I’m a cake snob.  It’s my mother’s fault.  Or gift.  Ever since we were young, she has been making cakes for us on our birthdays.  Now, no, not EVERY birthday, but she has done this for many of our birthdays.

Ruby DeYoung is also to thank for this.  Growing up, she was THE baker in our church at Union Mills.  She made awesome cakes for weddings, showers, you name it.  Also, she made amazing frosted Santa Claus sugar cookies that she’d bring to our church Christmas programs.  Her secret…she used the most delicious frosting in the world on these super moist cakes and soft, yummy sugar cookies.

Well, fast forward about twenty plus years.  I became a mom.  Gave birth to a little peanut of a baby boy.  And when Nate turned one, Mom said, “How about we make his birthday cake? It’s always so much better homemade.”  I agreed and from that day back in March of 2006 when we celebrated our first son’s birthday, well…there was no turning back.

Each year, my mom would bake (or I would bake) the birthday cake and together, we’d decorate the cake for Nate.  (I have to confess…for many of the cakes, my mom did most of the decorating.  She is just THAT good.  But I’m learning.  I’m really good at throwing some little toys on top of a cake to make a scene and call it good.)  Then, Maxim was born and of course, when he turned one…I had to be fair.  So, the baking and decorating birthday cakes has. Never. Stopped.

Oh, I’ve tried.  Kind of.  I’ve always had a homemade birthday cake for the boys, but sometimes, I’d cheat and purchase a store boughten birthday cake for the “friends party”. (Seriously, like 7 and 8 year olds could tell the difference?) (Well, Nate could.  So, this year, I stooped to the crazy-of-all-crazies.  And they both had two homemade birthday cakes for their birthdays.  I repeat.  Mom and I made two.  Two birthday cakes for each of their birthdays.  Don’t question my insanity please.)  Look below and see the requests they had for this year’s cakes…

Nate’s race car birthday cake

Maxim’s wolf birthday cake…yes, he wanted the pack of wolves to be attacking a buck

On Facebook, I posted numerous times about making their delicious cakes and the BEST frosting EVER.  And, that’s not a lie.  It really is.

So, today, I’m gonna go all Betty Crocker on you and together, we’ll bake the best ever birthday cake.  Warning.  Because this is going to be a l…o…n…g post, I will share the cake baking tips today.  Tomorrow, I’ll share the frosting recipe and tips.  So.  Grab a spatula and let’s go.

But first, I need to write a letter…

See, though it will be many years from now, when Nate and Maxim will each find the girl of their dreams and get married, I feel the need to write to my daughter-in-laws now.  I’ve got to keep this tradition going for our boys.  And, I’m not sure they’ll save every picture, the recipe card, or anything of crucial importance. (Wait.  Who am I kidding??  They are just like their mother…they save every. little. thing.  Just look in their closets and under their beds.  Stickers, baseball cards, pictures I colored for them, wrappers, notes from Elfie our Christmas elf, you get the idea…We might have a hoarding problem.  Just kidding.  Oh, I kid.  Sort of.)  Anyway.  I need to pass on this family tradition and I think I’ll do so in a letter.

Dear wise, beautiful, caring daughter-in-laws who love their mother-in-law ever so dearly ~
I should let you both know that I’ve spoiled our boys.  And, with no regrets.  One important thing you need to know is that for each of their birthdays, I’ve always made their cake or had my mother make it.  So, they have become accustomed to having homemade, delicious, moist, decadent birthday cake.
The boys have helped me make cakes and they are very capable of baking a cake.  In fact, they enjoy doing this.  And by now, I’m sure you can see that they are quite the savvy, skillful bakers.  But.  Birthdays are a big deal.  You need to feel loved.  Spoiled rotten.  And what better way than to bake a cake for your dear husband?  Because nobody makes their own birthday cake.  So, yes, it’d be delightful of you to bake him a cake.
Now, don’t fear.  I’ve written the recipe for you.  It’s easy.  Just follow the recipe and you’ll have one happy man on your hands.  (One note: if you’re frosting the cake later, but have stored the frosting in the fridge…hide it.  Or make a double batch of frosting.  Because you will find what appears to be “swipes” from a finger as he sneaks MANY samples of the frosting.  Once a taste-tester, always a taste-tester.)

Your loving mother-in-law,
Betty Crocker
Angela

So, it gives me great pleasure as I pass on these recipes…in honor of my mother and Ruby DeYoung.  May you become a cake snob, just like me.

First, let’s begin with getting the necessary ingredients.  Now.  Though I said this is homemade…I don’t mean that I make it from scratch.  Nope.  The crazy secret…I use Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mix.  Yes.  There’s the end of my post.  Thank you for reading.

Just kidding.  Well, sort of.  It’s not the end of my post.  But I DO use her cake mix.  Always pick the WHITE cake mix.  Seriously, why bake from scratch when you can have an amazingly moist cake from a cake box?  Now, if you are making a large cake (which is what we always do), then use a 12×18 Wilton pan like you see on the left along with two boxes of WHITE Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mix.  If using a 9×13 pan, just use one box of cake mix.

Supplies to make the Best Cake Ever

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease the bottom of your pan with Crisco shortening.  Cut parchment paper to size and lay it over the Crisco (only the bottom of the pan will have the paper).  Then grease the top of the parchment paper with Crisco.

Make and bake the cake according to directions on the box.  (Note:  I usually bake it for about 30 minutes at 325 degrees.)  Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.  Then, loosen the edges with a knife.

Put a cake board (I buy these at Michael’s) on top of the pan and flip the cake over onto the cake board and cool completely.

Peel off parchment paper (this is now on the top of your cake because you’ve flipped it over onto the board).  As you peel off the paper, you’ll remove some of the ‘brown’ layer of the cake, which is the purpose of the paper.

Wrap the cooled cake and board with foil all the way around.  I usually use about 3 pieces of foil, to cover the cake completely.  Then, freeze until the day you are ready to frost your cake.  I usually frost my cake the day before the party.

So, we’ll continue our Betty Crocker moments tomorrow with Part 2 – the Best Frosting EVER Recipe and tips.  Until then.  Happy Cake Bowl Lickin’…just don’t get sick from the raw eggs.  Really.  Has anyone ever gotten sick from licking cake batter or eating raw cookie dough?  I’m calling it an urban legend.  Unless you ate the ENTIRE bowl of cake batter.  Or all of the cookie dough.