Rainbow Birthday Cake

I did it.  I turned 30.  I was seriously dreading it.  Thirty.  So old.

My 30th birthday was actually quite fabulous.  I think I like being thirty.  Or at least that’s what I keep telling my old self.  Isn’t that would old people do?  Convince themselves that being older is actually better.

Rainbow birthday cake definitely helped the transition from being a twenty-something to a thirty something…

I’m honestly not sure I could have done it without the cake.

Want to make your own cake to ease into being another year older?  Of course you do.

Gather your ingredients.  Two boxes of white cake mix and gel food coloring. (The drops won’t work.)  Sprinkles are optional.  Wait.  Who am I kidding?  Sprinkles are never optional.

Mix the cake mixes according to the directions on the box.

Divide the batter into 6 bowls (~1 1/2 cups in each).  Add ~1 teaspoon of gel food coloring to each.

I was quite giddy at this point.  Look at how pretty that mess is!  And then I realized someone would need to wash all of those dishes.  Giddy fail.

Now it’s time to bake.  I only have 2 round cake pans so this was definitely a  time consuming cake.  Bake ~15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 

Words of wisdom from the ancient one:  Grease your pans VERY well…or this cake becomes a mess. (See purple and blue layer below.)  Use a knife to loosen the edges.  Let cool until you can touch the pan.  CAREFULLY flip onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Next it’s time for the frosting!  We used Nate’s mom’s secret frosting recipe.  Nate thinks I married him for his charming good looks and sense of humor.  It was actually for the frosting recipe.

Alternate cake and frosting.  Don’t worry if it doesn’t look super pretty.  It will still turn out just fine. 

It helps to have a supervisor.

Nate applied a skim coat of frosting to the outside and then let it sit in the fridge while we went out for a fancy supper at Noodles.  We returned and Nate applied the final layer…and sprinkles.

And then we cut into it.

Magical.

Ike, of course, got in on the birthday action.  He was really more interested in eating the cake than having his picture taken.  He keeps mumbling something about an agent.

I think thirty is going to be pretty awesome!

Sunday AM Glazed Donut Muffins

Don’t you just love Sunday mornings?  Yes, I know it’s Wednesday but I want it to be Sunday so I am going to pretend it is.  Or should I just blame Leap Day?  It messes me up.  Leap Day is keeping 29 another day longer though.  Thank you, Leap Day.

Where was I going with this?  Oh yes, Sunday mornings.

This past Sunday morning was particularly lovely.  I woke early-ish.  I read a little.  Wasted time on the internet a little.  The sun was shining.  The dog was snuggly.  My stomach started to growl.  Nate kept sleeping.  My stomach started to growl more.  Nate was still sawing logs.

I decided to start breakfast without the accounting zombie.  I headed on over to my Nom Nom Breakfast Board and picked out Glazed Donut Muffins from My Baking Addiction. 

Good pick!  These muffins were tasty and easy to make.  I followed the recipe exactly.  (You can find it here.)  I have a few suggestions if you would like to make these yourself.  The recipe stated to bake 15-17 minutes.  I baked for 15 minutes and that was too long.  The muffins were also a little dry..which could be due to over baking.  I might poke some holes in the top to let that delicious glaze settle on in and moisten things up.

The recipe also states that they are best served warm.  Nate and I both preferred them later on in the afternoon.  Not that we ate more.

Is it Sunday yet?  What’s your favorite morning of the week?  Any muffin recipes that I must try this Sunday?

No Good Very Bad Day Cupcakes

Have you ever had one of those days?  You know, where you get out of bed and put on your favorite grey sweater.  You are all warm, looking cute, and ready to conquer the day.  Ten minutes later you realize your favorite sweater has purple stains…probably from your second favorite sweater.

Whatever.  You can handle this.

You then put on another sweater that has a new giant hole.  Gee.  This is stinky.  You finally find a sweater that will work (but isn’t nearly as cute as you’d like).  Bring it.

You go to work and are immediately bombarded with a million and twelve different annoying things.  This isn’t any different than normal but on this particular day you just can’t handle it.  So you sob at work in the storage room for 10 minutes. And then you sob some more because you are mad at yourself for sobbing in the storage room.

The day continues in the manner.  It is a full moon.  You have a headache from fighting back tears.  You decide after lunch that once 5:00 PM hits the world will become a better place….because you will make cupcakes. 

Not just any cupcakes.   Death by Oreo Cupcakes.  Seems like a good way to go.

Recipe adapted from Instructables…

Death by Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 package Oreo Cookies, regular size
• 1 package chocolate cake mix (mix according to directions on box)
  • I used Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Triple Chocolate.  I don’t mess around.
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • I’d probably use less cream cheese next time.  Only because I don’t love cream cheese. It’s growing on me.  Slowly.
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • I used 4 cups…to cover up some of that cream cheese.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix packaged cake mix according to directions (do not bake).

Line cupcake tins with liner, place a regular size Oreo cookie in the bottom of each liner. (Yes, you read that right.  The Oreo at the bottom is a fun little surprise.)

Take 1/2 of remaining cookies and chop coarsely and add to cake mix. Fill the cupcake tins.

Bake for according to box directions.

Frosting: Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla, then add powdered sugar slowly until blended well. Chop remaining regular-sized Oreos very fine (The original recipe said food processor.  I placed them in a Ziploc bag and rolling pinned the heck out of them.  Worked like a charm.) Add to frosting.

After cupcakes have cooled, frost.

Eat them.  A lot of them.  The world suddenly becomes an amazing place again.

Going to bed at 9:00PM doesn’t hurt either.

***Disclaimer.  As a medical professional, I don’t recommend feeding your emotions on a regular basis.  But sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do.***

What’s your go-to bad day vice?  Cupcakes?  Cookies?  Wine?  Apples?  Today is going to be much better.  I can feel it!