Baby Shower Menu

Last Weekend we had a lovely baby shower for Liz. It was so much fun!! There were people from all different times in Lizzie's life so it was fun to catch up with high school friends, childhood friends, cousins, aunts, college friends, and more. I really wish I took pictures of the food, because it was beautiful and delicious. I thought the least I could do was post the list of yummy things we had and the recipes that I have for some of the items.



Appetizers
boursin cheese and water crackers (costco)

Texas caviar (yummy salsa) & chips made by Whit (maybe she will post the recipe)
Veggie cream cheese pastries (made by Mother Teresa)
Veggie tray *** Thanks KT
Fruit Salad (costco)
Valdosta Pecans w/ Sweetend cranberries, black pepper and orange rind (sold at Costco & Walmart)

Desserts
Whit's delicious Molasses cookies (maybe she will post)
Cherry juju hearts
Cherry Fudge Brownie Torte (from a TWD post)
Banana-Raspberry cupcakes with Lemon cream cheese frosting

(from Cooking Light)
Cooking spray
1 Tbsp. flour
1 1/3 c granulated sugar
1/4 c butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c low-fat buttermilk
1 c mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting
3/4 c (6oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of Salt
2 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 c fresh raspberries

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Coat 2 (8in) round cake pans with cooking spray (I did cupcakes for cuteness sake for the baby shower); line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust each pan with 1 1/2 tsp flour.
3. Place granulated sugar and 1/4 c butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at med speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt, stirring well with a whisk.
5. Combine buttermilk, banana, and 1 tsp vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture (mix after each addition just until blended). Pour batter into prepared pans.
6. Bake cake at 350 for 25 min. Cool on wire wrack for 10 min; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper. Cool layers completely on wire wrack.
7. To prepare frosting, combine cream cheese and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Beat with mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not over beat).
8. Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spread with 1/3 c frosting. Arrange raspberries in a single layer over frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.

All the food was loved by the guests. It was a delicious menu and such a memorable day. Now we are just waiting for baby Lulu (original name given by her brothers) to arrive. Can't wait!