Wedding Cake Killer (23 page)
Read Wedding Cake Killer Online
Authors: Livia J. Washburn
Tags: #Fiction, #Mystery & Detective, #General
Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1
/
2
cup vegetable shortening
1
/
2
cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for a cream color; use clear vanilla for white)
4 cups (approximately 1 pound) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1
/
4
cup coconut milk
Directions
In a large bowl, cream the shortening and butter with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often. When all the sugar has been mixed in, the icing will appear dry. Add the coconut milk a little at a time and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
For best results, keep the icing bowl in the refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1
/
2
cup vegetable shortening
1
/
2
cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cocoa powder
4 cups (approximately 1 pound) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1
/
4
cup coconut milk
Directions
In a large bowl, cream the shortening and butter with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and cocoa powder. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often. When all the sugar has been mixed in, the icing will appear dry. Add the coconut milk a little at a time and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
For best results, keep the icing bowl in the refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.
Fruit Dip
Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1
/
2
teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Using an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese, marshmallow creme, and vanilla extract until mixed thoroughly. Serve with a fruit tray.
Veggie Dip
Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon salad dressing or mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon sweet relish
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 teaspoon ketchup
1–2 tablespoons milk
Directions
Using an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese, salad dressing, mustard, relish, onion, and ketchup. Add milk until the dip is the thickness you desire. Serve with a vegetable tray or chips.
Coconut Wedding Cake
Ingredients
1
/
2
cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1
/
2
cup coconut oil
3 cups granulated sugar
7 eggs (for a white cake, use 10 egg whites)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (for a white cake, use clear vanilla extract)
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1
/
4
teaspoon baking powder
1
/
4
teaspoon baking soda
1
/
2
teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans, a 9 x 13-inch pan, or a 10-inch Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, coconut oil, and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the vanilla and coconut extract.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until all of the flour is incorporated. Finally, stir in the sour cream. Mix for 2 minutes to be sure there are no lumps. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.
White Coconut Buttercream Icing
Ingredients
1
/
2
cup coconut oil
1
/
2
cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1
1
/
2
teaspoons coconut extract
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
6 cups (1
1
/
2
pounds) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1
/
4
cup coconut milk
Directions
In a large bowl, cream the coconut oil and butter with an electric mixer. Add the coconut and vanilla extracts. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add the coconut milk a little at a time and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
For best results, keep the icing bowl in the refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.
Alcohol-free Piña Colada Punch
Ingredients
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple
1
/
2
gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (8-ounce) can coconut cream
1 (46-ounce) can pineapple juice
1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime soda
Directions
Put the crushed pineapple in a blender and pulse a few times so there won’t be large chunks of pineapple floating in the glasses.
In a large plastic container, combine the ice cream, blended crushed pineapple, coconut cream, and pineapple juice. Mix well, and slowly stir in the lemon-lime soda. Freeze for 4 hours or until slushy.
Serves 25–30.
S’more Pie
Ingredients
1
1
/
2
cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1
/
3
cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (
3
/
4
stick) butter, melted
1 (10.5-ounce) snack-sized brownie mix
1
/
2
cup milk chocolate chips
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To make the graham cracker crust, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well blended. (An easy way to do this is to put one package of graham crackers in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Roll a rolling pin over the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs, add the sugar to the bag, and close and shake. Add the butter to the bag and use your fingers outside of the bag to work the butter into the mixture.) Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
Make the brownies per the instructions on the box and pour the batter evenly over the crust.
Bake for 5 minutes, remove from the oven, and add the chocolate chips. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Make sure you don’t hit a chocolate chip.
Spread the marshmallow creme on top while the pie is still warm.
Grilled Ham and Pepper Sandwich
Ingredients
2 teaspoons Philadelphia Garden Vegetable cream cheese
2 slices sourdough bread
2 slices provolone cheese
2 thin slices ham
1
/
2
roasted red pepper packed in oil, drained and sliced
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Dash of garlic salt
Directions
Spread cream cheese on one side of each slice of bread. On 1 slice of bread, place 1 slice of provolone cheese, then the ham, the red pepper, and the other slice of cheese. Top with the other slice of bread with the cream cheese facing the filling. Lightly butter the outsides of the sandwich, and sprinkle a little bit of Parmesan cheese and garlic salt onto the butter.
Heat a skillet over medium heat until warm. Fry the sandwich on both sides, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Serve warm.
Banana Oatmeal Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
1 cup all-purpose flour
1
/
2
cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1
/
2
teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
1
/
2
cup granulated sugar
1
/
4
cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1
/
4
cup (
1
/
2
stick) butter, melted
Topping
1
/
4
cup packed brown sugar
1
/
4
cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1
⁄
8
teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
To make the muffins, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat together the bananas, sugars, egg, and butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
To make the topping, in a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle the topping over the muffins.
Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins.
Tuna Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
1
/
2
cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 small apple, diced
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (see recipe, next page)
2 (7-ounce) cans solid white tuna packed in water, drained
8 slices whole wheat bread
1 cup spinach leaves, stems removed
Directions
Mix the salad dressing, relish to taste, green onion, and apple together in a medium bowl. Add the egg and tuna and stir with a fork until well mixed. Spread the tuna mixture equally on 4 slices of bread, and top with spinach leaves. Spread a small amount of salad dressing on the remaining bread slices and place each on top of the spinach. The dressing helps hold the sandwich together.
Serves 4.
