Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Spicey Birthday Cake with Caramel Frosting

I just had a birthday. My twin did too! :D

My childhood favorite cake was Spice Cake with Caramel Frosting. Back it the day, it came from a box mix. Remember when frosting mix came in a box too? Mom made both of us our own cake, though Alison wasn't committed to a particular cake. In fact, she doesn't remember that we each had our own cake! (Our childhood memories are so different, we sometimes we think we grew up in different houses!)

Anyway, when Dave asked me what kind of cake I wanted for my birthday, I gave him three choices: his favorite, Ruby's Italian Cream Cake, our stand by, Sour Cream Chocolate Cake, or Spice Cake with Caramel Frosting....Only I didn't have a recipe for my childhood favorite. So he went on line, found a recipe, and made this for me. From Scratch. YUM!

It sank a bit in the middle. And the frosting set up so fast, it had to be patted on in places.
But it was delicious.


Yes, that's a monkey mask with my birthday cake. And there's a wolf mask too. That's what you get when you're an Art-Teacher-Who-Likes-Cool-Folk Art-Slightly Freaky-stuff. The masks were gifts from two of my sons who went to Ecuador recently. Thank you, family, for a great birthday!

Spice Cake with Caramel Frosting
(from Alice Bird, posted by Charlotte J, on www.food.com )

Cake:
2 1/4 C. cake flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/16 tsp. black pepper
3/4 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
3/4 C. brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. buttermilk
Sift together dry ingredients. Cream together shortening and sugars till fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Beat an additional 2-3 minute with mixer on high speed. Pour into greased and floured 8-inch round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool.
Frosting:
1/2 C. butter
3 C. powdered sugar, sifted
1 C. brown sugar, packed
4 T. cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt butter in saucepan. Add brown sugar and cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cream and continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add additional cream as needed.

Make it a Wonderful Day!

3 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to you and your sister :)

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  2. Sounds like your birthday was delightful! thanks for the cake recipe - I remember frosting from mix, too (and pizza, and Boston Cream Pie)! I like your freaky masks, they're a little bit scary but very cool.

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  3. Yummy cake, I sure it is chocolate cake. I also cook cake same this shape of cake on my birthday, but it was strawberry cake. you remind my old days.

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