My Valentine and Chocolate Cake

My Valentine gift turned 11 this year. 

I made her a layered chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream icing.  This started out being for the cake eaters at her party, since she had requested an ice cream cake from the local Dairy Queen.  DQ Ice cream cake has no cake and I wanted some cake, myself. 

After she saw this cake, she changed her mind on the DQ idea and I picked up some Vanilla & Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream to go with the cake.  No Neopolitan this time! 

Handyman grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and talked to the adults (family) while the kids (8 of them) played outside.  There was some type of mystery they were investigating.  They’re all into Nancy Drew at this age and are intrigued by any type of mysterious finding!

After her party, we went to the mall to spend some of that birthday money.  She found a fluttery cream and brown skirt, a cream sweater and a fancy top.  At Claire’s she got a small coin purse and at Bath and Body she got shimmery lip gloss.  She had a blast shopping and enjoyed her birthday very much!

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Below is one of the best chocolate cakes you’ll ever eat.  This recipe was given to me by a friend years ago and happens to be my mom’s favorite cake.  It can be made as a sheet cake or a layered cake.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

2 C sugar
2 C flour
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 T baking soda
1 C buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 cup baking cocoa dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water.
 
Mix all together.  Bake at 350 until done, about 40 minutes or until
toothpick comes clean.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 t. vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream  cocoa, butter, heavy cream and vanilla. Add confectioners’ sugar until desired spreading consisteny.  This makes a stiff icing.  If you desire thinner icing, add small amounts hot water or hot black coffee until desired spreading consistency is reached.