For my baby's FIRST birthday I initially decided to bake him a cake. Then I thought I would just get some edible prints and stick it on the cakes or cupcakes. Then I decided to just order a cake or an ice-cream cake for him.
Well remember my wilton caddy that I bought years ago? The one that I insisted I had and will use it? Well I never did really used it before and so hubby mentioned that I've spend so much money buying wilton stuff and that I should bake our baby a cake instead of buying one! *stress*
I decided to make my baby a grover cake because he use to like the monster at the end of this book that hubs bought the app for the iPhone and iPad. Initially I was going to make cupcakes for him hence I even went out to the store to hunt for the tip so I can pipe the fur for grover! I finally decided that cupcakes would be too time consuming to decorate that I decided I will just bake him a cake instead!
I had to bake the cake twice because the first cake I baked was a complete failure although I've bake the exact same cake before! the side of my cake came out burned on the side and bottom!! I think my oven temperature was slightly higher? I'm not sure! I was not happy at all because I didn't know if I would have a chance to bake another cake since my baby has already gotten up from his nap! Keep in mind that I can only do stuff when he's napping but not for long because his nap really varies and I really don't know how long he will nap each time. When he wakes up from his nap if I'm not there he won't be a happy boy.
When my baby was taking his second nap I quickly attempted my back up recipe. A recipe that I've never tried before but was going to give it a try anyway. I was searching and found Rumah Manis's blog and she made a cake called fool proof sponge cake. I looked and thought it says fool proof right? I mean I've made sponge cake with success before (granted the first one failed) I should be able to wink this one.
Fool Proof Sponge Cake adapted from here
Source : Christopher Kimball's - The Kitchen Detective
Softened unsalted butter for the pans
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease two 8-or-9-inch cake pans and cover pan bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.
Whisk/sieve the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts.
Take the sauce pan off the heat and add in vanilla extract; keep the mixture covered and warm.
Separate the eggs, placing the whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer or whisk) and reserving the yolks in a small bowl. Beat the whites on high speed until foamy.
Gradually add 6 tablespoons of the sugar and the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites to soft, moist peaks.
If using a standing mixer transfer the beaten egg whites to a large bowl and add the egg yolks to the standing mixer bowl (you don't need to clean the bowl).
Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is very thick and turns a pale lemon color, about 5 minutes.
Add in the beaten egg whites to the yolks, but do not mix.
Sprinkle/sieve the flour mixture over the egg whites and mix on low speed for 10 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, make a well in one side of the batter and pour the melted butter mixture into the bowl.
Fold gently with a large rubber spatula until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and yolks are evenly mixed, about 8 strokes.
Also make sure that you have incorporated the butter into the mixture.
There should not be visible grease/oil as you pour the mixture into the cake pans.Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, about 16 to 18 minutes for 9-inch cake pans and 20 to 22 minutes for 8-inch cake pans.
Cool completely on racks. Run a thin knife around the inside of the cake pans and then invert them onto the racks (or onto cardboard rounds or tart pan bottoms) to release the cakes from the pans. Remove the parchment paper.
The next morning after breakfast I quickly decided to make my frosting and start frosting the cake in case it didn't turn out then I will have time to make another cake and frost it again or run to the store to get a cake!
Buttercream frosting adapted from here
Ingredients
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
Directions
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.
Thankfully both the cake and the icing turned out!!Phew!! If not I would really have to make ANOTHER ONE! or ran to the store to buy the pre made one! The cake plus the icing was really sweet and I expected that because I did not decrease any sugar on both the recipes since it was my first time making them and I didn't want to have to do it again if I messed with it.
Happy First Birthday my little baby! I hope next time I can make a nicer cake and you could also actually eat it! LOL..
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