan of sugar cookies. Sure, they taste fine but I've never felt they were something special.

However, they are the perfect canvas. And tis the season right? So I decided to get to the best part of the holidays, decorating. Cookie decorating.

Since I was bringing these to my internship I didn't want any denominational issues and since they were for a surprise baby shower for someone in the office, they were snow themed and blue because shes having a boy!

I love everything about pastry bags, colored icing, sparkling sugar and delicate dragées.

pa rum pa pum pum



Cookies:

1 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

from Disney's Family Cookbook

Let them eat cake

My sister's birthday was last week and I remembered amidst all the seasonal stresses that this meant one thing...cake! Now I absolutely love cake, I love how flaky it is and soft and how it seems like pillows of happiness melting in your mouth. My sister and I both adore cake so I pulled out a recipe that I created in college and has stuck around ever since.

Kate (my sister) loves mint chocolate chip ice cream, it has always been her favorite so why not mix together the two things she loves most? Viola I give you mint chocolate chip cake.



Cake:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

from Better Home and Gardens Baking Book



This my friends makes all the difference. You can use all purpose flour but if you want light and airy cake like you've never tasted before you will take my advice. Since first using cake flour I have never gone back, not for one second.




Icing:

2 cans of vanilla icing (I usually hate fake icing but it works well for this cake)

1 bag of mini chocolate chips

2 teaspoons of peppermint extract

6 drops of green food coloring


a little mixing


and a little whipping



Heaven!