Petit Fours

By barbsjustagirl

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
• 3 extra-large eggs, room temperature
• 1 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together milk, eggs, and vanilla; set aside.
3. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until well blended. Add butter and half of the milk mixture; continue mixing until moistened. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.
4. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add half of the remaining milk mixture. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining milk mixture. Beat again on medium speed for 30 seconds.
5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.
6. While cake is still warm, invert onto a wire rack. Completely wrap in plastic wrap to keep cake moist.


Assembly:
To get the small Petit Fours I used the trick cutting the pound cake into 1″ thick slices and with a round circle cutter you cut out the small cakes.
Then you place the small cakes on a wire rack with a baking tray underneath to collect any leftover icing. I had my mixed instant fondant icing heated and ready. Use a ladle to pour the icing over the small cakes in a circular movement. Here it is important that you quickly pour enough icing over the cakes because you want to seal the cakes completely with the icing. If the icing is too thick at this stage you will have problems with it harden before it have covered the small cakes all the way to the bottom.
When the Petit Fours are all done with the icing, you can cut them loose by using a small sharp knife and with slightly wet fingers transfer them to cupcake paper cases. Now your Petit Fours are ready to be decorated. I used some gum paste Hydrangea and some Primrose flowers for my Petit Fours.
Store your Petit Fours in a card board box that is not completely airthight or the icing can get sticky. The refrigerator will melt the icing