My Ugly Cake

I try to make this blog about quilting.  That's my purpose, anyway.  But there are a few days, here and there, (very rare), that I don't make it upstairs to my studio.  Today was one of those days, and that's just fine.  We all need a break now and then, don't we?

I did make a cake today, though.  Yes, it's very ugly.  I admit it.  But I can tell you it will be delicious!  That so true about many things.  You can't judge a book by its cover - you know the drill.  Beauty come from within.  Blah blah blah...  But it is really true.

The frosting on this cake has been made in my family since I was very young.  This became my wished for birthday cake every year.  So we had it every summer.  I'm not sure why we didn't have it more, but that's okay, because it became this special thing I looked forward to every July 11.  And now my kids ask for it for their birthdays, which is why I made it today.

Over the years, we've quit making the cake from scratch.  A chocolate cake is a chocolate cake, and it's the frosting that makes it so yummy.  So now I always make the cake with a mix.  The secret is to make two cake mixes.  Then pour the batter into 4 round pans and bake.  Stick one of  the baked layers in the freezer for later use, then split the other 3 layers in two, so you now have 6 layers.  Do this all once the layers have cooled completely.

Frosting:

5 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

2 sticks butter (the REAL thing)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour and milk in a saucepan.  Cook until thick, stirring constantly.  Cool well.  (I do this part when I bake the cake so everything can cool at the same time.)  Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Add flour mixture.  Beat until spreading consistency.  Spread between layers and on top of cake.

So you're not really supposed to spread it down the sides, but I cheated a bit today since I only had one cake mix and my cake is only 4 split layers instead of six.  I spread the extra frosting down the sides.  This frosting is so yummy that sometimes I double the recipe so I can be very generous with it between the layers.

So I hope you enjoy my ugly cake.  I think I'll have a piece now.