Happy Birthday and a Cake

Well, just as I completed 100 posts and 3 months in the blogging world, it was time to celebrate another 3 event. S completed 3 decades of fun on this planet and we celebrated the day in style. No lavish party or anything, but a little party for two.

I made S's favourite breakfast: an amchi rava dosa called Rulaama Doddak. For lunch, we polished off some reincarnated leftovers. I had the day off (yes, where I work you get paid days off for your spouse's birthday!!) and S left work early. So after a little late lunch, we cut this cake.

I'd been asking around for cake recipes but what I really needed was a frosting recipe. I found a recipe on the Hershey's site and modified it. But although I've been baking for 20 years now, I've hardly frosted any cakes. I made one black forest cake for my brother's 21st birthday and I made a teddy bear cake for my neighbour's grandson when I was in Class 12 I think. I have a long way to go before I master this frosting business. And definitely prefer my cakes to be non frosted. But hey, the husband doesn't turn 30 everyday.

I went back to my tried and tested Ann Pillsbury's Baking Book. And pulled out a tried and tested recipe. And then modified it some.

For the cake:

2 cups Flour

4 tsp Baking Powder

1 1/4 cups Sugar

1 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Oil

2 eggs

1 cup Milk

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 cup Chocolate chips

Butter and flour for dusting

For the icing:

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Cocoa

1/3 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Sift all the dry ingredients for the cake together into a food processor jar with the dough blade. Pour in all the liquid ingredients and run the processor for 2 minutes. Blend in the chocolate chips.

Prepare two 8 inch round cake tins by first smearing a little butter all over the tin and then dust it with flour.

Divide the batter equally between the pans and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F. The cakes are done when a knife or skewer inserted into them comes out clean. Remove the cakes to a cake rack and cool completely.

Cut the tops of the cakes to make them even.

For the icing:

Beat butter in a mixer jar. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla.

Place one cake and pour the icing over it. Place the second cake over this and cover with icing. You may refrigerate the cake to help the icing set.

I found the icing a little too sweet even though I cut down the sugar content from the original recipe. That could be reason why my icing was a little runny. I made some lovely strawberry trifle with the cake leftovers.

All in all, it was a great day. It was the very first time that someone had actually baked S a cake for his birthday and I am so glad that the first time was mine. It made it that much more special. We ended the day at our favourite restaurant: Earth, enjoying some lovely wine, our favourite mushroom starters, an out of this world thin crust pizza and some delicious spinach and corn canneloni.

Happy Birthday Sachin. I love you.