Birthdays are so much associated with cake cutting and throwing a party now a days. It’s a great time for kids.

It was an unheard of thing, when I was growing up.

At our place, amma and grandma used to make a traditional Sadya, or at least a payasam (kheer). I would rule the day, doing everything my way.

I would demand to win any games played that day, ‘because its my birthday.’ I would even spank my brothers, if I got an opportunity. It’s a different matter that my brothers used to get back at me the next day, but the satisfaction of irritating them and getting away ‘because its my birthday’, was immense. 

In short, you are the king (or the queen) for the day!

Now for my son, we cut a cake every year, but he still hasn’t got around saying ‘I want this, because its my birthday.’

I have no idea when he would start doing it, but until then there is peace at home. And the cake too!

This cake was made for someone’s birthday last month. I was so worried that it will not come out nice that I kept on tasting(to check whether its fine) until I finished a really big slice, which they gave for our family. With 1/4th of the cake inside me, I decided that it was indeed a good cake :-)

Anyway, this cake is going to Valli’s 30 day Summer Marathon. Check out the page to see the other participants.

Recipe Adapted from: The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Makes : Two 9″ cakes or a 13X9″ sheet cake (or 24 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• Butter                                  :      200 gm
• Sugar                                   :      1 3/4 cup
• Eggs                                     :     4
• Vanilla Essence               :     1 tbsp
• Butter Milk                        :     1 1/2 cup
• All purpose Flour            :     2 1/2 cup
• Corn Flour                         :      1/4 cup
• Baking Powder                 :     2 tsp
• Salt                                         :      1/4 tsp

For the frosting: (Enough to cover one 9″ cake. Recipe source here.)

• Icing Sugar                       :           2 cups
• Butter                                 :           100gm
• Dark Brown Sugar        :           1 cup
• Milk                                     :           1/4 cup
• Vanilla Essence               :          a few drops

Method: 

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease two 9″ pans or one 13″X9″ pan.
2. In a big bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy, add the eggs (one by one) and beat with the hand mixer. Add the vanilla essence.
3. In a separate bowl, add the flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk thoroughly.
4. Add the flour mix and the buttermilk to this alternatively, in two or three batches and keep beating with the mixer. 
5. Mix with a spatula and pour the batter into the pans.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out free of crumbs when inserted in the middle.
7. Take off the pan and let it cool completely in a wiring rack.

To make the icing : 

1. In a pan, add the butter and brown sugar to a boil under medium heat, stirring all the time (about 3-5 minutes). Once the sugar is dissolved completely, add the milk and bring it to a quick boil.
2. Take off the heat, stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla using a wooden spoon. Beat the frosting until its smooth (with the spoon itself). Spread this over the cool cake and let it sit for 30 minutes before serving. 

Note: My caramel turned a bit runny, so it started collecting around the sides. I kept the cake in the fridge to prevent it happening.

 

Linking this recipe to Swathi’s Favorite Recipes hosted this month by Pallavi. The theme is Bookmarked Recipes.