Baking is sort of my thing. It has been since I was in middle school. Icing, however, is something I’m still learning about. This weekend, I was making a birthday cake for The Boy’s grandfather, and was running out of time. So when the layers were almost cool, I began icing. More on that. Since the cake was delicious, I thought I’d share the recipes that are quickly becoming family favorites.

Now, to the disaster. I had the bottom layer on the cake plate and put strawberry preserves in as part of the filling, and a bit of icing. Then I started icing the sides. I was nearly done, when it started to ooze out the middle. Quickly, I put it in the fridge and hoped it would set before all the filling had melted out. This is what we wound up with. An ugly, yet delicious cake. Lesson learned, wait until layers are completely cooled to ice them.

Restaurant Eve’s Cake
adapted from The Washington Post, found on chaos in the kitchen

2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter melted, at room temperature
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Heat oven to 350°F and prepare cake pans with grease and parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients (sugar through salt) in a mixing bowl.
Beat in melted butter for about 2 minutes and until mixture resembles cornmeal.
Combine eggs, vanilla, and milk in a bowl.
Add liquid mixture to dry mixture, beating constantly for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl mid-way.
Pour batter into pans and bake for about 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Remove cakes to a rack and allow to cool before frosting.

Magnolia’s Vanilla Buttercream
from More from Magnolia

Makes enough for one 2-layer 9-inch cake or 2 dozen cupcakes*

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Add butter to your mixer bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk & vanilla. On medium speed, beat until and creamy (about 3-5 minutes) Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Originally published at Whitney Drake. You can comment here or there.