InGoodTaste

Chef Spotlight

Toba Garrett

Toba Garrett is one of the country’s foremost artists and educators in the field of cake decorating and design. She’s won more than a dozen international gold and silver medals and serves as Dean of professional cake decorating at the Institute of Culinary Education. She’s been featured on “The Today Show”, “Emeril Live” and her work has appeared in major magazines including In Style, Modern Bride, Gourmet, Woman’s Day, Chocolatier and American Cake Decorating.

land native, who opened her cake business in 1990. “I can remember my grandmother in the kitchen making a cake from scratch with a handful of this and a handful of that, a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon. There was no recipe, just her experience and memory of cooking and baking. We never had icing on the cake as it never seemed to require it. The cake was so delicious and yummy. I never forgot the experience of watching her creaming the butter and sugar and cracking eggs, right from the chicken.

In 2010, Garrett–who has authored a number of books including "The Well-Decorated Cake," "Professional Cake Decorating," "Master Class," "Creative Cookies," and "Wedding Cake Art and Design’–was named one of the 10 best cake artists in the U.S.

“I always had a love for baking,” says the Newport, Rhode Is-

“Later in life, I went to a Halloween party and saw a decorated cake that was made by my best friend. The cake was so delicious and so was the icing. These two memories inspired me to become a cake designer.

For more on Toba Garrett, visit tobagarrett.com.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter,cut into cubes and brought to room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Creamy White Frosting:

2 lb.bag of confectioner’s sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

1 cup softened butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and line two, 8" pans with parchment rounds. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. On medium speed, mix butter until light colored and fluffy (this step is crucial). Slowly pour sugar in steady stream until combined and fluffy. In a separate small bowl, crack eggs. Add vanilla to eggs and on low speed, add one egg at a time to the mixing bowl, scraping the bowl in between with a spatula. In another small bowl, add the buttermilk. Add a third of the flour and mix into the mixing bowl, then a third of the buttermilk. Keep repeating and finish with the buttermilk. Remove bowl and mix by hand briefly with a spatula scraping sides and mixing thoroughly. Divide batter between pans and bake for about 40 minutes. Yield: 2-8 inch round cakes.

Frosting: After cake is completely cool, add all ingredients to a mixer bowl. Start the mixer on the lowest speed, then work up to medium-high to avoid a cloud of confectioners sugar! Mix until light and fluffy.