Halloween Birthday Cake...and Fun Celebration!

It's showtime! "Theater of Horrors"...or is it "Tales from the Crypt?" In my last post, I mentioned that I was planning to make a birthday cake for my granddaughter Sophia's birthday...a very special 10th birthday. The second of 4 precious grandchildren that I was bless with. I held off till the last day...the day before the birthday party. Just could not decide how it's going to be, since I am not a cake decorator...but yes, I can bake, just not my "forte."...I would rather put ten gourmet meals together, before I would venture into a "cake decorating disaster!"

Did I mention that the little plastic decorations were from the dollar store?...a whole fun bag for $1.

Sophia requested for me to bake special birthday cake, 2 weeks before her birthday...she requested that it should be a Halloween cake, since her birthday is 1 week before Halloween, and decided to have a special birthday party at home for her friends, and parents included. This is her first b-party celebration, since she was born. Every year she had her party out in different fun places, including at an ice-skating rink last year.

I'm linking my Halloween Birthday Cake to: Full Plate Thursday, 10-27-11
@ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

For the Buttercream Frosting, I will give you a great tip for this blog that I found!
 Savory Sweet Life
Any blogger that gets 377 comments for a buttercream frosting recipe, and as you can see the superb decoration with the frosting....just gotta go with that recipe, and I did! Perfect, creamy, yummy! You must follow exactly the method, suggested.

Seriously, when you leave butter out to get soft at room temperature, you sift the confectioners (powdered sugar)...you can whip it up to perfection. I used the 3 cups method, with 2 Tbs. of whole milk, with the 2 sticks of butter at room temperature.

Before you place your cooled cake on your serving platter (I used bottom up)...place 4 pieces of about 4 inch aluminum foil, or wax paper around the platter, for easier frosting, and less messy cleanup. note: this is the actual color, a pretty soft pastel peach.

This flat thin stainless steel spatula, is a "lifesaver" of mine. (another thrift find for 29 cents) I have one from years ago, and this is another. I use this to flip my crepe, as well!
You can easily slide out the foil, when you are done frosting on the top, and sides. I actually did learn this method years ago, when I started to bake cakes, and have never forgotten...it really works!

Are you ready for another surprise? This was my second layer. Pumpkin Cheesecake

 from All Recipes.com

Don't make the same mistake that I did...you DO need the crust, for easier removal, of the cheesecake, and also for density. I could not remove the cheesecake from the pan...although I did place a circle of waxed paper under the pan, so I wouldn't ruin the cake. At serving time, it's better to remove the top layer from the bottom. It should be removed from the fridge at least 1 hour before serving, to let the buttercream come to room temperature!

As for the chocolate cake, this is the cake mix I used, purchased at Whole Foods Market...my most favorite market in the world...next to my local Publix supermarket!

All dressed up for pre-Halloween,. Sophia 3rd. from left and her dearest friends!

Sophia, and proud Nonna Lizzie!

Even the dining room table got a cute decoration by Sophia!

I am so glad the this is over, it's been fun to get such helpful sources, ideas, from the Internet and blogs...but at the end, I would have no one but myself to blame if the cake didn't turn out, so I'm really thankful that it did, and it was really very good, as well. I did not get a chance to photograph a piece of either cakes...was too busy cutting  pieces...so all, in all it was a successful event for a happy young lady, and her special 10th birthday. Today is officially Sophia's birthday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHIA! Much love to you, and to all my dear friends! Thank you for coming along on this little journey...once again!

Carrot Cake

October is such an all time favorite month for everybody. The beautiful fall colors of the season, Halloween of course, but than there are birthdays...and not just any birthday. My granddaughter, the second oldest of my 4 grandchildren Sophia's 9th birthday. I mentioned in my "Tagged" answer that I had to learn from "Betty Crocker" to cook, and I did not mention, also, to bake, as well. At that time, a hundred years ago...(actually, in the seventies)...Betty Crocker recipes were very popular, as were Better Homes and Gardens. Seems like everybody had a cookbook from one, or the other, as I did. This recipe is really so easy, and your family will love this, especially the beautiful fall colors, even in the frosting, which is just a nice creme cheese frosting with a few drops of yellow, and red food color, to make it a pumpkin, orange color, few pieces of M&M's a fancy cake pan, or just one 9" pan, or a spring form pan, will make it fancy looking. So much nicer than a 13x9 which the recipe calls for.

Carrot Cake

adapted from Betty Crocker

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup milk (I use 1/2 evaporated milk)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

dash of salt

3 cups shredded carrots (about 5 med. carrots)

do not use pre shredded carrots-they are too thick

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9 8 inch or 9 inch round, or spring form pan, with shortening, or cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vegetable oil with an electric hand mixer till combined for about a minute or 2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, and add them slowly to the wet mixture. Add the milk and vanilla to it, and beat on low, till all combined. Fold in the shredded carrots, and pour batter into pan. Bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees, and lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for an additional 25 minutes. Check by inserting toothpick into middle of the cake, to see if it comes out clean. Cool completely, before frosting, at least 1 hour.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package 8 oz. creme cheese softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 Tbsp of milk

(add about 7 drops of yellow food dye and 4 drops of red dye to the milk to make orange color)

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and velvety. Frost cake, and immediately chill in freezer for about 20 minutes before decorating.