Traditional Yellow Birthday Cake with Chocolate Frosting

NO. 1 SON'S BIRTHDAY CAKE

No. 1 Son wanted us to take him out for a steak dinner on his birthday...he has a favorite family friendly spot.  It was a very busy day so I got up early and made him a cake, well, 2 cakes.  That way the family could share one with him and he could take one home.

I phoned the restaurant and asked if it would be OK for me to bring my cake for our birthday dessert.  YES.  That was a relief, as some have a policy of NO.

No.1 Son is not the chocoholic that I am, preferring instead, fruity desserts, and also pastries that taste like frosted sugar cookies.

AFTER 2 100^ DAYS AND TRAVELING THIS CAKE REMAINS MOIST AND DELICIOUS

I decided to use my traditional birthday cake recipe...vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and I added berries to the tops.

This recipe makes a one layer 9" cake, but by 3 X the recipe, I got 4 layers in 8" pans, making enough for both my cakes.

USED ALL THE CHOCOLATES IN THE KITCHEN FOR THIS FROSTING

For the frosting, I did a “use up the chocolate in the kitchen” creation that worked well.  I had cocoa powder, dipping chocolate, chocolate bars and used them all.  I added a pound of butter per cake frosting and 1/4 cup per cake of corn syrup.  Vanilla was added along with  confectioners’ sugar and everything was beaten together making a spreadable/pipeable frosting...and it all kept nicely through the hot day, traveled well to the restaurant and back home (a few leftover slices), and the slice in the photo is from the next day....and it is 100^ today at our house.  So...it worked!  (Always worry about a butter frosting melting in our heat!)

THIS ONE WENT HOME WITH THE BIRTHDAY BOY

Ingredients for my Traditional Vanilla Birthday Cake:                           

In a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment cream together:
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Add:
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Beat until well combined and creamy.

In a medium bowl whisk together:
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 2/3 cups AP flour 


Mix:
Add to mixer bowl ½ the flour mixture; beat to combine.

Then add 1 cup full-fat sour cream, beat to combine...be careful not to overmix.

Now, remove bowl from mixer and add last ½ of flour mixture, folding all the ingredients together just until combined.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350^.  To prepare the 8" round cake pan, spray a vegetable oil on bottom and sides and sprinkle sugar over the oil, dumping out any excess.

Add the batter to the pan.  It is thick and will need to be smoothed to the edges with a rubber spatula.

Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top is golden brown.

Remove cake to rack for cooling.  After 10 minutes remove cake from pan and cool completely before frosting.  This cake adapts well to many flavorings and toppings.  It is also good with a ganache topping...chocolate always tops this traditional birthday cake well.  This cake is sturdy enough to fill.  I added homemade strawberry jam and a layer of my chocolate frosting between the layers.  Pastry creams also work well between layers and with the ganache topping it becomes a delicious Boston Cream Pie.

If you want to split this layer, such as for a Boston cream pie, first freeze your cake before cutting in half.  This cake is moist, but can be crumbly in the cutting process.

Note: Vanilla yogurt or thick buttermilk can replace the sour cream in this recipe.

FUN FAMILY BIRTHDAY PARTY!  BIRTHDAY BOY IS AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE