ITALIAN CREAM CAKE RECIPE
This recipe has been difficult since the first time I made it. The original recipe I have goofed up every way possible.
I have tried doctoring cake mixes to make something close to this texture and taste. I haven’t found that solution yet.  Even watching it as close as we could and  trying not to over bake this cake, it always seemed to be to dry. Brenda Siron (a good friend) seems to have found the answer for us.  she uses cake flour (look for it in boxes in your grocery store shelves) only.
it works great for her.  I found using the cake flour only didn’t work for me. so,  I tried using half cake flour and half regular flour.  using the cake flour you  also have to increase the amount of flour used. this still produces a very dense cake but, it is now very moist.  Here is the new adjusted recipe.

You will need two large mixing bowls.  Put in mixing bowl
1 pound (4 cups) sugar (I think she means confectioners’ sugar? - Dolores)
1 cup Egg yolks
1 1/4 cups Wesson oil
1 1/4 cups margarine

Beat until light and fluffy

In the grease free mixing bowl #2 place the egg whites and beat at highest speed with the beater or wire whip

Measure 3 cups sifted cake flour and 3 cups regular flour

In a four cup measuring cup measure 2 1/2 cups buttermilk and add 2 1/2 teaspoons. Soda. Stir until the soda is dissolved and the mixture is rising

Add the flour and the buttermilk mixture alternately to the sugar/egg mixture. Add
1 tbl. Butavan

CCChefDol: ...butavan...can't we just add butter flavoring and vanill since we can't get butavan?
CCChefPwd: Right dee - The price on that has gone up to $30 per gallon.

In a very large bowl mix 2 cups chopped pecans and 2 cups shredded coconut.  Stir  in the batter and then fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites.   Fill the pans 2/3 full and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20  minutes.
HINT - this is the maximum you can mix in the Kitchenaid 5 qt. Mixer.

Two of the recent things I learned in this AOL world of ours how to put a link into e-mail and what the ignore button is and where to find it. Do all of you know about these two things?

To put a link into your e-mail you just compose your letter and when you get to the  point you want to insert a link -  open up your favorites list and click on the listing you want to send someone.  Drag it to your letter and insert it where you want it.
Isn’t that easy.  Dolores has lots of good links on her web page http://www.sugarcraft.com/
and Diane has made a great page of links for all of us.  Check on her web page   http://members.aol.com/shavkin/index.htm    for all kinds of recipe sites and other cake decorators web pages.  Aren’t links great - you can travel from site to site all day
in our cake decorating world just using the links from web page to web page to web page.
 
We are so fortunate in this chat room because we just get very few people who are  intentionally disruptive.  If that should happen and you don’t want to see what that person is saying you can push your ignore button.           Where?     How?
see the list on the right of your chat screen with everyone’s names listed in the chat  room.   Double click on a person’s name.  A small screen will come up and it has a  couple of buttons at the bottom - click on the ignore button if you don't want to see what that person is saying.   Another easy thing but unless you know how to do these things  they aren’t valuable tools to you.
 

My biggest hint EVER is the one where I put a dab of florist clay on my nail to make the wax paper squares stick on. It works perfectly and you don't need to worry ever again of your best flower falling off because it your wax paper didn't stick. Use  a very small dab and smooth it down until you can barely feel it. Then your tip will slide over it smoothly.

How about a great cake you have recently decorated?
I made a neato cake - my 'western' wedding cake. I iced the 3-tier cake brownish ivory. They had rope bows made. I used black cowboy hats and real dried wheat. There is a picture of it on my web site here: http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/wedding/wedding.htm
I don't get to make many fun cakes. I only do wedding cakes and they are the same things over and over...most of the time anyway. It was fun to do something different.

Castle cakes are real popular now. So I put one in the JUNE newsletter for you. It is pretty simple and not huge. It uses rolled fondant for the spires. This is a fast and perfect covering. My students are now doing rolled fondant in  course 3. They are real surprised when they find out how easy it is and how perfect their cakes look.

What about ICES....are any of you going? How are your plans going? Need any help?
We are planning on doing our regular AOL chat from the convention on Thursday night. Same time. You really can't tell we are remote unless you are there. Also, we are going to have time to really meet each other and get aquatinted there. BADGES: We need to start planning on a badge to wear to identify computer friends. What did you do last year? Was it the paper badge like I have the pattern for? I still have this on my computer.

ICES BADGES - for everyone who meets online---on AOL or otherwise. NOT JUST AOL members...this is for all of us. Come to our LIVE chat at the ICES show on Thursday evening at 9PM eastern time (8 PM in St. Paul) and we'll exchange badges so we know who each other is. Our chat will be listed in your program so you will know where we will be meeting at. We will have large monitors so everyone can see what's going on.
CCChefPwd: We made some stiff paper badges - but one of the girls made us really neat plastic badges.
MBF821: My husband made the plastic ones. May be he will do it again.
CCChefPwd: we might be able to do the badges at our live chat Thursday evening… so we can identify each other
CCChefDol: YES Pwd, were they paper or what last year?
MBF821: Will we use the same design or a new one this year?
CCChefPwd: I made them from heavy paper and laminated them.  I think I still have the pattern. I can run more off for this year.
CCChefDol: I have the pattern if you don't...good idea - laminating them Pwd, I have it online if you need it?
CCChefPwd: I punched a hole in the top and attached a small safety pin to attach them to our ribbons. I also took some permanent ink pens so that they could write their names at the bottom of the AOL badges
CCChefDol: oh yes, great idea...I'll keep this info and mark it for the show...in our log
CCChefPwd: That would be great if we could do that at Thursday night and not have to chase people down all during the show
KBius: where is this show?
CCChefPwd: Minnesota, St Paul
CCChefDol: GREAT idea Pwd...in fact, fantastic!
CCChefPwd: We will be LIVE and IDENTIFIED.   LOL
CCChefPwd: At the ICES convention you really learn that there are some of the best people in the world who love this sugar art.   Plus the best decorators in the world are there  -  Live and you really learn just what type of people they are

Since tonight is open mike night I only brought one recipe and a couple of interesting AOL things I have recently learned.  I hope you have come prepared to ask questions, give us hints or tell us something interesting that has happened in your sugar art world. 

Tuppy 2: Has anyone decorated with two types of icing before?  frostin pride (Bettercreme) and butter cream
CCChefDol: Tuppy those icings are the same, just dif brands
ShariE1071: question about Bettercreme... can it be colored, and can it be colored deeply?
Tuppy 2: can you decorate with the two different frostings without any problems?
Icing Wiz: tuppy depends on type of frosting
CCChefDol: Tuppy, it seems that in the east we get Bettercreme and in the
west they get the other
Icing Wiz: I have never heard of Frosting pride
CCChefDol: I think its Pastry Pride isn't it?
Tuppy 2: there's frostin pride & pastry pride... Frosting pride takes colors better... More butterfat in it. Pastry pride is more of a whipped topping... like cool whip
ShariE1071: which one is more like Bettercreme?  does it take colors well?
Tuppy 2: use the 800 number on the carton
ShariE1071: yeah, I have to call it anyways, to find out how to divide out a 15 lb tub of icing. That's what I have access to :/

L2jlu2: does anyone here make buttercream with eggs version, how safe and how should the cake be kept after frosting
CCChefDol: eggs...make you need to store it carefully- in the fridge
L2jlu2: can you change the buttercream icing by adding other flavorings.  I would like to make different tasting buttercream icing

Tuppy 2: I need some advice on a wedding cake...  ? on colors... what looks better?  frosting the cake white and using very light
peach for cornelli? lace, or the other way around... frost cake with light peach and do white cornelli lace?
ShariE1071: I think a peach background would be pretty with the white on top
CCChefDol: white alone is harsh. why I always like ivory, so that would be nice too
Tuppy 2: I can't make up my mind.....  it's my first wedding cake so I want it to look good!!
CCChefDol: either way, but if its for a wedding cake, I'd ice white..or ask the customer
CCChefPwd: You can't go wrong with white and ivory Tuppy - It is always stunning
JWGPKG: My own wedding cake had a peach center tier with ivory trim.  Was beautiful.
Tuppy 2: she's not picky.... said to do whatever looked best

AND COLETTE PETERS PAID US A VISIT!!!:
Cakecolet: In case you’re interested, I’m going to be on the food  network Monday on in food today
CCChefDol: what kind of food Cake???
CCChefPwd: Hey room we have the famous Colette Peters with us in the room tonight. Say hello to Colette
Cakecolet: I’m making a wedding cake in 3 1/2 minutes with Bill Boggs
Lizzzie P: Colette, what time?
Tuppy 2: hi Colette..
CCChefPwd: Where is the food network Colette
Thinkchoc: What time is it on ?
Cakecolet: 5:30 eastern time
L2jlu2: what show will you be on Colette?
CCChefPwd: Is that on Cable Colette?
Cakecolet: in food today with David Rosengarten and donna Hanover - Yes, cable
Cindycake1: I have two of your books and I love them
Cakecolet: I’m working on #4 now
CCChefDol: Me too...a customer is making your gold package cake...was just in today
L2jlu2: great, i'll be watching.  i have you on tape when you did "Bakers Dozen"" I believe it was
Tuppy 2: colette, how long have you  been decorating?
Cakecolet: 20 some years
Cindycake1: You have a nice twist in color!
Tuppy 2: your work is beautiful!!
CCChefDol: suppose it was a good audience attractor : )
Icing Wiz: I saw Oprah repeated the episode with that mega $$$$ cake
CCChefPwd: Collette was an artist before she found the cake world - therefore
she is really great as a sugar artist - in my humble opinion
Cakecolet: im going to be doing a cake in saudi arabia for the king in the fall
Icing Wiz: Collete will your other books be paperback. I have hard back but paper back is cheaper
CCChefPwd: How neat Collette - That should be a real experience
Cakecolet: yes,,very scary
CCChefDol: I would think it would be scary
Devonpeter: What is the design for the king?
Icing Wiz: I hope he doesn't kidnap you and make you another wife you know those foreign countries LOL
Cakecolet: he probably has enough wives
CCChefPwd: Will you have to take all of your ingredients with you?
Icing Wiz: LOL but none that do cakes like you!
Shavkin: are very neat and precise.  Wonderful presentation!
Bridal1: What program are we talking and when?
Cakecolet: its only 3 1/2 minutes
Thinkchoc: Colette, are you teaching any rolled fondant and g.p. in the NY area??
Cakecolet: not until my book is finished
L2jlu2: Its channel 57. at 5:30 Monday
CCChefDol: ...won't be 57 everywhere I wager
Cakecolet: its on the food network on cable on monday at 5:30 est
Cakecolet: its only 3 1/2 minutes!
CCChefPwd: Thanks for letting us know Collette - I'll bet that gets posted on
the message boards. You will have many of us watching you - don't get nervous now. LOL
DB4MB: what will be the topic the night of the show?
Cakecolet: wedding cakes
CCChefPwd: What is you theme in the new book you are working on Collette?
Cakecolet: birthday cakes
DB4MB: Cakecolet.. do you have a flavor that you think tastes best?
Cakecolet: chocolate and orange
CCChefPwd: Thanks for doing that - you have such great ideas
Icing Wiz: I like the hawaiian type cake you did I have made several for people
DB4MB: can the Hawaiian cake be described here?
CCChefDol: I'd like to do Colette's packages cake on the front of that book
Icing Wiz: It was two tiers in teal the flowers and leaves were freely piped on
JWGPKG: Collette, what is the one "best" tip you could give other cake decorators?
Icing Wiz: Does anyone remember the tropical cake with flamingo bride and groom cake top at convention
Devonpeter: How did you learn about cake chat Colette? I did that cake with the flamingos
Icing Wiz: how is that? I did the cake with the flamingos Nicole! I made cake top and everything
Devonpeter: No I had a WEIRD couple order it for the wedding cake not even for the grooms cake
L2jlu2: collete do you have a web site?
Cakecolet: i dont have a web sight yet
NOTE From Dolores - Colette’s books are available from my Online catalog at: http://www.sugarcraft.com (go to BOOKS)
Tuppy 2: what do colette's cakes go for in NYC?
CCChefPwd: Collette has the wonderful art background that makes her work so neat.
Icing Wiz: I know the one on Oprah went for $20,000
CCChefDol: welll, I can draw and all that but I just am too busy to do what she does
GOOO8: Wish I'd seen that one!
Angel61048: WHO IS COLETTE?
CCChefDol: Colette Peters, author of cake decorating books
CCChefPwd: It was in one of the bridal magazines a couple of years ago - for the prince of Greece
CCChefDol: Gosh Pwd...I didn't know!
KBius: that cake was beautiful unusual
CCChefPwd: She had really short notice with that one - Something like a month and had to make
Thinkchoc: She also does great window scenes for Tiffany's at Xmas
CCChefPwd: all of those flowers and fly the cake over there.  Then they did
not want to serve that cake.  Wanted her to decorate little individual
cakes for the guests
Tuppy 2: Does Gloria Weinstock (spelling?) go to the ices convention? I think that's her name!!
Icing Wiz: she wasn't at last one
CCChefDol: never saw her there
Thinkchoc: I thought that scene with all the gingerbread was done by Colette
KBius: me too angel
CCChefPwd: Sure would if she would give us permission to put it on there. Just don't want anybody to think I did her work.
Cindycake1: Did you see the Bridal Guide Magazine for July/August? 4 really nice cakes
GOOO8: Before I ever took a class, I had one of her books to browse through and dream ...
CCChefPwd: Colette has one in there Cindy - with the butterflies and vines
Cindycake1: Yes. I think Ron Ben-Israel is really nice too
Thinkchoc: Thought the cake by Ron Beth-Israel was great too
Cindycake1: He used marbled rolled fondant
CCChefPwd: Sylvia Winestock - really beautiful cake of hers in that July/August issue

Tuppy 2: when doing garlands on tiered cakes, is there anything I should do differently? Do they have to be aligned?
From Dolores...this question got overlooked...sorry Tuppy.
Yes, they SHOULD be aligned. Align the pillars then align the garlands too. Unless it is a very large tier, I usually divide the cake into 8 sections. These should match and align from tier to tier. The easiest way to make sure the cake IS aligned is to assemble the entire cake on your turntable, pillars and all. Then mark it off, using the pillars like "corners" and having a garland swoop up at each pillar, then one in between (equals 8 garlands).

Shavkin: About Dolores...............  If you go to my web site and scroll down to the bottom of the page............. you will see a special feature about Dolores' Graduation Cake with instructions and a nice descriptive link to get to her site.
CCChefDol: ...got LOTS of prizes for that cake : )
Shavkin: Dolores has been so wonderful to me.  She got me started in all of this with
Shavkin: the web site that I will do whatever I can to show her stuff like the link featured on my site.
CCChefDol: But you were a fast learner too Diane...now for Pwd :D

Shavkin: I'm really excited about the pictures and instructions Roland Winbeckler (Marsha actually sent it to me, yesterday),
Roland will be my guest demonstrator in November on my site. in the demo area. Wonderful demo pictures he did up for me for the site to share with all of u.
Shavkin: If anyone wants to know about truffles, Gloria Griffin of Canada is on as the demonstrator for this month. There are pictures of two of her chocolate pieces.  Urns in chocolate with a chocolate dish on top for candy.  Makes nice centerpieces.
Shavkin: Oh, yes, please do see the neat Sweet 16 cake that L2Jlu did
Shavkin: Pwd your white tiered cake with the puffed base is there, too.
L2jlu2: That was my first rolled fondant cake and insperation by Collete
Shavkin: Collette, you should then see the cake that L2j did with your inspirational ideas.  Nice job
L2jlu2: I have alot to learn about it
Shavkin: I saw that cake in "real life" at Nina's sweet 16party back in March! Wonderful job for first-time fondant!  Great fondant work and very attractive!

TIP: Icing Wiz: I use pastry cutter to ice sides of cake in one swoop
Bridal1: Explain Icing
Icing Wiz: I started a long time ago with drywall smoother than found pie dough cutter works great
Icing Wiz: I hold pie dough cutter in my right hand and turntable in my left at same spot then turn the opposite way at the same time Whala!
Bridal1: I think I see Icing.
CCChefDol: Icing...I hold the bag and knife in my right hand and the nail in my left hand...faster.. for making roses

ShariE1071: I use double-sided tape the same way, to stick to my nail and my flower templates
CCChefDol: florist clay stays on even when you wash the nail
CCChefPwd: That florist clay is wonderful - works like a charm with such a tiny little bit

GOOO8: I have a question about cake stands. Client wants 3 graduated free standing stands. Are these easy to find?
Icing Wiz: How much money do you want to spend G0008
CCChefPwd: Cake stand questions?
GOOO8: Not a clue; just met with her tonight and didn't see what she had in mind in my books. The picture was out of Oct 97 The Bride and it appears that the bottom was acrylic or glass, elevated by one center post. Bride to be wants 3 tiers all on separate stands, graduated heights
Icing Wiz: that is probably acrylic and around $400
CCChefDol: GOOO maybe that was one of the mirrored stands?
GOOO8: Was wondering if these are easy to find? The photo showed lots of foliage so it was hard to see what the bottoms may have been.

Tuppy 2: how long has everyone been decorating?
CCChefDol: 34 years
CCChefPwd: 35 + years Tuppy - just a youngster you see    LOL
JWGPKG: You have the full range here tonight!  Beginning to pro!
CCChefDol: sure...started this as an infant LOL ...thats what makes it fun : )
CCChefPwd: Toddlers with the old icing bags in hand.
KBius: I've only been decorating a couple of years, I'm sure this new found chatline will help me a lot with all you pros

Thursday June 11th, 1998, 9:00 PM ET -in the Kitchen Conference Room Cake Decorating Chat hosted by CCChefDol and CCChefPwd. Cake Decorating Chat hosted by CCChefDol and CCChefPwd. "Biggest cakes we ever did. Why? for Who?"