Vanilla Squishy Kisses

 

It seems that the lack of faith I had in my oven was unfounded. Another example of a workman blaming his tools perhaps! RHETORICAL!!!!

I am experimenting with my Easter menus at the moment and I feel that Easter is a wonderful time for you to involve young children in your preparation. The pressure is not on to produce perfection at Easter in the way it can be at Christmas & my Vanilla Squishy Kisses are perfect for getting to grips with combining the mixtures, using cake cutters of all shapes and sizes and perfecting the art of that tricky piping gun.

I found it slightly tiresome to make several dozen sponge cakes, so instead I make a loaf, slice it and then use the cutters to make the shapes of individual cakes. If you use the cutters wisely you can minimize waste and the outside edges of the cake slices will be the only part of the loaf that needs to go in the bin.

Vanilla Squishy Kisses

Makes up to two dozen cakes depending on the size of the cutters. This recipe does not include the use of any electrical equipment so your kiddies can really get involved in every part of the creation.

Pre heat your oven to 170 c

Cream 250 g of unsalted butter , at room temperature,  with the back of a wooden spoon. This should only take a moment. Add 375 g of caster sugar and continue to cream together with the butter. Add to that 5 whisked eggs and, you've guessed it, cream together with the back of your wooden spoon. I have used Old Cotswold Legbar eggs for this recipe. Not only are they a superior egg but the shells come in an amazing palette of pale blues, pinks and yellows. The eggs make great candidates to be blown and the shells used in some of your Easter projects. Add three teaspoons of a good quality pure Vanilla extract. Mix together 500g of plain flour, half a teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking powder and begin to add, in stages, to the rest of the mixture. When all of the flour has been added and the mixture has been bound together to a golden, lump free, smooth drippy consistency pour in to a greased 10 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Let the mixture settle in the pan for a few moments and then pop into a preheated oven at 170c for about an hour. You are looking for an even colour across the top of the loaf, avoiding letting the loaf becoming too dark.

Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely before attempting to slice & make shapes from it. If your kiddos can bear it, make the loaf with them in the evening before bed and then ice it in the morning.

Once the loaf has cooled completely, slice into slices. This sized loaf should easily produce 14 - 15 slices. Then you can begin to cut each slice into all sorts of different shapes using your cookie cutters. I have used my star shaped and heart shaped cutters all in different sizes. Place the smaller shapes on top of the bigger shapes to form little cake towers and decorate with buttercream frosting.

Buttercream Frosting.

Cream 8 oz of icing sugar, 1 oz of butter (at room temperature), 1 teaspoon of a good quality pure Vanilla extract and two to three tablespoons of milk. Add the third spoonful if it looks like the mixture needs more liquid and is a bit thick but not before. Beat the mixture together with the back of your wooden spoon until all is as light & creamy as you can make it. If you are wanting to use two different food colourings split the mixture into two bowls and add the colour separately before adding it to your icing gun and piping away merrily!

   

Comments

[Amien]

Wow! Great info. I wish, I could have such a writing skills.

[Raquel]

These look so yummy(love buttercream frosting)! The pictures are great too, so colorful!
Great blog!

[Ginny]

Hi Cherry, thank you for the email. I did not realise that anyone was having difficulty leaving comments on my blog. I have changed it now, so please try again and see if it works.

Those little kiss goodies look fabulous. I am going to try them with my children. If mine look anything as good as yours I may even post a picture, that's if they stay on the plate long enough.

Best wishes Ginny (Twinklepink)

[Mª Teresa]

Yummy yummy, beautiful, sorry my english its horible.
Greetings from Barcelona.

[Jo]

cake in the bin! I didn't think that was allowed, it's certainly never happened here!!

[Laurie]

Deeelish! I love BOTH of your sites! You are a lady after my own heart with your colors and pretties and yummy eats! I always look forward to your posts, Cherry!!

[vanilla man]

vanilla extract and whole vanilla beans, history, growing vanilla

[Renee]

Oh my goodness what stunning photos! So sunny and happy and bright and wonderful. A gorgeous recipe, i just have to try it. You are such a fabulous stylist, i am totally impressed! Renee x

[Kim]

The outsides of the cake go into the bin?? More likely, my mouth! :)

[Julia]

Ooooh pretty, I want a vanilla squishy kiss!

[Beachy]

What perfect timing! As my Mom said she is giving me many of the cookie cutters I used as a child ... these will not only make a tasty treat for my kidlets, but a sentimental one for me!

[clarice]

yummm, this would be soo fun for the girls to make. Thank you Clarice

[Gigibird]

Perhaps the outer "crusts" of your sponge could be used in a trifle? or even made into cake crunmbs ready to be used in another recipe?
Just a thought.

[Nonnie]

These look so delicious! I'm really in the mood for baking at the moment. I just got some new cutters in the post the other day and can't wait to try them.