Rainy Day Yellow Cake

Directions

1. 1
   Heat the oven to 350°F Prepare a 9- by 13-inch pan by greasing it and dusting it with flour.
2. 2
   In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry.
3. 3
   Set aside.
4. 4
   KIDS' COOKING SKILLS: Use this recipe to teach your kids how to cream butter and sugar and decorate a cake using a pastry bag.
5. 5
   In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter for 1 to 2 minutes; add the sugar and cream for another 2 minutes.
6. 6
   Add the egg yolks all at once and beat for another minute or until the mixture appears light and fluffy.
7. 7
   Beat in the vanilla extract.
8. 8
   Measure the flour using a dry measuring cup and pour it into another mixing bowl.
9. 9
   Ask your child to measure the baking powder, baking soda, and salt, carefully leveling each with a knife, and then stir them into the flour.
10. 10
    Measure the buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup.
11. 11
    Add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well.
12. 12
    Then, mixing (but not overbeating) after each new addition, add half of the buttermilk, followed by another third of the flour, then the remaining buttermilk, and finally the last of the flour.
13. 13
    Fold the stiff egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula.
14. 14
    Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
15. 15
    Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
16. 16
    Set on a rack to cool.
17. 17
    Ice the cooled cake with any of the frostings (except decorators') in this article.
18. 18
    Then prepare a batch of decorators' frosting, which is slightly stiffer than the others.
19. 19
    Divide it into four small bowls and mix in food coloring.
20. 20
    Spoon the desired color into a pastry bag (place the coupler base into the bag first, then roll the bag down so the frosting goes into the bottom).
21. 21
    Attach the desired tip by screwing on the coupler ring.
22. 22
    To create a rainy day scene, use a drawing tip to outline clouds, raindrops, grass, and a simple figure holding an umbrella.
23. 23
    For best results, wash out the tip each time you switch colors.
24. 24
    To make flowers, use a star tip for the petals and a leaf tip for leaves.
25. 25
    With the tip of your choice, pipe a border around the whole scene, if desired.