BEST BIRTHDAY CAKE!

Today is my good friend, Debby Vis's birthday! She had my husband and me over to dinner last week to celebrate and made some fabulous short-ribs. I must get her recipe so I can make them myself and share the recipe with all of you. They were really sweet, tender and delicious. I made her favorite cake...

VANILLA CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Happy Birthday Debby!

 

I found the recipe on this site: https://preppykitchen.com/1448-2/. Unlike the author of this blog, I am not a big-time baker so am always a bit trepidatious when undertaking a cake. John had some wonderful tips including using "cake strips" to keep your cake from rising in the center. I bought them online and they really worked. You soak the strips at least 5 minutes in water and then wrap them around your cake pan.

Ingenious! I am not sure, but believe the reason they work is the moisture makes the cake bake more evenly without rising in the center. John's recipe calls for making 3 layers in 6" cake pans. I had 8" pans only. He recommends if using 8" pans to double the recipe, but that seems like a lot of cake to me so I made his proportions and poured into two 8" pans. He also recommends weighing flour, sugar, etc. so you know he is a REAL baker. I used measuring cups, fluffing flour and leveling off with a knife. In case you are weighing, I will include his weights. Here's the recipe..

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (200 g)
1 cup granulated white sugar (200 g)
1 tsp. baking powder (4 g, heaping)
1/4 tsp. baking soda (1 g, heaping)
3/4 cup unsalted butter (171 g), room temp. (I used Kerry Gold, my favorite!)*
3 egg whites, room temp
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (15 mL) Note: Tablespoon; not teaspoon
1/2 tsp. salt (3 g)
1/2 cup sour cream (120 mL), room temp
1/2 cup whole milk (118mL), room temp

* 3/4 cup butter is 12 Tbsp. or 1 1/2 sticks American butter. If using Irish Kerry Gold, keep in mind that the measurements are different as it is packaged differently.

I love how shiny the batter is!

Preparation:
Butter and flour three 6" pans or two 8" cake pans. Wrap the pans with damp cake strips, if using. Preheat over to 340 degrees. Note: 340 degrees; not 350.
Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the wet ingredients together. Add the wet to the dry and mix until combined. John's tip--do not worry if you see little chunks of butter in your batter. They will melt as cake bakes. Divide the mixture evenly into cake pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until the centers are set and springy.
Let the layers cool in the pans for about 4 minutes, then dump each layer onto a cooling rack.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Ingredients:
1 lb. confectioners sugar (454 g)
2 sticks unsalted butter (226 g), room temp
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (118 mL)
1 tsp. vanilla (5 mL)
Pinch of salt
Drop of food coloring, if using. I thought making the frosting pale pink would be very "girly".

John decorated his cake with a huge peony. Very lovely. I used fresh strawberries and raspberries.

Beautiful!

Preparation:
Beat the room temperature butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, vanilla, food coloring and heavy cream. Mix together until a desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a piping bag. I did not do this. I simply frosted the cake, but here is what John recommends...Pipe buttercream between cake layers. Cover the cake with a thin layer of buttercream. Use an offset spatula to smooth the frosting.
If using a flower to decorate, wrap the stem with floral tape.

 

BIRTHDAYS ARE SUCH A

WONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF YOU!

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP ON CELEBRATING!

 

WE HAD A FABULOUS 4 MONTHS IN IRELAND, BUT IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK IN THE SUNNY SOUTHWEST!

Killary Harbour, in the village of Leenaun.
Ireland's only fjord.

 

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