Funfetti Birthday Cake

Funfetti Birthday Cake

Happy Birthdsy to me!! Here's some funfetti cake! :)

Grease, then flour 2 9 inch pans.

Combine the egg, and 4 egg whites in a medium bowl.

Add the milk, then the vanilla extract and almond extract.

Mix it up! :)  Set aside.

Add the flour to the mixer.

Add the sugar.

Add the baking powder, then the salt, and mix.

Add the cut butter and mix for about 1 minute, until the butter resembles coarse crumbles. (haha, crumbles... get it? :)  )

Add the remaining 3/4 cup milk, and mix.

Add the egg/milk mixture in three parts, mixing after each addition.

Add the sprinkles! :D

Split the dough in the two pans (I used a scale to do this).  Bake for about 25 minutes, checking the center of the cakes with a tooth-pick afterwards, until it comes out cleanly.

Done!  Let cool for about 20 minutes in the pans, then Turn out onto wire racks.

After a while, put in the freezer (about 20 minutes)  to make frosting the cake easier.

For the frosting, put the cut butter in the mixer and beat for 8 minutes.

Add the milk, vanilla extract, and salt and mix well for about 6 minutes.

Brush the cakes with a pastry brush to get rid of excess crumbs.

Put a dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of icing on the bottom of the desired plate, and then place the 1st layer on the plate, right-side up.

Add about 1 cup of icing on top of the 1st layer, making sure to spread it all the way to the edge of the cake.

Sprinkle with sprinkles, if desired.

Place the 2nd layer on top of the 1st, upside-down.

Frost lightly with a bit of frosting for a "crumb coat".  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Frost with the remaining icing and smooth out.

Add the confectionery sugar to a small bowl.

Melt the butter in a small bowl.

Mix the butter into the confectionery's sugar.

Add little bits of water until it is smooth.

Add food coloring until you get to your desired shade.

Place in a small bag and cut off the tip of the bag.  Write! :)

Decorate with borders, sprinkles, ect.! :)

Funfetti Birthday Cake

Cooking time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 3 hours
Total time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Servings: 16 (1/16 of cake)

Nutrition info per serving (1/16 of cake):
Calories: 591 calories
Fat: 28 g
Sodium: 383 g
Carbs: 81 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 4 g

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup milk (I used skim, any)
4 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cup cake flour (do not use all-purpose flour, if you can help it)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons soft butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles

Frosting:
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) soft butter
3 1/2 cups confectionery sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons milk (I used skim)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
about 1/16 teaspoon salt (a pinch)
food coloring, if desired
sprinkles, if desired

Writing Icing:
1 1/2 cups confectionery sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
water
food coloring, if desired

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 8-inch pans and set aside.
2.  Combine the egg whites and the egg in a medium bowl.  Add 1/4 cup milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix well.  Set aside.
3.  Combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in mixer and mix.  Add the cut butter, then mix until coarse crumbles are made, about 1 minute.
4.  Add the egg/milk mixture in three parts to the mixer, mixing well after each addition.  Then, add the sprinkles.
5.  Split the mixture into the two greased pans evenly (I used a scale to do this).  Bake for about 25 minutes, checking frequently afterwards with a toothpick.  When the toothpick comes out cleanly from the center of the cake, it is done.
6.  Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 20 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack.  Let cool completely.  After a while, place the cakes in the freezer to make frosting them easier.
7.  Make the frosting:  whip the butter in a mixer for 8 minutes on medium speed.  Then, add the confectionery sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on medium speed for about 6 minutes.  Dye with food coloring, if desired.
8.  Place one dollop (about 2 tablespoons of frosting on the plate that you want your cake on.  Place the first layer right-side up on the plate.
9.  Spread about 1 cup of frosting onto the top of the 1st layer.  Add sprinkles if you like.
10.  Place the 2nd layer on top of the first upside-down and spread a thin layer of icing onto the entire cake (a "crumb coat").  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
11.  Spread the rest of the frosting onto the cake and smooth it out.
12.  Make the writing icing:  Combine confectionery's sugar with the melted butter, then add little bits of water until it is smooth.  Dye with food coloring, if desired.
13.  Write and decorate the cake with sprinkles and the writing icing, if desired.  For some ideas, check out this website post I found.

**Adapted from:
Sweetapolita's Funfetti Layer Cake with Whipped Vanilla Frosting recipe:  http://sweetapolita.com/2012/02/funfetti-layer-cake-with-whipped-vanilla-frosting/
The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book's Writing Icing recipe  **

Happy birthday to me!  Enjoy! :)