A Butterscotch Filled Birthday

I am not a big fan of my birthday.  While I've had a few amazing ones (graduating college on my birthday will probably always be the best experience I've ever had), I've had too many birthdays that were so bad, that it's a miracle that I'll celebrate the day at all.  Since I've been with Kyle, he's made it a mission to make every birthday special- such as taking me to an awesome restaurant, or getting my small group of friends together to hang out.  He gets that I'm never going to be a surprise party/fireworks/wild to-do kind of gal.  Most importantly, he puts the most important kind of effort into planning my birthday (and every other special occasion) that really matters- love. 

My husband is a hopeless romantic.  He's a love-letter, flowers and candy kind of guy.  He remembers every anniversary, every first, every important date/moment/place that has happened in our life together.  He catches the little things- a handbag I swooned over, a charm I looked at for ten seconds, or that I said when we started dating that I hadn't had a birthday cake since I was a teenager.  And that I LOVE butterscotch and no one ever has it anywhere.  Literally.  Try any bakery in the Northeast for a butterscotch cake and they'll look at you like you've lost your mind.  Or direct you to Tastycake.

My husband HATES baking.  Seriously.  While using a timer, and a recipe with specific instructions and measurements is right up his alley, the idea of something potentially not working, or having to trust his instincts (and nose) that it is indeed done in the middle, is not.

But I have to say, the man can bake.  He makes the best damned butterscotch cake I've ever had in my life. (He has this innate gift for making the best icings in the world.  No joke.)  It may not be the most gorgeous cake in the the world, but to me, it's a masterpiece.  And the baker?  He is too.

Ky, thank you for showing me that with my awful history with birthdays, there's no where to go but up.  Thank you for all of the love and thought that you put in to my birthday.  It was amazing!! xo

Want to make the yummiest butterscotch cake ever?  Here's how.

Vanilla Cake with Butterscotch Icing

• 1 1/2 c Butter (3 sticks), divided
• 6 lg Eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 ts Baking soda
• 1 1/2 c Buttermilk
• 1Tb Vanilla extract (or more)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 c Sugar, granulated
• 2 1/2 c Confectioner’s sugar (4x)
• 2 1/2 c Flour
• Shortening (to prepare pans)

Instructions:
Separate eggs; place all the whites in a large bowl, place 3 yolks in one small container, and the other 3 in another.

Prepare 3 8-inch cake pans with brown-paper rounds (for bottoms) greased with shortening.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Soften 1/2 C butter in a large bowl; add confectioner’s sugar and beat until thoroughly mixed.

Add 3 egg yolks, one after another, and continue beating.

Add vanilla and mix till thoroughly blended, scraping sides with spatula if necessary.
Measure flour into a small bowl and stir in baking soda.

Add to butter/sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk in 4 steps, beginning and ending with the flour.
Sprinkle about 1/2 t salt on egg whites. Beat till stiff, but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter.

Divide batter between pans and bake at 350 degrees F. about 30-35 minutes, until done.


Butterscotch Frosting
•1/2 cup shortening or butter, softened


•1/2 cup butterscotch chips, melted and cooled

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•5-6 cups powdered sugar, sifted

•4-5 tablespoons of milk or cream

In a bowl, beat butter or shortening, melted butterscotch chips, vanilla extract and powdered sugar with an electric mixer. It will be dry. Add milk 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time and combine. Continue adding milk and beating until you get your desired frosting consistency. Frost cake when they're completely cooled.

Enjoy!!!