Pink Ruffled Birthday Cake

My daughter wanted a “cute” birthday cake.  I had seen a fun pink ruffle cake on Martha Stewart’s site and wanted to make something similar.  I made Martha’s recipe for the actual cake but added a few changes of my own.   My cake didn’t turn out as pretty as Martha’s but both my daughter and I were happy with it overall.  And…it actually tasted pretty good.  It had a nice and fresh citrusy taste to it.  Very Springish!

This is the recipe I used:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature, plus more for pans
• 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Zest of 1 lemon (I used an orange and added 1 tsp of lemon juice)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line with parchment; butter; dust with flour.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 minutes. Add sugar; beat well. Reduce speed to medium; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Reduce speed to low; alternately add flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Stir in zest.

3. Pour batter into pan; bake, rotating halfway through, until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Remove; let cool completely right side up on rack.

I used three 6 x 2 inch round pans instead of the suggested 8 x 2 inch round pan.  Then when the cakes had cooled, I stacked them on top of one another with a layer of frosting in between each cake.  Then I popped the entire cake into the freezer.  This helps keep the crumbs to a minimum when you are ready to frost your cake.  After an hour, I applied a thin crumb layer of frosting around the entire cake. 

Then taking my flat decorating tip (a Wilton #104) and made the ruffled icing layers.  My frosting came out fairly soft this time and not as stiff as it usually is, so the ruffles did not come out as well as I had hoped, but overall I was happy with the soft ruffled look the cake ended up having.  I used a different brand of butter in my icing this time and am not sure if that was the reason.

I used the following recipe for the frosting:

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions:

In a standing mixer, 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.

I made up a little cake topper for her cake too.  I think it is a fun way to record how old she is turning.  I simply made it with some cute scrapbook paper circles and a number 9 scrapbooking sticker stuck onto a sucker stick.

I can’t believe my little girl is already NINE years old!  How does this happen so quickly?

I also have not forgotten about picking a winner of the Amy Butler pattern giveaway.  I will pick it later today and announce it her on the blog.  Thanks everyone!