Birthday Cake

This is an advanced recipe for kids to prepare. It is well worth the effort to create a delicious home-baked cake for a birthday celebration! From Williams-Sonoma Cooking with Kids;Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kids Baking, by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Oxmoor House, 2003).

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• For the vanilla cake

• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 12  tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar (granulated)
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3  eggs
• 1 1⁄3 cups milk

• For the chocolate frosting

• 1 1⁄2 cups  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 2 1⁄2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons heavy cream
•  candy, for decorating
•  candy sprinkles, for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F Grease 2 round cake pans with butter.
2. Make 2 circles on a piece of parchment paper by tracing the bottom of the cake pan. Cut out the circles and press 1 circle into the bottom of each pan. Grease the paper with more butter.
3. Sprinkle some flour in each pan, and shake and tilt the pans to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Turn the pans upside down and tap out the extra flour.
4. Mix the dry ingredients.
5. To make the cake, put the flour, baking powder and salt into a sifter and sift into a bowl.
6. Make the batter.
7. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar and vanilla on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one is added.
8. Turn off the mixer, add about one-third of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Pour in 2/3 cup of the milk and beat just until blended. Repeat, adding about one-third of the flour, the remaining 2/3 cup milk and then the rest of the flour, beating after each addition just until blended.
9. Fill the pans
10. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with the rubber spatula. Pour half of the batter into one prepared pan and the other half into the second pan. Using the rubber spatula, spread the batter evenly and smooth the top.
11. Bake and cool the cake.
12. Put the pans in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove the pans from the oven and set them on wire cooling racks to cool for 20 minutes.
13. Turn each pan upside down onto the rack and lift off the pan. Peel off the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
14. Melt the chocolate.
15. To make the frosting, melt the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water in a saucepan, stirring often with a wooden spoon until smooth, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using oven mitts, remove the bowl and set aside to let the chocolate cool slightly.
16. Combine the frosting ingredients
17. In a bowl, using the electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-low speed until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with the rubber spatula. Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt, and beat on low speed until smooth and fluffy.
18. Add the chocolate and cream and beat on low until well blended. Frost and decorate the cake as desired.