A Traditional Farm Life - Cream Chees Frosting

A Traditional Farm Life -  Cream Cheese Frosting

By Shasta Hamilton

Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!  Delicious smells are wafting through the house from the kitchen as the birthday cake bakes for our youngest son who turned six-years-old today.  Our oldest daughter, the Hamilton’s official birthday-cake-baker, spearheaded the effort with the assistance of the birthday boy himself.

The only cake mix we had in the pantry this morning was a strawberry-flavored cake.  We offered to buy whichever cake mix the birthday boy desired, but the novelty of a strawberry cake—we’ve never had one before—overruled the not-exactly-boyish pink color. 

To compensate, we added several drops of green food coloring to the homemade cream cheese icing.  Now we had a “Watermelon Cake.”  (Ours happened to be seedless, but if you want to make your own watermelon cake with edible seeds, simply stir in 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips to the finished batter before pouring it into the pans to bake.) 

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we have had the pleasure of reporting more rain here in Enterprise this week.  The weeds in the garden are flourishing, and the tomato and pepper plants we planted in the mud last week are doing their best to get established and hold their own against the fierce competition. The heavy clay soil of our garden is now so saturated that there are standing pools of water in low spots throughout.  It doesn’t look like we’ll be tilling any time soon.  Too bad we can’t sell weeds at the Farmer’s Market—we’ve got the greenest, healthiest bindweed around!

Enterprise’s first Farmer’s Market was Friday night.  Cloudy skies promised rain early in the day, but by afternoon the sun came out, leaving everyone sweating in the hot, humid air.  We consider our first market here a success, even with a grand total of only two vendors.  Mike and Cat Voit from out Chapman way brought two trucks full of some of the most amazing produce and fresh herbs we’ve ever seen.  Their fresh veggies drew a steady stream of customers all afternoon. 

Because of the cool, rainy spring it could be the end of June before our boys have any tomatoes ready, but in the meantime they set up shop with birdhouses and our oldest daughter’s “Doggie Snack Sticks.”

While a Farmer’s Market with only two vendors may seem a mite small, we’ve already heard from others planning on vending in the weeks to come.  It is the hope of those putting together the market here that it would inspire local residents to come share their produce, baked goods, and handmade items with the larger community.  The interest in all things “local” continues to grow all over the country, and we want to foster a community spirit and outlet for local entrepreneurs here in town.

By the way, the birthday “Watermelon Cake” turned into a “Cake Corral” before dessert after suppertime.  Apparently the green frosting turned out to be “greener pastures” for the cake decorating team.  The toy box was raided and miniature plastic fences were set up atop the cake to keep in the livestock—including chickens—grazing on the cream cheese icing.  It was a feast for the eyes as well as a real treat after our birthday pizza party.

You don’t need plastic cattle, horses, and chickens—or even a birthday--to enjoy a cake frosted with a “field” of cream cheese frosting.  Four ingredients are all it takes to make a birthday cake the whole family will consider a gift!

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese,

room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

3-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Blend the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds.  Stop the machine.  Add powdered sugar, a bit a time, blending with the mixer at low speed until the sugar is well incorporated, scraping down with a spatula as needed.

2.  Add the vanilla and increase the mixer speed to medium and blend until the frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute more.

3.  Use at once to frost the cake of your choice.  Store leftover cake in the refrigerator. Yield:  3 cups frosting, enough to frost a 2-layer or 9x13” cake.

Copyright © 2015 by Shasta Hamilton

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385 or visit them on the web at www.thebuggystoprestaurant.com.

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