The Ultimate Chocolate Layer Cake

Growing up my Mom had a subscription to Canadian Living Magazine.  I'm not sure if she actually used it for the recipes, but I remember reading through the recipes as the magazines came into our home.  When a friends child had a magazine subscription fundraiser come up last Fall, I had a "Mom moment" of subscribing to the magazine for myself.  Without realizing it, I have a few resolutions I've made, one of which is to make something from the magazine each month.  February's edition arrived last week, and in it a recipe for "Ultimate Chocolate Cake".  We have alot of birthdays we are celebrating this month, so I wrapped them all up into one big event.  What is more fitting to celebrate four people, than a four layer chocolate cake?

I started off trying to be sophisticated and added white chocolate shavings to the top.  Then I added sprinkles to a quarter of it for the 4 year old in the group.  The sprinkles were so fun I added them to the whole top.  Then A wanted bugs on it.  So 9 gummy worms were also added :)

It was a moist delicious cake, and one I know I will make again.  It was so good A even licked his plate :)

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

3C all purpose flour
2C sugar
2/3C cocoa powder
2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
2C cold brewed coffee or water
1C veg oil
2tsp vanilla
3tbsp cider vinegar (this part scared me)

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix in water or coffee, oil and vanilla.  Stir in vinegar.  Bake in 350F oven for 25-30 minutes.  Top with icing of your choosing :)

Let there be cake!

Yesterday we celebrated our middle turning 4 (his actual birthday is on Monday).  This was his first friend party where he chose all the guests.  There were 6 kids from his preschool and two family friends.  Such a special special day.  The kids all did amazing with the Lego build (we had a company come in), and everyone enjoyed the cake.  I'm a bit timid sharing my creation here, but given it took me all day, I figured I would post it up :)

The idea came from a Betty Crocker tutorial, but once the cake was done, I figured I would try stacking them like A does his actual towers.  I also made two cakes (one chocolate, and one vanilla) so that I could make cupcakes for the parents.  With extra batter left, I used my mini loaf pan to make smaller Lego pieces.

The birthday boy loved it.  Even one of his guests who has never eaten cake, and claimed he didn't like cake, gave it a try and loved it :)

We still have about half leftover to celebrate with a second time tomorrow on his actual big day :)