More from the wedding....

Good afternoon to everyone!  How has the day been where you are?  We are probably going to set a record for high temperatures at least one of the next three days!  This is really unseasonably warm, and we are just hoping there will not be one of those damaging spring frosts later.

The church

The disadvantage to being the Mother of the Bride is the inability to take pictures of much of the wedding, once it really begins.  I am going to try to include some pictures that I was able to take before everything started.  The wreaths on the church were made by the groom.  The building in the distance is where the reception was held.  Thankfully there was no rain during the afternoon, after some light showers during the morning.

Inside the church

It isn't easy to see what had been done here.  Country Girl had the idea of draping tulle across the cables that extended from one side of the church to the other.  She and Country Gentleman worked on this on the day before the wedding.  There are branches of wildflowers inside the folds.  She just couldn't see anyone else doing this except herself.

The groom's cake

In this post, I am sharing the groom's cake recipe with you.  It is one that I cut from the local newspaper long ago.  I can't even remember how long ago it was.  We had baked it earlier to let our engaged couple taste it and give their approval.  My sister took this picture.  Those are Jordan almonds that are spread around on the table.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

3/4 cup butter

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

3 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups ice water

- Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time and beat until light and fluffy.  Melt and add the chocolate.  Sift together flour, soda, and salt and add to the batter, alternately with ice water.

- Grease and line with wax paper three 8-inch layer cake pans.  Divide batter between pans.  Bake in 350-degree F oven 30 to 35 minutes.  Set pans on cake racks and cool 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and let layers cool.  Frost with following frosting.

FUDGE FROSTING

1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened

5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 cup (or more) milk

Dash salt

3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla

 - Combine ingredients, beating with electric mixer until smooth.  Add more milk if frosting is too thick.

The cake was to appear to be a tree stump, so I tried to make circles on the top to resemble the age rings one finds when a tree is cut down.  I tinted the remaining frosting a darker shade with brown paste coloring, then tried to give the appearance of bark by running a fork up the side of the cake.  The green that you see around the base of the cake is leaves cut from almond paste which I had tinted the shade that Country Girl had requested.  

The floral arrangement on the table is a combination of flowers from a supplier plus wildflowers that were gathered on Thursday afternoon.  Blue Mason jars were used as vases.

I notice new followers.  I truly appreciate all of you who are taking time to read along.  I really love reading your comments.

Next post - Still more wedding....