How Much Powdered Sugar?

When I use powdered sugar, it's usually in a "per 2 lb bag" amount; seldom do I measure.  (I make a lot of buttercream and have you every worked with powdered sugar?  That stuff goes everywhere, it's just easier to dump the whole bag into the mixer!)

So, what happens when I come across a recipe that calls for cups of powdered sugar rather than a whole bag?  Well, I know that 2 lbs of powdered sugar equals roughly 7 1/2 cups (or if I really don't feel like working with fractions, 8 cups), so I can go from there to determine if I need to double or triple a recipe to get to my usual "per bag" measurement.  Luckily, buttercreams and glaze icings are pretty forgiving and you can add powdered sugar or liquid to reach the right consistency.

Here's the commonly accepted amounts when it comes to powdered sugar measurements:

• 3 3/4 cups = 1 lb
• 7 1/2 cups = 2 lbs
• 15 cups = 4 lbs

Note that these conversions are based on unsifted powdered sugar.

Oh, and did you know confectioners sugar and powdered sugar are the same thing?  Powdered sugar is also the same thing as icing sugar and 10x sugar - it just depends on where you are as to what it's called.

Mmm...tasty!

Clean Burners

If you have a gas range, you probably dread having to clean the burner grates - scrubbing off the black grime plus the possible cooked on food bits.  Well, next time don't spend hours scrubbing, try this instead:

• Place grate in a large Ziploc (or similar) bag.  Add 1/4 cup ammonia.  Seal bag.  Allow to sit overnight.  Remove from bag and wipe grate with a damp sponge.  Voila!  Clean burner grates.
• You can wash the grates with soap and water after removing from the bags, if you'd like.
• I usually place one grate per bag and then place the sealed bag (with the grate inside) on a cookie sheet, just in case of leaks.
• Remember to do this in a well-ventilated area since you'll be working with ammonia!

Mmm..tasty!

I Think We're Going Under

Ok, so that is probably an overstatement (in fact, I know it's an overstatement at this point), but I wasn't so sure during the last two weeks of May.  I wasn't sure that I would get everything accomplished and delivered.

Not that that's necessarily anything new for May - seems I've traveled with road before.  But, this year, there was the added difficulty of traversing muddy roads...with large cakes...that then had to be unloaded in the rain.

Rain + cake = not so good.

I'm not sure which is worse - rain, mud, or heat.  Winter is really the best time to deliver cakes - though then there's ice to be considered.  Always something!

Anywho, happy to report all of the cakes below made it to their destinations on time and intact.  Yay!