Chocolate Cake with 7 Minute Frosting - Work in Progress

We have finally moved - hooray!

Just in time for Popeye's birthday.

I know, I know, you want to know all about the new house and the move and all that.  Later, OK?  I promise. 

But first, a birthday request has been made for Saturday.

Chocolate Cake with 7 Minute Frosting.

It's a Wednesday.  Which means I am home alone.  And I alone am responsible to see that an experimental amount of this 7 Minute Frosting makes it to the freezer. 

Cake can easily be made ahead and frozen.  As can buttercream frosting.  But I need to see if this Fluff-like, special request frosting can be made ahead of time.  I'm thinking not, but it could pay off to try.  Especially if you have a long list of other things to do on the day of the birthday.   And a lot of unpacking in the meantime.

Before investing 7 minutes, the unpacking must continue until the double boiler can be found.  I have never attempted to make 7 Minute Frosting without a double boiler and do not wish to start now. 

Fortunately Popeye (a Virgo, duh) is of a meticulous nature.  He has already sorted his boxes into his pile, and my boxes into my pile.  So I have my share of the unpacking all in one spot.  Unfortunately, any dawdling really shows when your pile - right in the middle of the dining area - isn't dwindling in a timely manner.  

But I locate the double boiler after only the second box.  So, ha!  Let the dawdling begin.

First of all:  Do not be afraid of your double boiler.  It's easy.  Just follow these two rules - even if you're not a Virgo.

#1  Put enough water in the bottom pan until it is at a level just short of touching the top half.  

#2  Set the lower pan on medium heat, to boil gently while you put the ingredients together in the top pan, away from the heat.

OK?  Here we go.

 

7 Minute Frosting

 

2 egg whites at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/3 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

In the top half of the double boiler mix egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and water.

 

With a portable electric mixer, beat egg white mixture on high speed until thoroughly combined.  Scrape sides and place over boiling water.  (Gently boiling water on medium heat.)

 

Continue beating with mixer at high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until frosting is thick and stands in peaks when beaters are lifted. 

 

(When I was a kid I never believed that my mother loved me.  Looking back, I admit I could be wrong about that.  She never once said the L-word.  But she did make this frosting on my birthday - with a hand cranked egg beater.)

 

When the frosting peaks, remove from heat, add vanilla and continue beating until frosting is thick enough to spread.  Makes enough to frost a two layer cake.  Or it does if you don't eat it all up first.

 

 

 

In this, the experimental phase, I want to try both freezing the 7 Minute Frosting by itself, and also frosting a cake and freezing the whole thing.  Just to see if it's still viable and pretty once thawed.  Otherwise, I can make the cake ahead, but will need to wait and make the frosting on the day of the birthday dinner.

 

Now to make the cake...  just as soon as I locate the directions for this new oven.

 

Postscript:

 

The new KitchenAid oven is awesome - and intuitive.  Never did find the directions.  But these cupcakes tested perfectly the first time.  Right on the money at the prescribed temperature and baking time.  Hallelujah. 

 

Now, to find a way to get the most possible frosting per bite...