Mini Vanilla Tea Cakes on a Rainy Afternoon
The Blond Duck’s sister and mother
In a world a bit away, but not too terribly far from the Pond, a girl and her mother had a plan.
It was a rainy, blustery day. The kind that is perfect for a nap, for curling up with a good book or a scary movie on television that makes you burrow into your couch cushions, all the more aware of your safe little world.
It was the kind of overcast, grey day perfect for a celebration. For only celebrations you see, will pep up the most grey and lackluster of days.
And this celebration was one of tea cakes.
Carefully, the girl and her mother mixed up the cakes…
While two small puppies sniffed the floor for crumbs…
And the Blond Duck danced spastically around the living room while watching Halloween cartoons. Grey days gave her boundless amounts of energy to burn off.
As the day grew even greyer and drearier, inside of the warm kitchen, dozens of perfect golden tea cakes emerged from the oven.
Just as carefully as before, the girl set about to mixing the icing.
The very pink icing.
And as the Blond Duck continued to twirl uselessly in the living room, her sister and mother carefully iced the tiny tea cakes until the kitchen smelled of warm sugar and vanilla.
But what to do with so many tea cakes? The girl and her mother looked at each other and smiled.
A few moments later, the Blond Duck and her sister, clutching a plate of tea cakes and wading through the grass in her rain boots, set out to deliver tea cakes to the neighbors. As is the case with these things, they settled in for a late afternoon chat.
Such is the magic of tea cakes on a rainy afternoon.
Even the cookie stealing bunny might sample one or two. Just for comparison, you see.
Mini Vanilla Tea Cakes from Williams-Sonama Kitchen
1 1/3 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
For the glaze:
8 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4 egg whites
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
Food coloring as desired
Have all ingredients at room temperature. Position a rack int he lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease the wells of mini tea cake pan and dust with flour, tap out excess. Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In bowl or electric mixer with the flat beater, beat butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy (5 minutes), stopping to scrape down sides of bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, about one minute.
Reduced the speed to low and add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Spoon 2 tsp. of batter into each well of prepared pan. Tap the pan on countertop to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until cakes are no longer sticky on top 8-10 minutes. Transfer pans to wire rack and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Invert rack and lift off pan. Let cakes cool for 30 minutes.
Wash and dry pan and repeat with remaining batter.
To make glaze, in a large bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, egg whites, milk and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in food coloring until desired color reached. Slowly drizzle the glaze over each cake, allowing it to cover top and sides before moving on to next cake. Let the glaze dry completely before serving (1 hour). Makes 60 tea cakes.
Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a new Dallas Jean Lee and Saturday, a new Creative Woman of the Pond! Stay tuned!
October 15th, 2009 at 2:05 am
What a sweet post!! I can see my little granddaughtes sitting down to tea with these. Great recipe.
October 15th, 2009 at 2:29 am
Cute, that’s a great post – and wow, your daughter looks just like you! What a nice neighbor you are.
Stopping by from SITS to say good morning!
October 15th, 2009 at 2:46 am
Now that is one recipe on my “to do” list. You are your daughter look like sisters. I took my oldest son out to lunch this summer. The waitress thought he was my brother. He was not pleased! However, I laughed all day: LOL
October 15th, 2009 at 3:45 am
I love how your cake pan had different shapes. That’s so cool!
October 15th, 2009 at 3:46 am
WOW! You all look so much alike!
These Vanilla Tea cakes look delicious! I always run short of Trick or Treat goodies, so I may make a batch for the late comers!
Last year I had more than 40 visitors, and I did run short of treats to hand out, so I had to break into the Christmas goodies to make everything go around!
October 15th, 2009 at 4:03 am
If grey days give you boundless energy, you really should join me here in the UK
we have loads of dreary and rainy days. Plus it could inspire your story line with the haunted house! Adorable little tea cakes. Thats a very cool cake pan!
October 15th, 2009 at 4:17 am
how FUN!!!!!
October 15th, 2009 at 4:36 am
So cute! They would be perfect for a tea party.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:38 am
What a nice time and what a delicious looking treat!
October 15th, 2009 at 5:01 am
You are just too cute, sweet Duckie! What an afternoon, but the dance with that handsome man sure does set the day off, right, sugar?!?!?!
xoxo,
Connie
October 15th, 2009 at 5:02 am
Aww, I love the pink icing! Never have I wanted a rainy day so much
October 15th, 2009 at 5:21 am
Yummy on my tummy!!! I wish I was your neighbor!
October 15th, 2009 at 5:33 am
What a nice way to spend the day!
October 15th, 2009 at 5:36 am
Great tea cakes! I have this pan but mine came with a chocolate truffle recipe – I have bookmarked yours as it suits me much better. Thanks so much!
October 15th, 2009 at 6:02 am
How cute…I’ve never seen mini tea cakes, they look delicious!
October 15th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Sounds like a fun afternoon! They definitely are beautiful mini tea cakes!
October 15th, 2009 at 6:12 am
delightful!
kHm
October 15th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Look at all that pretty pink! Love it; and the bunny is hilarious.;)
Thank you so much for stopping by my place.;)
October 15th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Yum! I wish we had dreary rainy days here. I would make batches and batches of tea cakes!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Oh they look so cute and delicious. I wish you could bring some over to me!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:38 am
I desperately need some Mini Vanilla Tea Cakes. It was raining here the other day; I ended up making playlists full of sappy songs, but I so would have preferred to bake delectable goodies like these!
October 15th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Good way to meet the neighbors. If you twirl around their living rooms enough, however, they might be frightened. Yesterday was Pooh’s Birthday, and you could have held a Pooh Birthday Party, too! If your sister and mother are bored, and want to come to my kitchen to make Vanilla Tea Cakes, I’ll fetch them at the airport…if you come, too…
October 15th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Those look adorable, and I always mean to take goodies to my neighbors – I really need to get on that!
October 15th, 2009 at 9:28 am
I think i have a bite. They look so delicious!Love the pics.
What a nice atmoshere!
October 15th, 2009 at 9:38 am
THere is nothing like cupcakes, especially mini ones with pink frosting. Yummy!
October 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am
These are too cute, especially with pink icing!
October 15th, 2009 at 10:21 am
You guys are sweet, I also do neighbor deliveries!
October 15th, 2009 at 10:27 am
We love having tea–any day!
October 15th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I’ve never had a tea cake – they are so cute and look really tasty.
October 15th, 2009 at 10:43 am
they are so pretty! what a great way to spend a rainy afternoon!
October 15th, 2009 at 10:49 am
what delicious looking cakes, Jane x
October 15th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Hey … I like teacakes and since no neighbor of mine has dropped by to share with me, you’ll just have to put on your rain coat and hop on up here to Oregon. My house is the one on the corner. Oooooo … sounds spooky!
October 15th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Hmmm, are you the lunchbox that stays at home while the other does all the work? Looked that way to me
October 15th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Your mom look so young!! Are you sure that she isn’t your sister?
Those cakes look like a great way to bring sunshine to a cloudy day:-)
October 15th, 2009 at 11:13 am
I just love your bunny…..sensational!
You have many talents…..baking too! Compliments….for those cookies I would almost take the next plain….!
ciao elvira
October 15th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I love baking with my mom and sis on dreary days! These are so adorable, I love the pretty pink icing!
October 15th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Dancing is not useless! You were burning calories so you could have an extra tea cake.
Ramona
October 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I love baking, especially during the holidays! Those look so very pretty!
October 15th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Darn – if only I was a neighbor! I, too want a plate of tea cakes with pink icing!
~ingrid
October 15th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Let me just say that I LOVE that you spell grey with an “e”–I always have, too, as a by-product of all the British authors I enjoyed growing up. Also, that it has been VERY grey here for days, and greyness gives me anything BUT boundless energy. It makes me lethargic . So lethargic that I would LOVE to curl up with some cakes and a movie and all of that great lethargic-type stuff you described, but I have to transport a highly flawed cheesecake in the driving rain to a rather remote location. But seeing that bunny again cheered me enough to face the task!
October 15th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
P.S. Thanks for your sweet comments at my place
Very appreciated–and I hope you WILL join me for One Line Wednesday…I’d like that 
October 15th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Believe it or not I never made Tea Cakes. I guess that comes from having only boys. These look so delicious and so pretty in pink…the color of this month that I might have to make some of these on the weekend.
October 15th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
OMyummycakeGOODNESS!! I want to devour that whole little plate of little cakes. Since they’re small that means they don’t have very many calories, right?
Hope you’re having a wonderful week!♥
October 15th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Yum! These sound nice–it just snowed here, so I could use some tea cakes, I think!
October 15th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
What cute little tea cakes. Oooooh, I want to come to tea Duckie! Some day I am just going to drop by the pond for tea. How fun!
Mmmm, they look so good too!
XOOX
Jen
October 15th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
PS – I am going to print out your haunted story to read to my kids tonight. It is getting so good!
XOXO
Jen
October 15th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Oh how cute! And they’re for me right? Cos they’re pink!
October 15th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
You are too cute! I love it. xoxo
SC
October 15th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Those are adorable tea cakes! Looks like a good way to spend a dreary afternoon.
October 15th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Those tea cakes look both yummy and pretty!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I am so not a baker but you make this look fun! And delicious!
Sandra
October 15th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
SO cute and I love your pink frosting!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
I wish you were my neighbor!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
haha, of COURSE it’s gotta be a pink frosting!!
October 15th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Funny picture story with very nice text!
October 15th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Why is this your food life and I am not a part of it?! Waah! I want yummy tea cakes!
October 15th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Silly bunny! This looks like a nice way to spend a rainy day!
October 16th, 2009 at 3:19 am
I am loving these adorable little tea cakes. Your sister is as gorgeous as you!
October 16th, 2009 at 4:26 am
I wish I had tea cake pans!
That was a lovely way to spend a rainy day: with your loved ones baking!
October 16th, 2009 at 4:39 am
yum and how fun
October 16th, 2009 at 5:52 am
I need to go get the supplies cause I definitely could brighten this rainy day here on Four Seasons Farm. Even the duck is getting sick of rainy dreariness.
October 16th, 2009 at 8:01 am
What a way to make a gray day colorful: spastic dancing, Halloween cartoons, tea cakes… I love it! The bunny stealing the cookie was a final touch of brilliance!
Jenn @ rookno17.blogspot.com
October 16th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Such scrumptious little cakes! They sound absolutely delicious and we love the pink icing!
October 16th, 2009 at 10:45 am
those look wonderful thanks for sharing the recipe!
October 16th, 2009 at 11:00 am
You make me want to twirl and eat pink teacakes – it’s rainy here and these would hit the spot!
October 16th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I could seriously use you if you just lived CLOSER!!
October 16th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
So cute! You make me wish I had a sister to share in all the pink stuff with.
October 16th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Oh how precious are these teacakes! Love the pink icing and sweet story.
I still need to order your book. I’m still waiting to figure out what else we need from them and then I will.
Have a great weekend. ~Melissa
October 16th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
oh my gosh your daughter and you are twins! I thought you guys were sisters at first haha I am terrible! and lovely tea cakes. I would love to give these a try!
October 17th, 2009 at 12:19 am
mmmm . . . I wish I was your neighbour!! I got my LFB book! It’s wonderful! Love ya loads!
October 17th, 2009 at 12:50 am
How delicious! And you like to share too…gimme! ;O)
October 17th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
These tea cakes look so good. It looks like you guys had a lot of fun making them. – I really like the picture of you dancing with your husband. It’s so cute. I hope you’re enjoying the weekend.
October 17th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Just love the tea cakes! I know I’d be tickled about a delivery of these to my door!
October 17th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
What lovely tea treats. They would be perfect dainties to receive in the mail. Want my address???
October 18th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
You just keep spreading your sunshine everywhere! Tea cakes? Yummy!
October 19th, 2009 at 3:23 am
What fab cakes – I am sure that the neighbours were pleased.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
The way delicious tea cakes should always be served: with pink icing!!!