Birthday Tuesday - Dairy Foods

{Photo credit: Bakerella}

Today is my 31st birthday. I'd really love if someone would come over and bake me this cake. Isn't it the prettiest cake ever?

I'm keeping this birthday a bit low key.  Erik and I are going to dinner this evening and all I want is a burger, fries and a cold beer.  I realize I kind of sound like a dude saying that.

Moist yellow cake (recipe via Bakerella)

1 cup (2 sticks) of butter (room temperature)
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
3 cups of sifted self-rising flour
1 cup of whole milk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour (3) 8 inch cake pans.
Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and continue to cream for about 7 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg is added.
Add flour and milk (alternating to creamed mixture), beginning and ending with flour.
Add vanilla and butter flavoring to mix; until just mixed.
Divide batter equally into three cake pans.
Hold each layer about 3 inches above your counter and carefully drop the pans flat onto counter several times to ensure release of any air bubbles. This will help you have a more level cake.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes (depending on your oven) until done.
Cool in pans for 5 – 10 minutes.
Remove and immediately wrap each layer in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Cool completely on wire racks.
Once cooled, you are ready to assemble your cake.

Here’s a little trick to add moisture into your layers:

Combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water.
Bring to boil and boil for approximately 3 minutes. Let cool.
Pour liquid into a spray bottle or pouring bottle.

Cake assembly:

Unwrap first layer and using a serrated knife, level off the top of your cake.
Place layer onto your dish. Take a straw and poke holes into the layer. Using your spray bottle, spray top of layer several times; enough to give it a little moisture. Be careful – don’t add too much.
Add a layer of frosting to your bottom layer. Repeat on second and third layers.
Frost the sides.

Easy Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1b. 10X powdered sugar
1-3 teaspoons milk, half and half or cream

Using a mixer, cream softened butter and vanilla until smooth.
Add sugar gradually, allowing butter and sugar to cream together before adding more.
If you want your frosting a little creamier, add a teaspoon of milk at a time and beat on high until you get the right texture.

Then, just use icing colors to tint the frosting the color of your choice.

This is usually just enough for a 2-layer cake, so double this for a three-layer.

Unfortunately, my hubs and I have had some bad luck at our house lately (a little thing called ice dams) but we'll save that story for another day, a non-birthday.  Needless to say, there is no chance I'll be baking this cake anytime soon and the bubbly birthday brunch is postponed for a few weeks until our house is back in order. 

But back to happy thoughts that include cake, beer, burgers, fries and my honey.  I have a feeling it'll be a great day.