Strawberry Cake ~ by Molly

This cake makes up the final layer of Grace's birthday cake. It is probably my new favorite cake recipe and it's made using real strawberries, so it's healthy, right?

I got this picture from the blog where I found the recipe. I used two layers of each flavor of cake. 

Strawberry Cake      

Ingredients:

2 cups white sugar

1 (3oz) package of strawberry gelatin

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs, room temperature

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries (or you could use unsweetened and add a tablespoon of white sugar)

Method:

1. Prepare two 9″ round pans (butter and flour, or parchment lined).

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix vanilla and milk together. Combine and whisk dry ingredients, adding to creamed mixture and alternating with milk/vanilla until just combined. Blend in strawberry puree. Pour into prepared pans.

3. Bake in 350 F for about 25 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes, then inverting onto wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe for Strawberry Cake adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by GothicGirl.

http://sweetapolita.com/2011/01/neapolitan-5-layer-birthday-cake-with-strawberry-frosting/

Rich and Dark Chocolate Cake ~ by Molly

My goals in life are as follows:
1. Travel the world
2. Become a CPA
3. Learn to make perfect butter cream ruffles like the ones the woman made on the website where I got this recipe.

The point of this post isn't the frosting-- although next time I'm making a cake, it will be! This made up the chocolate layer of Grace's birthday cake. It came from the same website as the vanilla layer (see previous post).

Rich & Dark Chocolate Cake 

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup Cacao Barry Extra Brute Cocoa Powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup strong black coffee (can be hot)

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 2 x 9″ (or 3 x 8″ for slightly shorter layers) cake pans with butter and flour or parchment paper. In bowl of electric mixer, sift all dry ingredients. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl with the dry ingredients and with paddle attachment on mixer, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed (you may need the plastic splash guard that comes with mixer) and pour into prepared pans. Batter will be liquidy.

Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pans in oven. Cakes are done when toothpick or skewer comes clean–approximately 35 minutes. Try not to over bake. Cool on wire racks for 20 minutes then gently invert onto racks until completely cool.

http://sweetapolita.com/2010/11/rich-ruffled-chocolate-celebration-cake/

White Cake ~ by Molly

I found this recipe through TheKitchn.com and it formed one of the three layers of Grace's 8th birthday cake. It basically tastes like a fluffy sugar cookie. I also like this recipe because it came from a cookbook written by Amish people, so it 1) has a German name, and 2) reminds you to be tactful about the use of birthday candles. I put the link at the bottom of the recipe-- I'm kinda obsessed with this blog, it has so many recipes I'm dying to try and awesome pictures!

Described as Geburtstag Kucha (Birthday Cake from Rebecca Weber) in Food That Really Schmecks

“Snow white and light as a feather; baked in layers.”

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

2 cups white sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups ice water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 egg whites beaten stiff

Method:

Add sugar to the butter and beat until light. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with ice water and flavorings, beating thoroughly after each addition. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour into greased layer pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Cover with Angel Feather Icing and be tactful about the number of candles.

http://sweetapolita.com/2010/12/pretty-in-pink-old-fashioned-party-cake/