Monday, July 16, 2007

Fairyland


Fairyland Chocolate Cake, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.




We finally had a birthday party for my 4 year old (her birthday was in June). We made our house turn into fairyland and the kids were fairies and elves once they earned their wings. After games and decorating our star cookie wands (sugar cookies on a popsicle stick) we ate fairy fare.

Star Cucumbers and Baby Carrots with Red Pepper Hummus
Magic Fruit Wands
Star Pizzas
Fairy Punch with Edible Flowers
Fairy Chocolate Cake

The Fairy Chocolate Cake was made by my mother-in-law and is the recipe I chose to feature (and if you're wondering why there are 5 candles on a 4 year old's cake it is a Mud tradition to put one to grow on. It's going to get confusing in the photo albums mixed with my family's tradition of putting the number you are turning). This recipe has been used for 25 + years at the Mud household. Every birthday, this is the cake that is made (except when the only girl, Mary went through a phase where she wanted store-bought cakes because all of her friends did). I have not quite perfected this cake as Mom M. has. Everyone looks forward to sinking their teeth in this cake, always with the choice of Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Chocolate ice cream. MMmm....one of my Mud nephew's birthday is next weekend. I can't wait.

Mom Mud's Chocolate Cake

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup margerine (or shortening)
2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

3/4 cup cocoa
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp soda
1/8 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter, margarine and sugar. Add vanilla and two eggs. Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients and milk with creamed ingredients, alternating. Flour and grease two 9-inch round pans. Pour in batter. Bake for 20 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Wet a kitchen towel and lay out on counter. Place pans on towel to cool. Remove from pans (using a knife around the edges one at a time. Frost 1 cake, including the top, place the other round cake on top and completely frost cake.

Fudge Icing:
1 lb powdered sugar
2/3 stick butter
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch of salt
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan melt butter, add powdered sugar, salt and milk (a little at a time, you might need more), cocoa and vanilla. Stir together and place on cake.

9 comments:

Haley said...

MMM, that looks delicious. I'm trying to plan J's birthday now since it falls on Thanksgiving and will coincide with a new baby. Are we surprised that he wants a truck party? I'm trying to convince him of something else, pirates, anything. Be sure to let us know when you come up!

Inspiration Station said...

Love the fairy themed food. You're so creative Julie! Now that chocolate cake looks divine!

Shannon said...

Aren't you going to tell us how you made the star pizzas?

Tracie said...

Oh yummy...yummy...I'm coming over right now!

Jules said...

Shannon--the pizzas were just made with homemade pizza dough cut with a cookie cutter. Add your sauce and toppings! My four year old actually came up with the idea!

Carrie said...

Hey...I want your homemade pizza dough recipe, if you like it. I've tried a few lately and haven't been happy with them at all! And there are so many to choose from, that I'm at a standstill not wanting more lame ones.

mod*mom said...

your blog is delicious!
congratulations! you on my slingback diaper bag contest!
please email me your mailing address + color choice
here's a link to the colors http://modmom.blogspot.com/2007/06/modmom-giveaway-slingback-diaper-bag.html

thank you again for visiting my blog + entering the contest. i hope you'll enter my notneutral contest before july 31st :)

Vanessa said...

so cute! you listed red pepper hummus...do you make your own b/c i am searching for a good hummus recipe.

Karena said...

So, when are we going to start up the co-op again? Tropical island, nah, how about a trip to the mountains to see your fellow Idahoans? I miss your yummy food!

Karena