Recipes for the Birthday Cake

Cake. Filling. Frosting.

Too bad my computer is still not dry. If it were dry, there would be pictures.

The cake:
APOLOGIES. Mr. Big Food's computer &/or blogger is being contrary. Sorry about the formatting below.

CLASSIC WHITE CAKE
Makes one 2-layer cake
 2 C flour


1 Tbsp baking powder


½ tsp salt


1 ½ C sugar


¾ C shortening


2 tsp vanilla


1 C milk


4 egg whites






Preheat oven to 350o. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Combine sugar, shortening, and vanilla in large mixing bowl, and beat with electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating well and scraping sides of bowl as needed. Wash and dry beaters thoroughly, then beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter, pour into prepared pans, and bake about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cakes on racks 10 minutes, then remove from pans. Cool completely on racks before frosting, and frost as desired.






The filling:






LEMON FILLING AND ORANGE VARIATION






Enough filling for 2 layers






¾ C sugar


2 Tbsp cornstarch


1/8 tsp salt


1 Tbsp grated lemon rind


1/3 C lemon juice


½ C water


1 egg, beaten


1 Tbsp butter






Mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt thoroughly, add lemon rind, lemon juice, water, beaten egg, and butter, and cook over boiling water (or over low heat), stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool.






ORANGE VARIATION






Reduce sugar to ½ C, use orange rind and juice instead of lemon, and add 1 tsp lemon juice.






The frosting:






CALIFORNIA CITRUS CREAM CHEESE FROSTING






6 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature


2 tsp lemon juice


1 tsp grated lemon peel


¾ C sifted powdered sugar


6-8 drops yellow food coloring (optional)


2 tsp grapefruit, peeled and crushed






Beat cream cheese until fluffy, add lemon juice and peel, and gradually blend in sugar, beating until well blended. Stir in food coloring (if using) and crushed grapefruit.