Oh how I love birthdays.

Any birthday. Yours, mine, the cat down the street! I love, love, love them!

I get so excited.

Any excuse for cake right?

I’m such a dork, seriously I make cakes for any an every occasion possible.

Birthday – Cake!

Graduation – Cake!

Football grand final – Cake! (even if it’s not our team)

Crushed a killer workout – Cake!

I got a some fancy new socks – Cake!

Christmas is coming – Cake, Cake and more cake!

I love it!

Everything about it, shopping for anything ingredients, preparing the batter, baking, frosting, decorating and of course devouring eating it.

ahh bliss

So, on Monday my little nephew turned 8!

Which can mean only one thing I’m getting old cake!

I remember getting the phone call from my sister when she found out she was pregnant. I was at work and as soon as I heard the news I was dancing around, bustin’ out my best moves for all the world to see! I was going to be an Aunty again! Holla!!!!!

I remember going with my sister to a mid wife appointment and listening to his little heart beat. Seriously amazing. Oh how I loved this little man so, so much and I hadn’t even met him yet.

I remember getting the phone  call that he had finally arrived! It may have been the middle of the night here but I didn’t care, I was so excited, more wicked dance moves ensued, little mr had arrived! His hair would stick up in this crazy cool mohawke, no hair product required. This kid was one cool cat!

How is he now 8?

Seriously?!

I can’t even believe it.

Anyways, even though this crazy cool kid lives on the other side of the world I was totally making him a killer birthday cake!

When my sister mentioned he wanted a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting I knew exactly what to make.

This chocolate cake is my all time fave! It’s a recipe I originally discovered on one of my daily visits to the delicious pages of sweetapolita. The perfect chocolate cake.

I have made this cake so many I have made a few changes to Rosie’s original recipe just to suit my own personal tastes but you guys have to stop by and check out the ah-mazing creations on Rosie’s blog she is one seriously talented baker and photographer so make sure you check it out.

This cake is rich without being to rich, super moist, light and fluffy but sturdy enough to double, triple, quadruple the recipe to make one giant tower or deliciousness and goes perfectly well with any and every type of frosting you can whip up – buttercream, fondant you name it.

I chose to frost it with our current fave frosting – a whipped vanilla frosting I discovered thanks to the gorgeous Katie over at Dashing Dish which I tinted in little mr’s favourite colours – red, blue and green. Do what you feel people, make it, own it, love it 🙂

PS – little mr shares his birthday with his Nana, my Mum (Hi Mum :)) and as far as I’m concerned no cake sharing allowed so stay tuned . . .

Please, please make this cake – surely someone somewhere is having a birthday, we totally should celebrate them 🙂

Chocolate Layer Cake with Creamy Whipped Vanilla Frosting
This recipe very slightly adapted from Sweetapolita
Serves 12

Ingredients –

For the cake –
This recipe very slightly adapted from Sweetapolita

3/4 cup plain flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup coffee, hot (I use decaf)

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Frosting –

This recipe from Dashing Dish

1 box instant  pudding mix (I used vanilla)

8oz whipped cream or cool whip/dream whip

1 cup  milk (I used skim)

Food Colouring (Optional, I used Red, Blue and Green)

Sprinkles (Optional)

Optional but Recommended –

3 Tbsp Strawberry Jam (I use St Dalfours)

Method –

Preheat oven to 175’C (350’F)

Line your cake pans with baking paper (I used 2 x 6 inch cake pans) and set aside.

In a medium bowl sift all dry ingredients.

Add remaining “wet” ingredients and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter even into your prepared cake pans and bake for 20-25 mins. Until a toothpick or skewer comes out with just a few crumbs attached when inserted into the centre.

All the cake to cool in the pans for 5 mins then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting –

In a medium bowl pour milk, add pudding mix and whisk until smooth (about 1 min is all it takes :))

Add in your whipped cream/cool whip and carefully fold until well combined.

Transfer to a smaller bowl and resist the urge to grab a spoon and eat the entire delicious bowl full, this will be very, VERY difficult!

If your colouring your frosting now is the time my friend 🙂

Refrigerate frosting until your cake is ready to be assembled.

To assemble your cake –

Slice each cake in half making 4 layers.

Place one layer on a cake board or plate if using jam spread 1 Tbsp of jam on the top then follow with a good dollop of frosting.

Repeat until all layers have been used.

Cover the entire cake with a very thin layer of frosting and freeze (or refrigerate) for 15-30 mins. This will ensure the crumbs stay in place when you add the final layer of frosting.

Cover the cake with the rest of your frosting then finish with sprinkles, because everything is better with sprinkles right 😉

How do you celebrate Birthday’s?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nutritional Info (approx per serve cake with frosting) obtained using myfitnesspal.com –

Cal – 109
Fat – 2g
Carbs – 22g
Protein – 3g
Fiber –  1g

Nutritional Info (approx per serve of cake only) obtained using myfitnesspal.com –

Cal – 80
Fat – 1g
Carbs – 16g
Protein – 2g
Fiber –  1g

Nutritional Info (approx per serve of frosting only) obtained using myfitnesspal.com –

Cal – 29
Fat – 0.7
Carbs – 5.7g
Protein – 0.7g
Fiber –  0