Bonus: THE BEST Funfetti Layer Cake

It is not every day you turn 10 years old. This is the prime time for a cake cram jammed full of sprinkles both inside and out. We decorated with pusheen and pokemon at the request of the birthday girls but you are welcome to decorate in any style that fits your birthday person.

Ingredients
3 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups softened (room temperature) butter
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease (you know I love the baking spray with flour) three 9 inch round cake pans and set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Cream the butter, add the sugar and beat on high for a full 5 minutes in a mixer, or with your mega strong arm. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed and add the eggs one at a time (not the egg whites yet!). Add the almond extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk until just barely incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk the two egg whites until soft peaks. Gently fold into the cake batter. Gently fold in all sprinkles. Divide evenly into the three pans. Bake for 24-28 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool while making your cake soak and frosting. 

Cake Soak

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, both are delish

Mix and set aside.

Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups softened (room temperature) butter

6 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

Plus all the rest of the sprinkles you need for garnish!

Cream the butter in the mixer on high for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on high for 3-4 minutes. Check consistency, add more powdered sugar or cream as needed to get the perfect cake coating ratio. 

Assembly time! 

Stack the first cake with a dollop of frosting to hold it to the cake stand or plate. coat with 1/3 of the milk mixture. Top with frosting, continue until all three are stacked. Frost the outside if you desire. I did a crumb coat, popped it in the fridge to firm up, and then did a second coat and rolled that in sprinkles using a sheet tray with sides to contain the joy. While tempted to coat the top as well, we left it free for pusheen/pokemon/party time. 

Cake of sprinkles? YES Cake of candy? YESSS 

Enjoy!

Bonus: Toddler Bites (Vegetable Pancakes, PBH Snack Bites, Vegetable Banana Muffins)

We have a toddler in the house and there is always a need for toddler friendly snacks. Here are a few that we bake up often for the kiddo because he loves them!

Vegetable Pancakes

Use a blender to mix 1 banana, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and then your choice of either 1 1/2 cups raw spinach, 1/2 cup of cooked pumpkin, or 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato.

Once blended, spoon onto a buttered griddle and cook through. I use a cookie scoop so they are all about the same size and who doesn't love a mini pancake.

PBH Snack Bites

Melt 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup honey in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then heat again for 20 seconds. Toss with 4 cups cheerios until well coated. Spoon into mounds on waxed paper to cool. These can be made with almond butter too if your home (or your kiddos school) is peanut free.

Vegetable Banana Muffins

Ingredients
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 shredded zucchini
1 shredded carrot
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup melted butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat or regular flour (we use what we have)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup frozen blueberries (we use them if we have them)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line or spray with baking spray a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside. Mash the bananas, mix with the shredded veggies, applesauce and butter. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients. Gently mix the dry into the wet until there are a few streaks of flour left. Mix in the blueberries if using. Divide between the muffin cups and bake for about 30 minutes. These can also be made as mini muffins, bake shorter of course about 12 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

YUM!

and a batch with blueberries! 

Bake 2.5: Tarte Au Citron

For our technical challenge, a classic French lemon tart.  I love a lemon tart. I love a lemon bar. I love a lemon pound cake... I just love lemon.  

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, in small cubes

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces

Process the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor or using a pastry cutter. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg and vanilla and pulse until it just begins to clump.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, gather into a ball, and press into a disc. Wrap with plastic and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

When ready, roll out into an 11 inch round, then place gently into the 9 inch tart tin. Trim edges, wrap in plastic and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, take a piece of parchment and crumple into a ball a few times to help it be less stiff, then press tightly into the tart shell, filling the middle with pie weights/beans/rice, whatever you have. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment/weights, and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Set the shell aside to cool and make the lemon filling.

In a medium heatproof bowl, place eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and heavy cream, and whisk to combine. Place over a bain-marie and cook while whisking until thickened. You are looking to reach a temperature of 170 degrees. Remove from the heat and strain immediately through a mesh strainer. Then whisk the butter into the curd a little at a time. Once whisked in, place in the fridge to cool slightly. 

Once cooled slightly, fill and level the curd in the tart shell, refrigerate 4 hours or until set, before serving. SO YUM!