Happy Friday! Today I am continuing my new series of Friday posts with a delectable cake recipe just in time to celebrate Easter, or the fact that it’s the weekend! Whatever you prefer! Do you really need a holiday to have cake? I certainly don’t!
Lemon Layer Cake: This photo was taken by Erin @ http://www.wellplated.com Erin’s photo is much prettier than mine.
Lemon desserts are one of my favorites. They’re fresh and make me think of springtime, so I decided this is the perfect week to share my favorite lemon layer cake recipe with you. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser, and the recipe can easily be doubled and used for cupcakes too. Note: As suggested by Erin @ Well Plated, my personal preference is to use lemon cream cheese frosting, with lemon curd, in lieu of frosting, between the cake layers. Either way, it’s delicious!
Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
LEMON CAKE:
2 1/4 cups cake flour (I prefer Softasilk it’s available at most grocery stores and can be ordered from Amazon too!)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (I prefer Philadelphia)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided (I use Meyer Lemons if I can get them.)
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
DIRECTIONS:
Place cooking rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Butter and flour two 8 inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, then butter the parchment. (Parchment is optional, but be sure to butter and flour pans generously if not using parchment.)
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in medium size bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites. If making lemon curd (recipe below) hold out egg yolks for later use.
Using a stand mixer, place granulated sugar and lemon zest in the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the butter and beat on medium speed until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Mix in lemon extract.
Add one-third of the flour mixture and half of the egg/buttermilk mixture. Mix until combined. Now add the next third of the dry ingredients and the remaining eggs/buttermilk. Mix until batter is smooth, and add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed until batter is well combined (about 2-3 minutes).
Divide batter evenly between your two pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick or small knife (inserted into the center) comes out clean. Place cake pans on a wire rack and cool 5-10 minutes. Use a butter knife around sides to loosen cake. Place second wire rack on top of cake pan and gently turn over. Remove the parchment liner, if used, and allow cake to cool completely.
Prepare cream cheese frosting: With your stand or hand mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth (approximately 3 minutes). Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. As the sugar begins to incorporate, increase speed to high and mix for 3-4 minutes. If needed, you can add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice to thin the frosting.
Frosting your cake: Trim tops of the cake layers to create a flat surface. Place first layer on a cake stand. Spread top with lemon cream cheese frosting (Note: lemon curd can also be used between the layers. Find my favorite recipe for lemon curd, by Karen @ The Food Charlatan, here.) Place the second layer on top, with trimmed-side down. Spread with more frosting and continue frosting sides of cake.
You can serve immediately. For the easiest slicing, refrigerate the frosted cake for 30-40 minutes first. Allow cake to come almost to room temperature before serving.
If you’re interested, you can find the original cake recipe in Dorie Greenspan’s Cookbook – Baking: From My Home To Yours , or the version with the fabulous lemon cream cheese frosting above, by Erin at Well Plated, here.
Did you see my YouTube videos yet? Did you want to? As I mentioned in my previous post, public speaking is not my thing. In fact, it scares the hell out of me! I am taking a great social media class this semester. We’re learning about every aspect of social media possible, including (GASP!) using YouTube. If you want to see the videos, you can check them out here and here. It really is ironic that the post I had planned for this week was about overcoming fear. Lol.
I’m more the kind of gal who would rather promote myself via Pinterest boards. If you’re interested, you can see those here. I recently added some great dessert recipe pins and there will be a board for my new Friday post series.
Thanks for following along! I’m so glad you’re all here! Have a great week!
There is a German proverb that says “fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.”
I’ve said it before, we all have fears. Here is a list of the ten most common fears. Maybe you identify with a few of them too?
Flying
Public Speaking
Heights
The Dark
Intimacy
Death
Failure
Rejection
Spiders
Commitment
I don’t like public speaking, or spiders, at all! The gigantic potato bugs that I find floating in our pool freak me out too, but they didn’t make the list. (Admittedly, some fears are a bigger deal than others. Lol.) I know we’re not talking nail polish colors, or picking a new sofa here.
All joking aside; #fear often keeps people from reaching their full potential. Has this ever happened to you? In the last few years, fear of the unknown has kept me from taking needed steps forward in my life. It’s interesting to me that I do not consider myself a fearful person by nature. I embrace change and new experiences. I’ll try almost anything once, but there’s a difference.
So why do I hold myself back?
Variables. I can’t control the unknown variables involved with the big changes, and at this point in my life, time is a very valuable commodity to me. My career goals are a good example. Right now, I don’t have any. Why? In part, because uncertainty keeps me from diving into the water. I have a basic vision of what I want to accomplish, but I’m not sure how I want to get from point A to point B, and I don’t like the idea of trying and “failing” now that I am approaching mid-life. It’s a cyclical fear. I know I don’t need to have all the answers right away, but I don’t feel like I have time to waste. I want to dive in and love what I am doing until I can no longer do it, but I won’t know what that is until I dip my toes in the pool. In turn, I am sitting on the edge, wasting the time that is so valuable to me.
At the moment, my needs are pretty simple. I want to do something that is as fulfilling as raising my children was. (Frankly, I think I have earned that opportunity.) I also want to contribute financially to my household and realizing the goals my husband and I have for our future. I have taken the first step forward and returned to school, but I’ve yet to unlock the next door. It would appear that, besides #2 (public speaking) and #9 (spiders), I most directly relate to #7 (failure). If you haven’t read my previous post about my interests (read it here).
So how do I break the cycle? It’s not easy to let go of fear, especially our fear of the unknown. It takes practice. Often we manifest this fear because what is known to us is our safety net. Our brains create scenarios about all that can go wrong with the unknown. Kick off those cement shoes! Will there be setbacks? Maybe. Focusing on what “might” happen is not worth your energy. The truth is there is always another option. It might take some brainstorming to come up with solutions, but very rarely are you without choices.
Change is good and knowledge is power. Ask yourself what you’re really afraid of and then take the time to process the information. When you have a clear picture of your fears, it makes them easier to identify when they begin to infiltrate your thinking. Take a deep breath and LET THEM GO! You are in control of the outcome! Think about the positives. Not every step has to be dramatic, just keep moving forward. Focus on the big picture and the good that will come from making the changes you envision.
Do you need to make a change in your life? It was Sheryl Sandberg who said “So please ask yourself: What would I do if I weren’t afraid? And then go do it.”
Happy Friday! I’m so excited to begin a series of special Friday posts this week! These posts will feature favorite dessert recipes, as well as items I love.
Today I’m sharing a recipe for Loaded Reese’s Brownies. Theyhave become my go-to when I need a dessert to share, or really just whenever. I found them on Pinterest a few years ago and I located the original recipe here on the Buns In My Oven blog. These decadent brownies are AMAZING! They’re ridiculously easy to make and even easier to devour!
Loaded Reese’s Brownies
YUM! Look at these! Do they not look absolutely incredible? I dare you to try and muster up enough willpower to eat just one!
Start with your favorite brownie mix. I like the Ghirardelli Double Chocolate brownie mix. You can find it at most markets. Our local Costco usually carries it in a bulk pack. Prepare the brownies according to the package directions. For this recipe, I make them in a 9×13 pan, so that requires two bags of the Ghirardelli mix. Let the brownies cool completely.
Once the brownies have cooled, mix up the peanut butter filling. A word of caution: This stuff tastes exactly like Reese’s peanut butter cups and a few bites of it, all by its self, are usually inevitable!
Peanut Butter Filling:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I like Skippy. Mostly because we go through a lot of peanut butter at our house, and you can buy it at Costco too!)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Using a stand mixer and whisk attachment, beat together butter and peanut butter until combined. Next beat in powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until well smooth, thick, and fluffy. Spread over fully cooled brownies.
Chocolate Frosting:
1 cup white sugar
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips (I use Guittard. You can find these at most markets too. The chocolate contains no wax and sets up nicely!)
In a small saucepan, on medium heat, stirring constantly, bring sugar, butter, and milk to a boil. Continue stirring and boil for exactly 60 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Immediately pour over peanut butter filling and spread gently with an offset spatula.
Let chocolate frosting set for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped Reese’s mini peanut butter cups. Allow an additional 30 minutes to set before cutting. I prefer to store them in the refrigerator and cut as needed. If you do, I recommend allowing them to sit for a few minutes before serving.
Our high school’s Project Graduation event, as well as the arts, school athletics, and athletic boosters programs, are very near and dear to me. The last few years, I’m disappointed. I repeatedly see a low level of parent involvement and desperate pleas for volunteers. The same 23 names are somehow attached (organizing, set-up, execution, clean-up) to nearly every school and sports event. Am I the only one who has noticed a significant decline in school volunteerism? Nope. I’m not. How do I know this? I’ve had the “where is everyone?” conversation with coaches, teachers, and most of those 23 people, because I’m one of them. What’s more, I no longer have children at the school. Yes, I am staying involved as an alumni parent! Why you ask? Why not? I have a few good reasons. 1) Schools and school parent groups need your help. 2) Giving back, at some level, to the community my girls benefited from is important to me, and I hope other parents (current and alumni) will be encouraged to do the same. Finally, 3) Many current parents do not appear to be willing.
What’s the deal people?
Uh, hello? Is anybody there? (crickets)
What is it about the word #volunteer that makes people cringe? How is it we have become a society chock full of “I don’t have timer’s”? Real talk: Most of us have a few hours to spare. I mean, let’s be honest here, with social media a swipe away, how much time do you spend perusing Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr…I could go on. All the while, staring blankly at your “friend’s” photos of themselves, their family, food, hilarious (or not) videos, vacations, their dog, or what happened on the latest episode of Fixer Upper. Or worse, consuming a nauseating amount of fake news, real news, political opinions, celebrity gossip, actual facts, and alternative facts. Nearly all of us are guilty. According to a 2015 survey, on the Digital Trends website, Americans aged 25-54 checked their phones an average of 17 times per day! That is equal to at least once every waking hour. THAT. IS. STAGGERING! There are 1600+ parents/guardians at the high school my daughters attended. Forget time in general. Can you imagine what could be accomplished if everyone simply gave a few hours of their “social media” time? I can! In fact, if you volunteered, and took a photo (or two, or three) while you were helping out, you would have something really inspiring to post and you would promote community involvement! Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that’s considered a win-win?
In some cases, money appears to be another detour around volunteerism. It seems many people would rather write a check now as a substitute for their time. It’s not that parent groups don’t appreciate monetary donations. They most definitely do! Sadly, in this era of shrinking school budgets and disappearing programs, there is a very real and desperate need for donations, both monetary and physical! Contributions of time and money are the lifeblood of public education in California!
Seriously though. Why is it when you dare utter the “V” word, people hightail it for the exits? Geeez! It’s not like I said something offensive. I didn’t even ask for their right arm, or first born. It’s only a few hours and if you just ask, there are ways for everyone to be involved! I know you’re busy. We’re all busy! LIFE IS BUSY! We need to reverse this trend and change the culture.
Let’s pause for a minute. Before anyone is offended by the last few paragraphs, allow me to clarify one thing. I absolutely understand that some people, really and truly, for various reasons, are not able to give. The funny thing is, more often than not, those are the people who some how try to give time and/or money anyway. If you are that person, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you!
No, I’m talking to everyone else. Where are you hiding? Your children, your friend’s children, and don’t laugh, but even your “frenemy’s” children. They need you!
Disclaimer: I did not take this photo, but isn’t it great! It’s been floating around for some time. I tried to locate someone to give credit to, but came up empty handed.
There are pitfalls to having the same people repeatedly be the “go-to’s” for every event. Our annual booster crab feed this year is a great example. We ran the event with a bare bones crew. It all went pretty smooth until it was time for the auction check out. The line and the wait were long and there were only two of us to do the payment processing. I appreciate that most of our guests were patient. Maybe it was all the wine? Lol. One guest did skirt the line to come complain directly to me. She wanted to know why on earth, with such a large crowd, we didn’t have more people ready for payments and she didn’t really have the time to wait in line. I took one very deep breath, then apologetically responded, “I must have missed your request to volunteer. If you leave your name, I’ll be certain to add you to our list for next year!” For a moment she looked surprised, but shuffled herself back to the end of the line. When it was finally her turn, the only words she said were “thank you”, when I processed her credit card.
She’s probably a very nice gal and it’s easy to be critical when you’re not involved.
When I began volunteering, my girls were in preschool. There always seemed to be an overabundance of help. Teachers had enough parent names that they were able to shuffle them around. Nobody felt overburdened or left out. For 5th and 6th grade camp there was a lottery to see who would be chosen to chaperone. Then we moved on to middle school and despite a serious economic recession, which forced a lot of stay-at-home parents back to work, a high level of parent participation continued.
I really began to notice the drop off when my oldest began high school. By the time my youngest arrived, the tide had shifted so significantly it was alarming. As soon as help was needed, all but a few parents would excuse themselves. As a volunteer and fundraising coordinator, for several school related events over the years, here is a sampling of the myriad responses I have received…
“I’m far too busy.”
“She’s in high school, they don’t need volunteers in high school.”
“I don’t do things like that.”
“I have no skills to offer.”
“I would really rather not.”
“You don’t really need me, do you?”
“It’s a two hour shift!”
“My kid doesn’t want me there.”
“I’m just going to write a check. Money is better than time anyway.”
“No thanks, I’m good.”
“Somebody else will do it!”
“You’re the stay-at-home mom. I work, so I would rather go ride my bike.”
The last one is my personal, all time, one for the books, favorite.
I’d like to tell you WHERE you can ride your bike…
The answer to all of the above excuses is: Your answer is incorrect. My husband always says; “you’re either part of the solution, or part of the problem” and he’s right. He chooses to be part of the solution and has been a soccer coach, at the school, for almost 10 years. Some will argue that he gets paid. For the record, none of the coaches that I know do it for the money. For kicks, we worked it out one time. After a minimum of 20 hours per week and personal funds spent on equipment the school district does not provide, he makes far less than minimum wage. Peanuts really. He simply does it for the benefit of the kids and his love of sport.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but as your children navigate their teen years, multiple studies have shown that high school is a time when parents need to be the most engaged and involved. I’m not talking helicopter parenting here, just some visibility. Your kids spend 35+ hours a week at school. Showing interest in their education and activities and being visible benefits them in countless ways. Bonus: Your time not only enriches your son or daughter’s life on several levels; you also enhance the lives of fellow students, the educational environment as a whole, and when you give back, the example you set for them is priceless.
It really does take a village. Is a shift at the snack bar, a few hours at Project Graduation, or helping to brainstorm, set-up, or clean-up at a fundraiser really too much to ask? It’s time you can’t get back and in the big scheme of things, it’s time well spent! If you’re already out there making a difference, thank you! If you’re not, please get involved and volunteer!
DIRECTIONS:
Ramblings of an #Obsolete Mom 