90 Reasons to Celebrate

"It takes a long time to become young." ~ Pablo Picasso

A couple of months ago, my {Step} Great-Grandmother Gladys, celebrated her 90th Birthday.  

She was so excited.

I'm telling ya, If I were 90, and as healthy, and full of life as she is, I would be pretty darn excited too.  

{At 80 years old} She was the Grandma who was down in the basement playing hockey with the boys.    

Her energy is remarkable.

To this day, she never misses bringing her famous cabbage salad and 2 pumpkin pies to every family function.

Always smiling and laughing, she has a genuine heart, and a real zest for life.   

Couldn't we all be so lucky to be like her when we're 90... She is truly inspiring.

To celebrate her Birthday, I made 3 cakes with Mousseline Buttercream, decorated in pink and white (as requested by the birthday girl).

(Please excuse the photos as I was still using my iphone camera at the time.)

Mousseline Buttercream Recipe

If the eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of hot water for a 

few minutes to bring them to room temperature

Separate the eggs.  You will only need the egg whites for this 

Buttercream

Mix sugar and water over heat until sugar dissolves.  Once the sugar mixture starts to boil, DO NOT stir anymore or sugar will crystallize.  Cover the pot.  Periodically remove the lid and brush the sides of the pot with water using the pastry brush (so the sugar does not crystallize).

Once the bubbles begin to slow down and the sugar mixture begins to thicken, remove a small amount of the sugar mix with the spoon and place it in the cold water.  If the mixture forms a ball between your fingers, it is ready to go.  

In the meantime start mixing the egg whites and sugar to soft peaks

Soft peaks.

When the boiling sugar mixture starts to get close,  turn your mixer on high until
your meringue gets to stiff peaks.

 When the sugar mixture is done cooking, turn the kitchen aid to low and quickly, and cautiously (it is extremely hot) pour in the sugar mixture in to the meringue.

Keep the kitchen aid running until the meringue cools and thickens

Once the meringue is completely cooled, add the whipped butter.  If you add it too soon,  the butter will  for sure melt and make a total mess of your Buttercream.  Trust me on this one...It's not pretty!

Your finished Meringue Buttercream

Allow your cakes to cool completely

Slice each cake into 3 or 4 slices

Brush each layer with simple syrup (a cooked sugar syrup made of equal amounts of sugar and water) 

Fill each layer with Buttercream

Add a thin layer of Buttercream to "Crumb Coat"

Adding a "crumb coat" seals in the cake crumbs so your top layer of 

Buttercream can be pretty and smooth

Refrigerate until the crumb coat is cold

Add your final coat of Buttercream and smooth out the sides using a 
 bench scraper

Smooth out the top with an off set spatula

Decorate

Happy Baking!