Tag Archives: birthday

Perfectly Chocolate Cake

Perfectly Chocolate Cake

Normally when I’m making birthday cakes I use the boxed cake mixes but I love dense, rich, moist, cakes and this recipe from Allrecipes hit the spot! I’m guessing that to make a yellow cake you could just omit the cocoa powder, but I haven’t tried it so don’t quote me on that! I was perfectly pleased with how this cake turned out. And topped with Grandma Esther’s Chocolate Truffle Frosting, this cake turned out to be quite divine! Although, it is rich so remember to buy some vanilla ice cream or at least have a gallon of milk on hand! Continue reading

Grandma Esther’s Chocolate Truffle Frosting

Grandma Esther's Chocolate Truffle Frosting

I can’t believe I’ve never posted this recipe! This is a traditional birthday cake frosting in the Burns household, made by my husband’s maternal grandmother, Grandma Esther. She would always make the birthday kid a big chocolate cake with truffle frosting, and then give the birthday kid the leftover frosting in a container, they could enjoy throughout the week. I’ve done my best to pick up where dear Grandma Esther left off, some years it turns out wonderful and some years I have not gotten it quite right. Chris requests this every year and I (loving chocolate) am always willing to comply! Hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Grandma Esther’s Chocolate Truffle Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa into a medium sized bowl. Cream together sugar cocoa and cream, add vanilla.

2. Heat chocolate with 2 Tbsp butter in a double broiler. Bring water to boil on medium high heat, when it starts to boil turn the heat off and let the chocolate melt slowly. After the chocolate has completely melted, blend into the cream and sugar mixture.

3. Spread over cake or cupcakes, refrigerate remaining frosting, after it hardens it can be used to make truffles; roll in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chopped nuts, etc. Enjoy!!

Flower and Car Birthday Cupcakes

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This past March we had 4 birthdays to celebrate, three of our kids and one nephew, so we had one big birthday bash and I decided that cupcakes were in order! Continue reading