For today’s blog post I share with you my version of my Mom’s “Pink Cake” and of course pink cookies, Polvorones, very much like the ones we enjoyed from la panaderia. And remember, this is a home cook’s version of the cookies. Bakeries have special products, ingredients and techniques that only they know. But, I would take a homemade version anyday. It has that special ingredient…love, lots of love.
I was truly the typical sixth child in a family of eight kids. A typical girl, loved everything pink, but also loved hanging out with my two younger brothers and playing in the dirt. With four older sisters, hand me downs were only natural and I was ok with that. My parents did the best job they could, an excellent job, in raising all eight of us. But the one day of the year that Mom made us feel special was on our birthday. No hand me downs, no second best, she gave you her best on that day. No store bought cakes for us back then. Mom would bake a cake from scratch with that homemade glossy icing, mine pink, of course. I will never forget on my 7th birthday, she sent me to the local family owned market less than a block away. Because back then it was safe, or at least it seemed, to do this. She sent me to purchase candles for my own birthday cake, lol! I walked happily to Ray’s Market down Avenue 50 in Highland Park to pick up small pack of candles. Since it was my birthday, once at the store, I figured it was ok to pick up a few penny candy, since it was my birthday, ha, ha, ha! So back home I went thinking the whole time maybe I should not have purchased that extra candy. I get to the front door to quietly come in and as the door opens, I hear SURPRISE!!!!! I got so scared, thought I was in trouble for buying that penny candy, I ran back out the door and his in the backyard! Lol! Why?? Ha! Ha! Ha! My Mom came out there looking for me and laughing. I confessed what I had done and she just smiled at me. This blog post started off as a cookie recipe and now it’s about cake, pink cake. My thoughts are wandering as my birthday month approaches, thoughts of my Mom. We shared our birthday celebrations most years, since they were only one day apart. Made it even more special for me every year.
Besides the wonderful homemade pink birthday cakes my Mom would prepare from scratch, I had another love! La Panaderia’s Pink Cake! Cortadillos Mexicanos! Click link to see complete recipe!
https://pinaenlacocina.com/cortadillos-mexicanos-la-panaderia-pink-cake/
Polvorones~Pink Cookies
Not only pink cookies, but I decided to make some with cocoa powder. I love the pink and brown together!
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp.
- 1/2 cup shortening
- *Or use all butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Food coloring red or yelllow
- Granulated sugar and colored sprinkles
Instructions
Directions
- Cream together the shortening, butter and sugar until fluffy and smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Gradually add in the flour with baking soda until combined.
- Divide the dough in half. To one half of dough, mix in the dark chocolate cocoa powder. To the other half add a few drops of red food coloring until desired color pink.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll 6 chocolate dough balls and place onto lined baking sheet. Using a small flat bottomed plate or glass, flatten the polvorones to about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Add some colored sprinkles to the tops.
- Repeat with the pink polvorones. Sprinkle with sugar. Place in oven and bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking time. Remove from oven and let cool before storing in an airtight container. Yields 12 large polvorones.
Notes
On this day, I colored them in three colors, brown(cocoa), yellow and pink! For full on sprinkles, you have to roll your colored cookie dough balls gently in the sprinkles. Place them on the lined baking sheet and gently press until flat.
If you want to to leave the polvorones in the natural color, that is perfectly fine. I like to leave them natural for the holiday, like Christmas and roll the dough through Christmas colors. See below!
Pineapple Cake with Pink Frosting
Ingredients
2 cups cake flour
1/1/2 cups sugar
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.Grease or spray a 9×13 pan, set aside. I used a round deep pyrex baking dish. This is why the cake looks like a dome. You could also use a 9 or 10 inch round cake pan.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl,add the pineapple,eggs and vanilla, stir well to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife or toothpick comes out clear. Cool completely before removing from pan.You can serve as is or top with your favorite frosting and fresh fruit.
Pink Lemon Frosting
Ingredients
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
zest and juice of 1 lemon or you can use an orange
*1/8 cup of water
red food coloring
In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar, cream of tartar, lemon juice and water. Heat on low just to dissolve the sugar. remove from heat. In a large bowl, add the egg whites. With the mixer on high, mix until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sugar mixture. Mix in the zest and a few drops of red food coloring. Mix until frosting becomes thick about 6 to 7 minutes.
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When do I put in the unsalted butter? It just says cream together shortening and sugar in the instructions? Do I add the butter at that point too?
Sorry Sky about the mix up. I have prepared this recipe both with unsalted butter and shortening in the past. That is why it’s listed on here. You can use either one. I will go in and fix the post.
I take that back Sky. You are going to use both the shortening and the butter. Like I said before, I have used all butter at times and sometimes all shortening. This time I used some of each. Sorry about the mix up.
Made these tonight, and used the half butter/shortening. They were absolutely perfect. Will definitely make again. Will have to try the cake next 🙂 Thank you
Oh good Jenessa! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
So excited find this recipe…😍 I am confused about the flour amount for the cookies…. it varies by a quarter cup… Am I looking for a certain texture…?? Please help
Hi Victoria, sorry about the confusion. Start with the 2 1/4 cups. If the dough feels sticky, you could add the remaining flour. You want to be able to roll the dough ball without it sticking to your hands.