Berry Layer Cake.....Hailey's Birthday!!!

Hailey's Birthday and her Berry Layer Cake

Hailey's birthday this year fell on a Sunday.  Lets start with the fact that we have church at 9 am and trying to fix 4 little girls hair isn't always doable.  This being said, Hailey generally ends up fixing her own hair.  This Sunday, for her birthday, she wanted mom to fix her hair and she wanted something new.  Here is what I came up with:

 It really was easy, but took about 25 bobby pins and no curling iron or curlers at all.  It didn't take long and looked great all day.

That evening after dinner she finally got to open her presents, this is just a few items she got:
 New capri's from Papa and Meme

 And, a new IPOD touch from her family.  She was so mad when Alyssa got one for her birthday two weeks ago and she is two years older and asked for one and wanted it so much more and well the list went on and on.  If only she had some patience!

Then we had her birthday cake, the Berry Layer Cake that turned out so easy and so yummy! 

She had a friends party at the park on Friday before her birthday.  She wanted to invite lots of girls and so I agreed as long as we kept it really simple.  She invited 21 girls and I figured maybe 15 would come, well, she had 21 girls at her party!  

They played frisbee golf, games with the tights and a ball on their head (pictured above), played on the playground, ate pizza and just had a blast.

11 years old at last and I think her birthday was one she will always cherish.

Now how to make this cake

I got the recipe from this site and it is a Martha Stewart recipe from an old cookbook of hers.

Cake Recipe

Unsalted butter, for pans

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

6 large whole eggs, plus 4 large egg yolks, all at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup vegetable oil

First, I didn't make a mistake with typing in 10 eggs!  That's right, 6 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks!

So here's the steps to make this easy cake:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 and butter two- 9 inch round pans

2.  In a large bowl sift together flour and cornstarch, set aside

3.  In another bowl whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and salt.

You will want to beat this on high for about 5 minutes, until it leaves a trail like a ribbon when lifted.

4.  Add the dry ingredients and mix just until mixed, otherwise you loose part of the air in the mix.  Then slowly add the oil.  Mix is just until mixed in also the with a spin fold the mix about 4-5 times.

5.  Poor mixture into the two 9 inch pans

6.  Bake about  30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

7.  Remove from pans about 4-5 minutes after it comes out of the oven and cool on cooling racks

8.  Cut the 9 inch round cakes in half horizontally (it's easier if refrigerated for a few minutes prior to cutting)

Topping:

1 quart Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup powder Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Combine ingredients and beat until stiff peaks remain (about 4 minutes)

9.  Top the bottom layer of cake with whipped topping and then berries of choice

10.  Continue step 9 through all 4 layers.  

Enjoy because this cake is so yummy!!!