Riding the Winds Together

Today marks 40 years of blessings, having walked this journey through life with my soul mate at my side. Ours was love at first sight.

My husband is not the romantic prince charming riding in on a white steed. If that is your idea of a soul mate, you might just be waiting a very long time. He doesn’t flatter me with sweet nothings (although at times I do wish he were more vocal), but he shows his feelings in the littlest of ways. When traveling, he still brings me coffee in the mornings while I get ready for our day. He holds my hand often, be it while driving, or walking, or sitting in front of the TV. He searches the Cable Guide for Rom-com movies, especially those with stars I favor, and is content to watch them with me.

He seeks out my counsel, values my opinion, shares my Catholic faith. We differ on some things, especially politics. He is very cut and dry in his conservative views, I am more shaded in grays. We both believe in giving, in sacrificing, in sharing our blessings with others. We don’t always agree on the best way to do so.

I would not trade one moment of our lives together. There have been times of great sorrow, and times of great joy. This was all a part of God’s plan to bring us together in faith, in love and in our journey. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with this amazing partner in life.

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To celebrate our day, I baked a Wedding Cake for two. Enjoy.

French Vanilla Limóncello Truffle Cake
White Chocolate Limóncello Truffles
1 cup White Chocolate Chips
5 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons Heavy Cream
Pinch Salt
2 tablespoons Limóncello
Yellow Food Coloring to deepen color
Superfine Bakers Sugar for dusting

In a double boiler, melt chocolate, butter and cream or in a microwave. Stir until smooth. Fold in the salt and Limóncello. If desired or needed, add food coloring. Allow to cool in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours or until firm.

Spread bakers sugar out in a pie pan or shallow bowl, set aside. With a melon baller scooper or small spoon and form into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar to coat. Store in an air-tight container until ready to use.

Note: Truffles can be made the night before or early in the morning with time to fully set.

French Vanilla Cake
2 Egg Whites
1 tablespoon Sugar
3/4 cup Heavy Cream, divided
3 Eggs
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix
1 teaspoon Limóncello or to taste

Heat oven to 325-degrees. Line 12 regular cupcake tins with paper. Butter and flour a 6-inch cake pan.

Separate egg whites from yolks. Discard or reserve yolks for another purpose. Beat egg whites until soft, add sugar, continue to whip. Add 1/4 cup Heavy cream, beat until slightly thickened. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 3 whole eggs with vegetable oil until foamy. Add egg white mixture, beat well. Add Cake Mix and Limóncello. Beat until moist on low, then for 2 minutes on medium-high.

Pour 1-1/ cups cake batter into the 6-inch cake pan. Spoon remaining batter into the cupcake tins. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating half-way through. Let cool for 10 minutes in tins, the remove cake and cupcakes. Let cool completely.

At this point freeze the cupcakes for later or frost as additional servings however desired.

Limóncello-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1-1/2 cups Butter
5 cups Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 tablespoons Limóncello
2 tablespoons Heavy Cream or as needed

Cream butter in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, about 90 seconds.

Measure powdered sugar without sifting, then sift into a separate bowl. Reduce speed of the stand mixer to low; gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.

Add Limóncello, beat well. Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is light, fluffy and spreadable. Add more cream, a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Frost the top and sides of the cake THINLY- allowing bits of the cake to show through as “naked”. Once the cake has been lightly frosted, place remaining frosting in a pastry bag with desired tip.

Pipe or spread frosting as desired. Decorate the cake any way you like with piped frosting, Limóncello truffles, food-safe artificial or real flowers and candied pearls. Place in the refrigerator to chill well before serving.

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I will give thanks to Your name,
because of Your kindness and Your truth:
When I called, You answered me;
You built up strength within me.