Thanksgiving/Fall Cake

The only cake decorating class I have ever taken is staring up at the counter while my mom make my birthday cake. I am just one of those people that decides to do something and I do it. So I did some research online, watched cake shows and voila I made a cake from scratch!!!

Madeira Sponge Cake From Debbie Brown's Hot Cakes

1 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cup Caster sugar

7 large eggs

3 1/2 cup self-raising flour

1 2/3 cup plain flour

Preheat oven to 325

Sift the self-raising and plain flours together in a bowl

Soften the butter and place in a bowl with the caster sugar, beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy

Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time with a sponnful of the flour, beating well after each addition. Add a few drops of vanilla

Using a spatula, fold the remaining flour into the mixture

Spoon the mixture into the tine, then make a dip in the top with the back of a spoon

Bake for an hour and a half or until a skewer intered in the center comes out clean

I used the Wilton Buttercream to do the crum coat

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cupsconfectioner's sugar

2 tablespoons milk

In a large bowl cream shortening and butter with electric mixer

add vanilla

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beathing well on medium speed, scrape sides and bottom of bowl often

When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry, add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy

For my first time using fondant, I think I did pretty well. I liked using it, it is really easy, but it smells and does not taste good. I added some vanilla to it to help with that, but store bought fondant is not for taste. Next time I will try using marshmellow fondant to see if the taste is any better. So here it is the debut of my first cake...drum roll please....(hey I think it at least looks better than some of those store bought cakes...)