Birthday cake recipe?

I really need a good birthday cake recipe for a 13th birthday.


Any suggestions? I love really fancy things.Birthday cake recipe?
1. Prepare a package of desired cake mix according to directions on the box.


2. Mix charms into batter before baking. A ring means you will marry. A thimble means an old maid or bachelor. A coin means wealth. A button means poverty.





3. Cut up cake and serve.Birthday cake recipe?
Special-Occasion Orange Layer Cake


This is a delicious and impressive four-layer cake for birthdays and other special occasions.





Vegetable cooking spray


2½ cups sifted cake flour


2¼ tsp baking powder


¼4 tsp salt


¼ cup plain nonfat yogurt


¼ cup vegetable oil


2 Tbsp. grated orange rind (about 6 oranges)


2 tsp. real la extract


2 tsp. real e extract


1 large egg yolk


1½ cups sugar, divided


3/4 cup warm low-fat milk (95º to 100º)


4 large egg whites


Apricot-Mousse Filling (recipe follows)


Orange Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)





Coat bottoms of 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pan); line bottom with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray, and dust with flour; set aside.


Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Combine yogurt and next 5 ingredients (yogurt through egg yolk) in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Add 1 cup sugar, and beat well. Gradually add the milk, beating at medium-low speed 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves.





Beat egg whites (at room temperature) at high speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating mixture until stiff peaks begin to form. Add the flour mixture and egg white mixture alternately to the yogurt mixture, beating at low speed.





Pour the batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°, and bake 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake from sides of pan, using a narrow metal spatula, and turn out onto wire rack. Peel off wax paper, and let cool completely.





Slice the cake layers in half horizontally. To slice the cake layers evenly, insert toothpicks around the outside, marking the middle. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake about 2 inches, using the toothpicks as a guide. Wrap a long piece of dental floss around edge through cut; tie floss once. Slowly tighten the floss - it will make a clean, even cut through the cake, dividing it in half. Place one layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup Apricot-Orange Filling over cake to within 1/2 inch of edge. Repeat procedure with remaining cake layers and filling. Frost sides and top of cake with Orange Buttercream Frosting.





Note: Don't coat the sides of the cake pans with cooking spray. The cake needs to cling to the sides as it bakes, which allows it to rise higher and gives it a smoother crust.





Note: When separating the eggs, do them one at a time into a custard cup, and pour the whites into your mixing bowl. This prevents you from having to start over if some yolk happens to get into the whites. Eggs are easier to separate right out of the refrigerator; however, for better volume, let them come to room temperature before beating.





Note: Wrap cooled cake in heavy-duty plastic wrap, dusted with flour, and then in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks. (To thaw, place the wrapped cake in refrigerator overnight.)





Note: To slice the cake in half evenly, insert toothpicks around the outside, marking the middle. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake about 2 inches, using the toothpicks as a guide. Wrap a long piece of dental floss around edge through cut; tie floss once. Slowly tighten the floss - it will make a clean, even cut through the cake, dividing it in half.





High Altitude Adjustment: Beat egg whites to soft peaks instead of stiff peaks.





Yield: 20 servings (serving size: 1 slice)





NUTRITION PER SERVING:


CALORIES 326(19% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 1.4g,mono 2.5g,poly 2.5g); PROTEIN 2.9g; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 53mg; SODIUM 103mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 63.8g





Apricot Mousse Filling


4 1/2 cups fresh orange juice, divided


4 cups dried whole apricots (about 16 ounces)


4 envelopes unflavored gelatin


4 large egg whites


3 cups sugar


1/2 cup water


4 teaspoons light-colored corn syrup


2 teaspoons vanilla extract





Combine 2 1/2 cups orange juice and the apricots in a large nonaluminum saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until apricots are tender.


Combine 1/4 cup orange juice and half of the apricot mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth; pour into an extra-large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining apricot mixture and 1/4 cup orange juice, except leave mixture in blender.





Sprinkle the gelatin over remaining 1 1/2 cups orange juice in a saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Cook over low heat 10 minutes, stirring until gelatin dissolves. Add gelatin mixture to apricot mixture in blender, and process until smooth. Add to the apricot mixture in bowl, stirring until well-blended. Place bowl over another extra-large bowl filled with ice; let stand until apricot mixture is chilled and thickened (about 30 minutes), stirring frequently and scraping sides of bowl. (If mixture sets up too much, whisk it until it becomes like pudding again.) Remove bowl from ice.





Combine egg whites (at room temperature), sugar, water, and corn syrup in an extra-large straight-sided bowl. Place bowl over simmering water in a large saucepan (water should not touch bottom of bowl). Beat egg white mixture at medium speed of a mixer 7 minutes. Increase speed to high; beat for 10 minutes or until mixture is smooth and satiny and stiff peaks begin to form. Remove bowl from simmering water; beat in vanilla.





Fold egg white mixture into apricot mixture; cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 4 days.





Yield: 12 cups





Orange Buttercream Frosting


1 2/3 cups stick margarine or butter, softened


1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons nonfat cream cheese, softened


2 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract


1/4 teaspoon salt


22 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (about 5 1/4 pounds)


3 1/2 tablespoons skim milk





Cream margarine and cream cheese at medium speed of a heavy-duty stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt; beat well. Gradually add sugar and milk, beating at low speed. Increase speed to high, and beat until well-blended and spreadable.


Note: If frosting is made ahead and chilled, add a small amount of milk, a teaspoon at a time, to soften. Beat until spreadable. Yield: 10 cups





--Cooking Light, APRIL 1995


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CHOCOLATE PRALINE LAYER CAKE


• 1/2 cup butter


• 1/4 cup whipping cream


• 1 cup brown sugar


• 3/4 cup chopped pecans


• 1 pkg. Devil’s food cake mix


•1 1/4 cup water


• 1/3 cup oil


• 3 eggs


• 1 3/4 cup whipping cream


• 1/4 cup powdered sugar


• 1/4 tsp vanilla


• toasted pecans, choc curls for garnish





Combine butter, whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low hear until butter is melted, stirring, Pour into 2 8-9 in round pans. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. In bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs at low speed until moistened, then beat at high speed for two min. Spoon over pecan mixture.





BAKE 325ºF for 35-40 min. Cool 5 min. Remove, cool completely.





TOPPING: Beat cream to soft peaks. Blend in powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form.





ASSEMBLE: Place on plate praline side up. Spread 1/2 topping. Repeat with 2 cake. Garnish with whole pecans and chocolate curls.





--1988 Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner


Photo: http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRec…


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Carrot and Pineapple Cake





For the cake:


2 cups granulated sugar


1 1/3 cups vegetable oil


3 extra-large eggs, room temp


1 tsp pure vanilla extract


2½ cups plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided


2 tsp ground cinnamon


2 tsp baking soda


1½ tsp kosher salt


1 cup raisins


1 cup chopped walnuts


1 pound carrots, grated


½ cup diced fresh pineapple





For the frosting:


3/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature


½ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature


1 tsp pure vanilla extract


1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted





For the decoration:


½ cup diced fresh pineapple





Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.





For the cake:


Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.





Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.





Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.





For the frosting:


Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.





Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with diced pineapple.





--Ina Garten, “Barefoot Contessa At Home” cookbook
buy it from THE STORE
You can never go wrong with chocolate cake!


i would use two 9 inch cake pans =]











Super Moist Chocolate Cake








1 1/2 cups flour


1 cup sugar


1/3 cup cocoa


1/2 teaspoon salt


1 teaspoon baking soda


1 cup water


1/2 cup vegetable oil


2 tablespoons vinegar


2 teaspoons vanilla





Mix dry items ingredients in a bowl using a fork.





Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl/container.





Combine dry and wet ingredients in a bowl mixing together with a fork.





Transfer mixture to greased cake pan or cupcake tins.





Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 30 minutes. (Bake for approximately 15 minutes if making cupcakes).





Once cooled, ice cake with your favourite frosting.
a carrot cake recipe is great! look up that kind of recipe