Thursday Treats: Candy Birthday Cake

Yup…I loved this cake so much I couldn't wait until next Tuesday to share!

This past Tuesday, we had our "family" dinner night…Mexican theme this time.  But what was more special to our usual Tuesday night dinner, was the fact it was someone's birthday!!!  It gave me the chance to bake up something new!  The Birthday Girl's cake was request was simple…yellow cake and chocolate icing.  Hmmm….what could I do to spruce that up?!  Well, hellooooo Pintrest, you saved me again!  I actually used a couple different recipes on Pintrest and think I came up with the best concoction!  

Ingredients for Cake

2 1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup Sunny D

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

6 packs of the King Size Kit Kats, broken in sets of two

Large bag of M&M's

Ingredients for frosting

1 stick butter

2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa

~ 2 pounds powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

whole milk

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour 2 round cake pans (either 9 in or 8 in will work).

2.  Cream together butter and sugar.

3.  Add remaining ingredients (except eggs) and mix well.

4.  Add eggs and beat for about 2 minutes.  

5.  Equally divide batter and spread into prepared pans.  

6.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.  

7.  Meanwhile, melt butter for frosting in a pan over low heat.

 8.  Add cocoa powder to melted butter and stir.  

 9.  Add about a cup of powdered sugar and stir.

10.  Transfer frosting mixture to mixing bowl and blend.  Continue adding powdered sugar and milk until you reach desired consistency and amount of frosting you will need.  

(the recipe I used called for 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup milk…I used waaaay more)

 11.  When cake is done, allow to cool in pan for about 15 minutes.  

 12.  Run knife along sides of cake and turn over on wire rack to cool completely.  

13.  Place big dollop of frosting on one cake.  Spread evenly, but no need to go completely to edges, as you see, it will run over (which is not a big deal either).

14.  Place second cake on top and spread frosting on top.

 15.  Continue frosting top and sides of cake.  

(usually I do one layer for a "crumb layer" and then another to smooth it out…do as you wish with this, it will not matter since it will be covered up)

 16.  Line Kit Kats around cake.

 17.  Fill top with M&M's and, if you wish, tie a cute bow around for decoration.

(I think it will hold fine without it if you prefer not to use a bow)

 18.  Store in refrigerator until about an hour before serving.

(probably don't need to do this, but it has been 100 degrees around here, so I was not taking any chances!)

 19.  Take out about an hour before serving.  

(and let others admire their dessert!)

 Happy Birthday, Mrs. B!!!

 20.  Untie ribbon and slice between Kit Kats.

(I found the first slice had to be a little larger…the equivalent of 4 Kit Kats, in order to get the pie server under the cake to lift.  After that, feel free to cut smaller slices of 2 Kit Kats)

(Thanks to Lil Miss C for her Instagram photos!)

ENJOY!!!