Party Cake with the Daring Bakers

So I'm a Daring Baker! Finally! I have been waiting for this for a few months now. I remember how excited I was the first time I read about them. A baking club! I wanted to join right that second! I don't know if I have ever been a member of anything... maybe the gym but I never go so I guess it doesn't count.

This first challenge, hosted by Morven, was wonderful. Perfect for Easter. It really represents what my idea of what an American cake is like. Fluffy icing, moist cake and sweetened coconut. I could already visualize what my photograph was going to look like before I even made the cake. White, white, white... and fluffy.

The cake was easy to throw together. Not temperamental at all while baking, but surprisingly delicate when I went to slice it. The raspberry preserves soaked the cake with sweetness and additional moistness. I let the assembled cake sit on the counter for about 3 hours before cutting it and it really made a big difference. It was super moist and all the flavors blended together.

The buttercream is also very light and tasty and the lemon juice brought it to life. My problem with buttercream is that sometimes it has a very heavy mouth feel, almost greasy. Do you know when you have buttercream made out of butter and powdered sugar and it becomes grainy and a little dry? I do not like that. I like Italian and Swiss buttercreams because it creates an airy product. The addition of the lemon eliminated a little of that "fatty" taste.

Sometimes C. is afraid to taste my desserts because he feels like his taste is not sophisticated enough for me. He is afraid to hurt my feelings if he says he doesn't like a certain macaroon I made or this or that. But he LOVED this cake. It's exactly his type of dessert.... and mine!

I cannot wait until next month!