Who Wants Cake??!!

Now, I never need an excuse to bake a cake—but today I had the perfect reason: my daughter’s second birthday. So I thought to combine two of her favorite things: chocolate cake and pink frosting. The following recipe is for moist chocolate cake with whipped cream strawberry frosting. Note: this is not an elegant cake by any means—it’s the kind of gloppy good old fashioned cake that makes you want to hug yourself and the person next to you, it’s so tasty. Happy birthday, baby!! Mama sure does love you!

Ingredients

Bottom of Form

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup brewed, cooled coffee, or water
• 4 large eggs

1) Butter and flour either a 9" x 13" pan, two 9" round pans, or three 8" round pans. Tap the sides to remove excess flour. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2) In an electric mixer, measure in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and sugar. Beat on low speed for thirty seconds to eliminate lumps and combine ingredients.

3) Add the butter and mix at low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the oil and continue mixing until the mixture looks like sand.

4) Combine the vanilla with the milk and coffee or water, and add all at once. Mix for 1 minute at low speed, stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix for 30 seconds.

5) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well at medium-high speed between additions. The batter will be thin.

6) Pour the batter into the prepared pan of your choice and place in the preheated oven for 34 minutes for a 9" x 13" pan; 28 to 30 minutes for 9" layers; or 24 to 26 minutes for 8" layers. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack before frosting.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Recipe

• 1 C heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 C sugar
• 4 T food processed strawberries (take some fresh strawberries, wash them, remove the stems, and throw them in the food processor until they become a thick, seedy liquid)

1. Whip cream until it looks like whipped cream.
2. Mix in sugar.
3. Mix in strawberries until just combined.
4. Try not to eat more than half the frosting before frosting the cake.