Today is my niece’s birthday.  She is turning one today.  I can’t believe a year has flown by already!!  If I were the cake decorating kind, I’d be whipping up a Princess Cake for my little angel.  Mind you, one is probably too young to be overdosing on sugar and sweets, but she does have an older sister and a mom who might enjoy being a princess for a day too.

Maybe they can twist my arm and I’ll practice my cake decorating skills in time for big sister’s birthday, or more likely mom’s birthday since I’m pretty certain the first cake won’t turn out and mom and I can laugh over a few drinks while the kids get their gummy hands on the princess!

Happy birthday to my little princess.  When you’re old enough to read, I’ll show you this post and you can laugh at your wacky Aunt Deb.

Princess Victoria Cake

Enjoy the video below from Disney’s Family on the Go for directions on how to make a Princess Cake

Kitchen Table Talk…

If you try one of my recipes, please let me know what you thought by sharing a comment in the area below.  Or if you like this post, share it with your friends and family through your favorite social media service.

Today is my honeyman’s birthday.  He doesn’t like to make a big deal about his birthday but he makes the effort because he knows I make a big fuss about birthdays.  We go out to dinner because I want to.  I buy him presents that I know will eventually be used only by me.  We have a joke that because he doesn’t care about birthdays that he’s forfeited rights to his birthday and I get to celebrate mine twice.  About the only thing he likes about birthdays is the cake.  And this year I’m making one of his favorites.  Happy birthday to me (minus the cake!).

Black Forrest Cake Recipe

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 whole eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (20 ounce) cans pitted sour cherries
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans; cover bottoms with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans, splitting batter amongst them evenly.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove to racks to cool completely.

Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool before using.

Combine whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.

With long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half. Tear one split layer into crumbs; set aside. Reserve 1 1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake; set aside. Gently brush loose crumbs off top and side of each cake layer with pasty brush or hands.

To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Frost side of cake. Pat reserved crumbs onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake.

Serve with candles.