Test Run Results.

Hey everybody, I'm guessing you are sick of seeing the words "Haitian Cake." Just bear with me another day or so as I finish up this bake sale stuff! I am really happy with how everything is shaping up. I feel like I'm turning in my science fair project where I have diligently followed the correct steps of the scientific method. Now let's hope I don't drop it on my way to the gym to set it up. (Remember those days?)

I decided to go with mini pound cake loaves and cake balls. I also decided on using the following recipe which I am proud to say has given me consistently good results!

Haitian Cake adapted from everythinghaitian.com
“Gateau au Beurre”

Traditional Butter Recipe Cake. A yummy all occasion dessert that will become an instant favorite.

2 cups Softened Butter
2 cups Sugar
8 Eggs, yolks seperated from whites, whites stiffly beaten
1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp Rum (optional)

4 cups All - Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Lemon Zest

1 cup Milk

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cream the butter, gradually adding the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat egg yolks in a bowl,and add gradually to the butter and sugar mixture. Stir in Vanilla and Rum.

Sift together all of the dry ingredients.

Add the milk, alternately with the sifted dry ingredients to the mixture.

Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.

Turn the batter into a cake pan that has been buttered and floured. Bake for 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan a few minutes, and then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Bon Appetit!!!

I bought the Wilton petite loaf pans yesterday at a craft store and did a test run last night. They turned out great. The perfect individual serving size! *Permit me to be girly... and SO ADORABLY CUTE! My only complaint was that it was a little awkward to grease and flour because there were so many slots. But apparently foreseeing this problem, the kind folks at Wilton (Marketing geniuses that they are) advertised on the back of the packaging that they also offer petite loaf cups (which are pretty much like the baking cups you put in a muffin pan, just loaf shaped). After scouring the aisles of another craft store today, I felt like I won the lottery when I found them tucked away on one tiny little hook amid the smorgasbord of cake decorating accessories. I never knew that there were so many tools available. It's really a bit overwhelming and exciting! They came in a pack of 50 which I thought was really cool because there were some really cool looking recipes on the pan packaging that I'm hoping to try soon... and who wants to spend all their time greasing, flouring, scrubbing, and scraping anyway? And best of all... they were on SALE which I didn't know until I checked out. SCORE!

I used the cakes from last night to form the cake balls which are now in the freezer eagerly awaiting a chocolate bath later tonight. I think I'm going to try my hand at decorating them with drizzled chocolate as well. I'm telling you... it just keeps getting better and better here at CrumpyCakes!

I spent some time last night playing around with packaging ideas. I think I've almost got that figured out just need a few final touches. I'll post pictures of course! I'm crossing my fingers that tonight will be smooth sailing as I wrap all of this up. It's been a lot of work, but I am FINALLY pleased with my test run results.