| This is the birthday cake in our house. I’ve been making it for this guy since he turned two, and about ten days ago he turned twenty-three, so you can see that we like it. I’ve copied the directions from the Barefoot Contessa below, but also included the link to her page. Please note, this makes a lot of cake, but it can easily be halved and use a 9×13 pan if you do that. Also, a note about the icing. The cake has to be very cool before you pour it on. Also, it is way too runny if I don’t let the melted chocolate sit for at least a half hour after melting before adding the butter to whip up the icing. Enjoy! We sure do love this one. For the cake: 18 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 3 cups sugar 6 eggs, at room temperature 8 ounces sour cream, at room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 lemon, zested 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking soda For the frosting: 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature M&M’s for decorating Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour evenly into the pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan to room temperature. For the frosting, place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chips are completely melted. Off the heat, add the corn syrup and vanilla and allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the chocolate mixture and softened butter on medium speed for a few minutes, until it’s thickened. Spread the frosting evenly on the cake. Decorate with M&M’s. |