DESSERT DISH

Vanilla Cupcake Cake

Ingredients: For Cupcakes 2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature 2 2/3 cups sugar 12 x large eggs at room temperature 2 tbsp vanilla extract 6 cups all purpose flour 2 tbsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup 2 % milk For Frosting 3 cups unsalted butter at room temperature 1 1/2 cups 2 % milk at room temperature 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp vanilla extract 6 lb. icing sugar To Assemble Fresh roses, for garnish 1 qt fresh strawberries

Method: To Assemble 1. Preheat oven to 350 °F and line muffin tins with paper cups. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour to butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool and store wrapped at room temperature until ready to frost. 2. For frosting, beat all ingredients together (starting on low speed and working to high once icing sugar is incorporated) until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed by adding more milk or icing sugar (warm weather days may require more sugar to hold frosting). 3. To assemble, pipe frosting onto cupcake with a large star tip. Top each cupcake with a rose or rose petals and whole strawberries. Arrange cupcakes on a tiered stand, which can be purchased at a cake supply store. Alternately, you can stack cake bases on wine glasses for an elegant effect. Chilled fruit soup Ingredients: 2 pounds frozen blueberries 2 pounds frozen raspberries 2 pounds frozen strawberries ¼ cup sugar 1/2 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup fresh raspberries 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, quartered ¼ cup fresh mint leaves 1 pint vanilla ice cream Method: Combine the frozen fruit and sugar in a double boiler set over lightly simmering water and cover. Slowly cook the fruit until all the juices are released and the fruit has cooked down to a syrup-like consistency, about 2 hours. Pour the fruit into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Place the strainer and bowl in the refrigerator and let the fruit drain overnight. Spoon the remaining fruit solids into a square of cheesecloth and squeeze out any remaining liquid into the bowl. Discard the solids. Divide the chilled fruit soup between four serving bowls, garnish each bowl with fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, mint leaves and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.