Fondant Reviews, Almond Bundt Cake, Graduation Cakes

The fondant cake tasted better than I expected. I will admit that most of the time I peeled the fondant off and ate it separate from the cake, but it was pretty good. AND... the Golden Butter Cream Cake is now my absolute favorite recipe from The Cake Bible - it stayed moist and delicious down to the very last piece. I took it to work on Wednesday and it was finished off that afternoon. Not too bad for the cake to still be good that long after I iced it.

On Tuesday afternoon, Terry and I pulled in the driveway after our two days in Rochester, and Bret, Natalia, and Gabby were just leaving after coming to feed the dogs and let them out. I asked him if he had given the girls cake, and he said that he didn't, because we hadn't told him he could. Being the good grandma that I am, I cut a piece and was feeding it to the girls.

Natalia: "I want a polka dot bite."
Grandma: "Sure; here you go. Here's a bite for you, Gabby."
Natalia (as Grandma gets a bite ready with cake, icing, and "polka dot" (new technical name for fondant)): "I just want a polka dot. Give that bite to Gabby."
Natalia (as Grandma again prepares a bite with not only polka dots, but cake as well): "No! I just want a polka dot. That's Gabby's bite."
a few bites later...
Natalia (as Grandma gets a polka dot bite ready): "NO! Gabby can't have the polka dot! Give that bite to me."

(Fast forward to Friday night when they came to visit)
Grandma: "I made another cake. Would you like a piece?"
Natalia: "Sure."
(walk into kitchen)
Natalia: "Where's my polka dot? I don't like this cake." (Mind you, this is before she even tried a bite.)

(Skip to Saturday afternoon. I've just leveled off a white cake before putting it into the freezer. Warm "cake topping" is a Nordstrom family favorite.)
Grandma: "Natalia, do you want a bite of cake? Gabby likes it."
Natalia: "I don't want some today. I'll just have polka dots. Where are they, Grandma?"

I'VE CREATED A POLKA DOT MONSTER!

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We were discussing Almond Pound Cake at work a week or two ago and I've been searching high and low for a recipe that I made several times a few years ago. I can picture the recipe in the cookbook - recipe on the left page, photo on the right... but I cannot find the recipe. I went through every cookbook and couldn't find it. I finally searched for Almond Bundt Cake and found a recipe that seemed somewhat similar. I had a little concern since it doesn't contain any leavening.  It rose though - coming to the top of my bundt pan. I made that on Thursday night and took it in on Friday. Oh yeah... Joy's comment: "What is the point of a cake without frosting?" Needless to say, she didn't try it. Jenn, Jeri, and Wendi enjoyed it however.

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I reverted to cake mixes today to get Olivia's graduation cakes into the freezer. I am making two 12x18 white cakes and two 12x18 cherry-chocolate cakes. The chocolate ones can't be frozen, so I will have to make them next Friday night / Saturday morning.

After going so long on "scratch" cakes, it was sort of strange to go back to the box. On the other hand, I've made Betty Crocker white cake so many times, I wasn't worried about it failing. That is one problem with trying new recipes - you never know if you're following the directions exactly as the author intended.

As I mentioned above, the warm cake topping was a favorite for everyone - except 'Talia.