Happy Birthday and a Newspaper Column

I am (unfortunately) having a birthday this week, but am lucky to have a husband willing take on the task of making a birthday cake. I was going to make my own birthday cake, but he gallantly offered to take on the culinary challenge. So....fine. He had to scrap the original plan when one of our Hungry Puppies became very distressed that the cake wouldn't be black and white (my favorite colors). Dark brown and white-ish were apparently close enough. He made the cake (from scratch, I might add), and I made the filling and frosted the cake (at his request so that it would look edible). The cake was yummy...not bad for my non-baker husband.

He also, unbeknownst to me, wrote a community column spotlighting this blog. I like to fly under the radar. I don't think that this qualifies. However, I do appreciate the free advertising of this blog to the entire region.

Almost White Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Cake:
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Cream Filling:
One 7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 heaping Tablespoon black cocoa powder
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons very hot water
Pinch - 1/8 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Frosting of your choice (we used storebought (long story) but homemade is best).

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, and one extra pan for the remaining batter (the recipe makes three 9-inch layers, but we did two layers and used the remaining batter for something else. You can do cupcakes, or a separate one layer...whatever.)

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and buttermilk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and almond extracts and bead until just blended. Pour 1/3 of the batter into each of the two cake pans (use the remaining 1/3 for something else). Gently drop each pan flat on the counter a couple of times to release some air bubbles and to help produce a more level cake.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks. Cool completely.

To make the filling, combine marshmallow fluff, shortening, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla and beat until well blended and fluffy. Combine hot water and salt in a small bowl, and swirl until salt dissolves. Add salt water to filling, and beat well.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread all of the filling evenly over the layer, then top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with chocolate frosting.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy