I picked up a vintage star-shaped cake pan years ago with the notion that someday I would make my MIL a Dallas Cowboys cake - the opportunity is coming in June! Before I packed it to take on a trip, I wanted to test how it would work as a layer cake using a tarted-up box cake batter and it worked!
I used a Duncan Hines lemon cake for the test with an extra egg and unsalted butter in place of the vegetable oil. The thing I was concerned about was the waiting between baking each layer, as I only have one pan. Perhaps the 2nd one rose a bit more in the over, but it worked out with cutting the dome off the top of both layers.
I used this recipe for the lemon cream cheese frosting. If I’d have use a thinner coat on the top and between the layers, I * may* have had enough to frost the whole cake, but maybe not. I didn’t actually want to frost the sides, so this worked out. The decorations are “limoncello” almonds.
I figured out how to cut 10 even-ish slices which will work for the party-of-nine for the upcoming Cowboys cake. We had a dinner guest last night and the cake was a hit! That leaves 7 more pieces - oof - so I’ll be delivering a couple to a neighbor today!
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AIMR
(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
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What a fun shaped cake! I can see many themes that a star would work!
If it were just the two of us, one layer would do it for us…anything lemon would be gone before nightfall…
@AIMR There’s something about a layer cake that feels more “official” or something, so we will only have it after dinner. They’ll usually last us 5 days or so. We’ve recently been getting to know a neighbor better - had just started when his wife died - so I have been sharing treats, which means I feel better about baking them more often.
So festive! I think this looks like just the right amount of frosting. While I looove cream cheese frosting, it can quickly get too rich. The lemon probably balances it perfectly. I’m super intrigued by those almonds.
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AIMR
(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
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awww—our next door neighbor is also a widower…when we make soups, casseroles, lasagna, and desserts, we share with him.
I am making some pumpkin bread this weekend to share.
Thanks, @Abbeeroad ! TheMister and I agree. I think I’d rather end my dessert time wishing there was a little more frosting than feeling like I need a long drink of something to clear my palate, even though I love a good frosting (and hate a bad one).
A store near me used to sell limoncello almonds, but they no longer sell them and I haven’t found them anywhere else. They looked very similar to these - almonds with limoncello-flavoured white chocolate around them. They were absolutely delicious.
They are delicious! which is why I am glad that I no longer have to get them at Costco (in a too-big quantity) anymore and can buy them in the bulk food at my new-usual grocery store in any amount I want.
Thanks for bringing me a hug from my late mom. She was a huge Cowboy fan. I remember watching her yell like a crazy man would while her feet were up in air with her recliner. She’d get so mad at some of the plays that she’d call them Cowgirls, not meaning the cheerleaders, lol.
Oh, sorry to hijack your post. The star will be perfect for your event. What flavor goes with Gray and Blue?
Thanks for sharing these memories of your mom. My MIL is as big a of fan of chocolate as she is the Cowboys, so her cake will be chocolate. I think I will just go with blue and silver sprinkles, but I may also make some of the frosting blue. I can’t bring myself to do silver/grey frosting!
