Today is my Mom’s Birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom!
Last night my brother and his wife cooked dinner for her and i brought the cake. That was find with me, I’ll take baking over dinner cooking any day.
I wanted to try something different so i thought I would do a cake inspired by neapolitan ice cream. While baking and decorating I kept my camera close at hand so I could share my little adventure with you.
Let’s get baking!
I used boxed cake mixed. Duncan Hines. First up, french vanilla.
Then strawberry.
Then chocolate.
I prepared and baked according the directions the box. I lined my baking pans with parchment paper for extremely easy cake removal.
This gave me six cakes. I was originally planning on using all six, but later realized that was going to be way too tall. I decided to just use one of each and froze the other three to use another time.
As the cakes cooled, I made the icing.
My go-to icing recipe: (this recipe was doubled for this cake)
1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature butter unsalted)
4 oz cream cheese (use phildelphia, generic cream cheese is a no-no)1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
With an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment; beat butter, salt and cream cheese (on medium speed) until completely smooth
One cup at time, add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating after each addition.
Add vanilla and about 1 tablespoon of cream, and continue beating.
Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, one at a time.
Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons cream until desired consistency is reached.
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Icing done, cakes still cooling, time to whip up some quick decorations for my cake.
To make the pennants I just cut a diamond shape out of some pretty scraps of fabric. I applied some tacky glue to one side of the diamond, placed a wooden skewer in the middle and folded the other side over. Yep, it’s seriously that easy.
I tied on some scraps of ribbon and rick rack to make it a little more interesting and fun!
For more fun decorations, I found these malted eggs and edible, yep EDIBLE, grass at Joann’s.
The edible grass is oddly good. It takes like those little flying saucers wafers with a hit of green apple flavor. It’s also available in green and pink.
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After my cakes were cool, it was time to put the cake together.
I lined my cake plate with some wax paper stripes to prevent it from being complete covered in icing by the time I was finish. Thanks Ina Garten.
I also cut off the tops of my cake so the layers stacked a little bit nicer.
I am not a cake decorator and don’t want to be. I actually love imperfections in cakes.
So all you fancy cake deocrators out there can just look the other way.
Once it was iced it was time for some edible grass and eggs.
And don’t forget the flags!
Tada! My spring themed neapolitan birthday cake!
Pretty stinkin’ cute, right!? Time for a slice.
And let me tell you, for boxed cake, it was incredibly moist, light and delicious! Neapolitan cake may just be my new favorite.
I hope you enjoyed my little baking adventure!
Have a great Monday everyone! I’m sure my mom will be reading the comments if you want to send her some birthday love.
Time for a diet,
ahhh how darling (& yummy) michael – you made a pretty awesome cake; mom – you made a pretty awesome kid! xo to you both
http://www.NorthernCottage.net
WOW…you are certainly talented – love the little pennants – so clever – and lucky Mom to have such a talented son
Happy Birthday, Michael’s Mom! You must be so proud of your son. He is so talented. Enjoy your beautiful cake.
~~Lisa
Recipe looks delicious. Frosting recipe great idea & sounds yummee. Pendants and spring nests, eggs & grass, adorable. I am so making this little “charmer” for Easter! Thank you for sharing!
That has got to be the cutest cake ever! I love the green grass nest. Happy birthday to your Mom! Hope she had a wonderful day.
I don’t know when I’ve seen such a lovely cake! I will definitely be attempting to make at least one of these this spring.
Michaels Mom: Happy Birthday! I know you’ve had a wonderful day and I wish you many more to come! I just met your precious son a couple of weeks ago through Pinterest and have enjoyed getting to know him through this blog. You did a great job Mom and I know you are so very proud of him!
New fan here! Im so excited about finding your blog! I almost cried looking at everything. i know thats silly. I look at it and want so badly to be the type of person that can do all of these things. Then I scrolled down on your blog and found a post that said “for what its worth, its never to late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you are proud of and if you find that you’re not, i hope you find the strength to start all over again” what amazing timing. so here to a new start. Thank you again! oh and happy birthday mom!!
Ashley Hylton
[email protected]
Thanks for all the great Birthday Wishes. And a special thank you to my amazing son for making me feel so loved on my Birthday.
Happy Birthday, Michael’s Mom!
Bet you loved the cake-it looks yummy.
Homemade BDC is the only way we do it in our house, too.
My own mom would have been 82 today…so it was fun to wish someone’s mom a Happy Birthday today- hope it was grand.
PS- I am a Michael’s mom as well-mine is 26 🙂
Happy birthday to Michael’s mom! That cake looks GREAT!
Stop it! You’re killing me here… I need cake! I’m so toast if my son sees this… you’ll turn me into a cook yet I’m fearing. 🙂
Outstanding presentation! Floored as usual… back to my dusty pallet boards I go. I’m not worthy! 🙂
Donna
I almost forgot! Happy Birthday Mom! I hope your day was extra special… and an extra cake goes out to you for raising such a cool kid. 🙂
Absolutely adorable. Happy birthday mom. You have a talented offspring, of course you already know that.
Happy Birthday to your Mom. Love the cake.
Very Nice! Birthday wishes to your mom!
A belated happy birthday, Michael’s Mom. Hope you had a wonderful day. I KNOW you had a wonderful cake.
Happy Birthday Michael’s Mom! Michael I cant wait to try that cake it looks amazing!
This cake looks delicous and makes me HAPPY! Happy Birthday to your Mom!
I love the sweet decorations! So cute.
Happy Birthday Michael’s Mom! Your son is amazing, talented and very cute!! I know you are proud of him. Enjoy your very special day!
Happy happy b-day to your mom!! Mom’s are the BEST, huh!? Your cake is absolutely adorable and looks super yummy too! WOW! I love it!