PRETTY PETITS FOURS

Pretty Petits Fours image

Add a delicate touch to your desert table with these bite-size cakes from our Test Kitchen. We decorated the tops with roses to follow our floral theme, but feel free to try your hand at other designs.

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 50m

Yield 2-1/2 dozen (3 cups frosting).

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup whole milk
3 large egg whites, room temperature
GLAZE:
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons orange extract
FROSTING:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons whole milk
Gel, liquid or paste food coloring

Steps:

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gently fold into batter., Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., Cut a thin slice off each side of cake. Cut cake into 1-1/4-in. squares. Place 1/2 in. apart on a rack in a 15x10x1-in. pan., In a large bowl, combine glaze ingredients. Beat on low speed just until blended; beat on high until smooth. Apply glaze evenly over tops and sides of cake squares, allowing excess to drip off. Let dry. Repeat if necessary to thoroughly coat squares. Let dry completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, cream the butter, shortening and vanilla. Beat in confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Place 1/2 cup each in two bowls; tint one pink and one green., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert #104 tip. Fill with pink frosting; pipe a rosebud on each petit four. Insert #3 round tip into another pastry or plastic bag; fill with green frosting. Pipe a leaf under each rose.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 274 calories, Fat 7g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 11mg cholesterol, Sodium 114mg sodium, Carbohydrate 53g carbohydrate (46g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.