Chocolate Birthday Cake

A couple weeks ago, my sister turned 29. She wanted a chocolate birthday cake with a sea turtle frosted on it, so that's what we made her. I can't take credit for the turtle (my mom did most of the decorating), but I did help make the cake and today I'm sharing the recipe. It was so good! 

We used the best chocolate cake recipe from from Betty Crocker's Cookbook and the Buttercream icing recipe from The Wilton School's Decorating Cakes.

Ingredients:

• Chocolate Cake
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• Buttercream Frosting
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 8 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp. milk
• food coloring

You'll probably end up with extra frosting, but it's easier to have too much than too little when you're in the middle of frosting the cake.

Melt the unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler over low heat.

Measure all the ingredients into a large mixer bowl.

Blend for 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping the bowl constantly. Then beat for 3 minutes on high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally.

Grease and flour two 9-inch round layer pans.

Pour the mixture evenly into the two pans.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350ºF or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool.

Next you need to make the buttercream frosting to decorate the cake.

Cream the butter and shortening in a mixer.  Add the vanilla.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl when needed. The frosting should appear dry. Add the milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Divide the frosting and add food coloring.  We use Wilton's food coloring. Then decorate the cake however you want!

This chocolate cake was so good - it makes me wish we had a birthday in October to make a cake for!