Happy Star Wars Day!

May the Force Be

With You,

Always

Grapefruit Cake Recipe From Disney

Disney

Have you tried the Grapefruit Cake at the Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios? It's so good! If you can't make it to the park, but are craving this delightful dessert, you're in luck: here's the recipe from Disney.

Grapefruit Cake with Cream Cheese Icing - The Hollywood Brown Derby

Serves 8 

Grapefruit Cake

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

3 large eggs, separated 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

1/4 cup water 

3 Tbsp grapefruit juice 

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest 

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 X 2-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and lightly butter the paper and sides. 

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk egg yolks, oil, water, grapefruit juice, and lemon zest until smooth in a medium bowl. Whisk in the flour mixture. 

Beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar just to stiff peaks with an electric or stand mixture. Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture with a rubber spatula until just blended. Pour into prepared pan. 

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Invert the cake, still in the pan, and cool on a wire rack. 

Run a spatula or a table knife around the edge of the cake and carefully remove from the pan.  

Cream Cheese Icing 

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

Beat cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and the lemon zest. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and beat until well blended. Keep covered until ready to frost cake. 

Topping

1 can (16 ounces) grapefruit sections, drained well 

Grapefruit syrup  

To Serve:  

Halve cake horizontally with a serrated knife.  

Spread 1/3 to 1/2 cup frosting over top of first layer to with about 1/4 inch of edge. Top with several grapefruit sections. 

Place second cake layer, rounded side up, on frosted first layer. Frost top and sides with remaining icing. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections and desired amount of grapefruit syrup.  

Treats For Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Disney World

All images: Disney

Today is the first day of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. And that means a ton of fun sweets and treats will be arriving throughout Disney World. Which one are you planning to try first?

Animal Kingdom

Pizzafari and Restaurantosaurus

• Moana Heart of Te Fiti Cupcake: coconut cake, pineapple custard filling, coconut buttercream, white chocolate “Heart of Te Fiti,” and coconut crumble 

Nomad Lounge

• Bangkok Chicken Wings: Crispy chicken wings, fish sauce caramel, peanuts, and cilantro

Terra Treats

• Thai Sweet Chili-glazed Pork Pizza: Sweet chili-glazed smoked pork on our thick fresh-baked pizza dough with melted mozzarella

Tiffins Restaurant

• Butter Chicken: Chickpea-rice croquette, English peas, young squash, and pickled onion

Dawa Bar, Restaurantosaurus Lounge, and Thirsty River Bar

• Singapore Sling: New Amsterdam Gin, Heering Cherry Liqueur, grenadine, and Sprite

EPCOT

The Citrus Blossom - Flower & Garden Festival

• Orange-Sesame Tempura Shrimp with Orange-Chile Sauce

Hanami - Flower & Garden Festival

• Frushi: Strawberry, pineapple, and lychee wrapped in coconut rice and pink soy wrap served with whipped cream, drizzled raspberry sauce, and toasted coconut
• Steam Bun filled with vegetables and plant-based soy meat 🍚
• Ramen Cup: Ramen salad shaken in a cup with fresh vegetables, grilled chicken, and dashi broth with chili oil and yuzu 🍚Watermelon-Strawberry Lemonade 🍚🧋
• Orange Blossom Brewing Co. Cherry Blossom Green Tea Pilsner 🍚
• Ichigo Breeze Cocktail: Sake with Strawberry and Watermelon 🍚
• Ozeki Pineapple Nigori Sake 🍚

Lotus House - Flower & Garden Festival

• Spicy Mala Chicken Skewer with creamy peanut sauce
• House-made Cheesy Crab Wontons
• Pan-fried Vegetable Dumplings
• Mango Bubble Tea 🧋
• Brew Hub Honey Jasmine Lager Draft Beer
• Dragon Dynasty: Baijiu spirit, light rum, dragon fruit syrup, piña colada mix, and soda water 🍚
• Lucky Peach: Peach whiskey, oolong tea, honey, lemon juice, and soda water 🍚
• Tropical Moon: Vodka, triple sec, passion fruit syrup, soda water, and white boba pearls

Trowel & Trellis - Flower & Garden Festival

• Soy-glazed Sticky Ribs: Soy-glazed sticky ribs with green onions and peanuts

Magic Kingdom

Energy Bytes

• Passion Fruit IceOForm: Ice cream mochi, citrus, shortbread crunch, and purple ube foam

Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen

• “Hardy Har Char” Siu Pork: Char siu-marinated pork tenderloin served with house-pickled vegetables and jasmine rice
• Nile Nellie’s Noodle Bowl: Sauteéd shrimp tossed with a spicy tamarind sauce, picked radish, eggs, toasted peanuts, and fresh-cut herbs
• Mango Float: Kalamansi namelaka, mango crèmeux, and house-made graham cracker 🍚

Hollywood Studios

ABC Commissary

• Pork Adobo: Soy and vinegar-braised pork served with steamed white rice, pickled onions, and a sesame-cucumber salad 🍚

Backlot Express

• Teriyaki Tofu Bowl: Seasoned jasmine rice, marinated tofu, yuzu-pickled edamame, carrots, cucumber, and onions drizzled with house-made lemon-tahini chipotle vinaigrette and sesame seeds

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

• Bánh Mì Burger: Grilled house-made pork patty topped with roasted pork belly, pickled vegetables, cucumber, herbs, and a sriracha aïoli

Disney Springs

Amorette’s Patisserie

• Strawberry Boba Milk Tea Petit Cake: Layers of vanilla cake soaked in strawberry milk tea filled with strawberry mousse, strawberry boba pearls, and crushed strawberry biscuit sticks 🍚
• Mushu Cake Bar: Chocolate and red velvet cake bar 🍚

eet by Maneet Chauhan

• Bombay Smash (served in a souvenir cup): Coconut, pineapple, apricot, and spiced rum 
• Gobi Manchurian: Crispy cauliflower, ginger, garlic, chili sauce, pico de gallo, and cumin basmati rice

Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew

• Purple Glazed Ube Donut
• Purple Reign: Iced chai tea, purple ube coconut milk, coconut syrup, and ube syrup swirl

The Ganachery

• Year of the Dragon Chocolate Piñata: Dark chocolate shell filled with dark chocolate-covered candied orange peel and five-spice marshmallows

Morimoto Asia

• Adobo Tacos: St. Louis pork adobo, taco shell, guacamole, tomato, lime, and micro cilantro

Splitsville Luxury Lanes

• Golden Spider Roll: Tempura fried softshell crab, cucumber and avocado wrapped in soy paper and sushi rice, topped with diced mango, honey wasabi, eel sauce, and micro greens

STK Steakhouse Orlando

• Fish & Poi: Tuna poke, kukui nuts, and poi chili sauce
• Tako Poke: Octopus, Maui onions, cucumber, kimchi garlic sauce, and sesame seeds    
• Pipikaula Wagyu Skirt Steak: 4 oz steak, wild mushroom poke, lomi tomatoes

The BOATHOUSE

• Changing Tides: Conniption Gin, Fever-Tree Sparkling Lime & Yuzu

The Polite Pig

• Loco Moco Meatloaf: With smoked sticky rice, lomi tomatoes, sunny side up egg, and smoked Maui onion demi glace 

Vivoli Il Gelato

• Ube Tiramisu: Ube cream with coconut-soaked ladyfingers

Disney Resorts

Animal Kingdom Lodge - Sanaa

• Samosas: Potato and pea samosas with tamarind and mango chutney
• Zanzibari Vegetable Curry: Seasonal vegetables with fragrant rice
• Zanzibari Vegetable Curry with Chicken: Seasonal vegetables with fragrant rice

Various Food Courts - All-Star Resorts, Landscape of Flavors at Art of Animation, Centertown Market at Caribbean Beach, Everything POP at Pop Century, Riverside Mill at Port Orleans – Riverside, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Port Orleans – French Quarter 

• Pork Sisig with Noodles: Citrus-roasted pork with lo mein noodles, onions, peppers, chiles, and ginger-butter sauce 🍚

Various Food Courts - All-Star Resorts, Landscape of Flavors at Art of Animation, Centertown Market & Spyglass Grill at Caribbean Beach, Everything POP at Pop Century, Riverside Mill at Port Orleans – Riverside, Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Port Orleans – French Quarter

• Moana Chocolate-Coconut Pie: Coconut and chocolate custard, graham cracker crust, Chantilly cream, toasted macadamia nuts, and Moana fondant décor

Various Lounges and Bars across Disney World

• Thai Basil Fizz: Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, ginger beer, Thai basil, and lime  

🍚 - New

🧋 - Non-alcoholic

Mufasa: The Lion King

All images: Disney

The first trailer and poster for a new story from the Pride Lands have arrived. Mufasa: The Lion King tells the tale of Mufasa's rise from orphan to King.

Here's the official synopsis from Disney: 

“Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.  

The film has an all-star roster of talent bringing new and fan-favorite characters to life:

• Aaron Pierre as Mufasa
• Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, a lion prince with a bright future who accepts Mufasa into his family as a brother
• Tiffany Boone as Sarabi
• Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki
• Preston Nyman as Zazu
• Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, a formidable lion with big plans for his pride 
• Thandiwe Newton as Taka’s mother, Eshe
• Lennie James as Taka’s father, Obasi
• Anika Noni Rose as Mufasa’s mother, Afia
• Keith David as Mufasa’s father, Masego
• John Kani as Rafiki
• Seth Rogen as Pumbaa
• Billy Eichner as Timon
• Donald Glover as Simba
• Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala
• Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara
• With songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Mufasa: The Lion King arrives in theaters on December 20th.

"Determinate" - Lemonade Mouth

Disney

Here's a bit of a blast from the past to start your week. Lemonade Mouth was a favorite in our house when it debuted on the Disney Channel in 2011.

Lemonade Mouth is available now on DisneyPlus.

Paradise

To escape and sit quietly on the beach – 

that’s my idea of paradise. 

- Emilia Wickstead

Xandarian Nova Corps Star Blaster

I love Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT. It is my favorite roller coaster at any Disney Park. This Xandarian Nova Corps Star Blaster is docked in front of the ride building.