Food Network Magazine - (05)May 2020

raysen Pinder has been baking cakes with her mom

almost every week since she was just 3 years old.

And in the spirit of true Southern hospitality, the duo

have always shared their sweets with neighbors in

Wilmington, NC. The 14-year-old loves baking for others

so much, she even started her own catering company,

Gimme Some Sugga—an experience that she thinks helped

her clinch the Kids Baking Championship title. “The fact

that people are willing to pay for the desserts I make gave

me confidence and let me know that you

don’t have to be a certain age to do what

you love,” she says. We asked Graysen

to walk us through one of her winning creations on the

show: this fun fake-out BLT, which she made for one

of the “dessert imposters” episodes. It turns out she had

an edge for this particular “Sammy Whammy” challenge:

Her parents own a sandwich shop! Here’s how to make

a simpler version of her clever creation at home.

g

The latest Kids Baking Championship winner

shares her recipe for a look-alike BLT cake!

The Greatest Thing Since

Sliced Bread

BREAD
Cut 1 pound cake into
twelve ½-inch-thick
slices, then halve each
slice on the diagonal.
Mix 2 teaspoons almond
extract with ⅛ teaspoon
brown gel food coloring;
brush lines on the pound
cake with a food-safe
paintbrush or press on
with a wooden skewer.

MAYONNAISE

Whisk 3 egg whites and 1 cup

sugar in a heatproof bowl set

over a pan of simmering water

until dissolved, 3 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the

pan; beat with a mixer on high

speed until stiff and glossy,

5 minutes. Beat in 2 sticks

softened butter, 1 tablespoon

at a time, until smooth. Beat in

½ teaspoon kosher salt.

LETTUCE

Melt 1 cup each light

green and dark green

candy melts and ¼ cup

white candy melts in

the microwave in

separate bowls. Pour

over a crumpled piece of

parchment on a baking

sheet; swirl the colors

with a toothpick. Let set,

then break into pieces.

BACON

Roll out 2 ounces each

pink, white and brown

fondant into three 10-inch

logs; twist together. Roll out

the log into a 6-by-12-inch

rectangle on a cornstarch-

dusted surface. Fold in

half and reroll. Cut into

twelve 1-inch-thick strips,

then shape into wavy

strips of bacon and let dry.

TOMATOES

Heat 1 cup each sugar

and water in a small

saucepan over medium

heat until dissolved.

Add 2 cups thinly sliced

strawberries; let soak,

turning occasionally,

5 minutes. Transfer to a

parchment-lined baking

sheet with a slotted

spoon. Let cool.

fun

cooking

WINNER!

BLT Cake

Graysen’s

recipe makes

6 of these

“sandwiches.”

46 FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE ●MAY 2020

FOOD PHOTO: RALPH SMITH; FOOD STYLING: KAREN TACK.