It's My Birthday and I'll Cake If I Want To

So. . . it's my birthday. . .I mean, obviously if you've seen the title.  Last year I was in Paris.  This year, I'm . . . not in Paris.  But it's okay.  Normally, I bake myself a cake (I know, I know) but last year, being in a different country and all, with no oven, Kitchenaid, or kitchen for that matter, I couldn't.  Not that I was complaining about the pastry situation (in PARIS), but. . .I do love me some birthday cake, and this year I can have it.  So my good old American birthday isn't that bad after all I suppose.

For cakes, for me, it's go big or go home.  (Although, I'm already home, I guess.) But regardless, I went big.  As in a towering 8 in tall, three tiered pumpkin spice cake filled with puffs of maple vanilla whipped cream and coated with a few layers of espresso buttercream. (Italian buttercream. . .because although I'm an American girl celebrating an all American birthday -- there is just no topping that Italian buttercream. 💗.)

If the thought of that isn't enough to put you in a cake coma -- this probably will.  This concoction of heaven used six sticks of butter, eleven eggs, a half pound of butterscotch, and a half pound of chocolate, with a couple of cups of heavy cream thrown in just to lighten it up a bit 😜

Hey, like I said -- go big or go home! (Or in my case -- go to the gym -- dance your tail off for an hour and then indulge guilt free.)

Pumpkin Spice Birthday Cake

Ingredients

• 1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
• 1 small package Vanilla Instant Pudding
• 1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 3 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 8 oz Butterscotch Chips, tossed in flour
• 8 oz Chocolate Chips, tossed in flour

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray three 6-in pans with baking spray and set aside.
3. Beat all the ingredients with the exception of the chips at high speed for two minutes.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
5. Divide between the three pans equally.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until set but still springy.

Maple Vanilla Whipped Cream

Ingredients

• 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 small package French Vanilla Instant Pudding
• 2 tbsp Maple Syrup

Cooking Directions

1. Dissolve the instant pudding in a 1/4 cup of cream.
2. Immediately whip the pudding mixture with the remainder of the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
3. Add the maple syrup and whip until stiff peaks.
4. Refrigerate until needed.

Espresso Buttercream

Ingredients

• 6 sticks Unsalted Butter
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup +1/4 cup Water, divided
• 1 1/4 cup + 1/3 cup Sugar, divided
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 8 Egg Whites
• 1-2 Tbsp Instant Espresso

Cooking Directions

1. Heat 1/4 cup water until boiling and stir in the espresso powder until fully incorporated.
2. Set aside in the refrigerator to cool.
3. Add 1 1/4 cup sugar to the remaining water and place in a saucepan over medium heat.
4. When the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is clear, start monitoring the temperature.
5. Start beating the egg whites at medium speed.
6. When the mixture gets foamy, add the salt.
7. As the mixture gets more opaque, but still soft, sprinkle the 1/3 cup of sugar in while the mixture still whips up.
8. Increase the speed to high and continue to whip.
9. When the eggs have been whipped to stiff peaks AND the temperature of the sugar mixture is between 240 and 250 degrees F, decrease the speed that the egg whites are being whipped at to low, take the syrup off of the stove and drizzle into the egg whites.
10. Continue to whip at medium/medium high until the egg whites are at 80 degrees. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 20 minutes.
11. Slowly add the butter in chunks, a couple at a time, until each is completely incorporated.
12. The mixture will deflate, possibly melt a little, and possibly curdle.
13. Continue to whip until the buttercream comes together and is light and fluffy.
14. Add the vanilla extract and cooled espresso and whip for a couple of minutes to fully incorporate.

Not inspired by Banksy, although many many people have asked lol.  The book is a little shredded, but that's because of my amateur cutting skills as opposed to because of recent events in the art world.  At least this cake wasn't a million dollar loss? In fact, I would say it was a win!