These will now be my go-to cake and frosting recipes. Yellow cake courtesy of Lottie + Doof. Frosting courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. Make them both if you can. So easy and so much better than boxed. Speaking of cake, here's a teaser from New Year's Eve. As you can tell from my blog title, I'm a 1-1 baby and every 12-31, I have a party for myself. On big birthdays, I return to Chicago. So this past New Year's Eve, I had a big birthday and got my cake from that fabulous Chicago institution, Bittersweet. I was mostly happy with this cake, although I made one or two choices that I might have done differently (not their fault at all). Anyway, more New Year's Eve pix to come. Here are the two recipes you have to make - it's Spring as in Spring Form Pan after all! Cake for everybody!
Busy-Day Cake (adapted from a recipe by Edna Lewis) via Lottie + Doof
Kath here - does everyone have a spring form pan? I'm sure two regular 9 inch cake pans would work. But I've never tried it, cause I do have a spring form pan.
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (make your own. Put 1 tbs. WHITE vinegar in one cup of milk and let sit till curdled, 10 minutes. You'll only use half, but no biggie)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I'm sure jar would be fine, but I'm obsessed with fresh nutmeg, so I have it on hand - it lasts forever)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch spring form pan, set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Make sure each addition is incorporated before adding next. Add the salt, vanilla, baking powder, and nutmeg and mix until combined.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until top is golden and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Instant Fudge Frosting
Adapted, barely, from a Sky High recipe via Smitten Kitchen
Deb recommends using a food processor for this! Mine's too small. A mixer worked just fine.
Makes about 5 cups
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (the key here is COOLED)
4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (no need to sift)
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons half-and-half or whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate, then process until the frosting is smooth.
