Vanilla Cake & Chocolate Buttercream

Quadruple-Layer Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream and Hershey Kiss/mini-Nilla Wafer Acorns

This was a special-order cake for a birthday.  I love when I get to bake birthday cakes - I imagine the recipient making a wish and blowing out candles and taking the firs slice.  There is something to be said about traditions/rituals...cake and birthdays just go together.

The order was for a triple-layer classic vanilla cake - but the cakes sunk in the middle.  I really can't stand slicing into a cake with a cratered middle and the extra buttercream.  Even layers is what I'm working toward.

Taking the dome off the cake reduced the cake way too much.  I decided to add another layer - this would take it to the right height, offer even/uniform layers, and [hopefully] satisfy the client.

I was happy with the design of the decorating - the ruffled base really works and the vanilla/chocolate swirls with the acorns are nice as well.  I'm totally digging the two rows of pearls.  I can't remember if I've ever done two rows of pearls...I know I often use one row of vanilla on chocolate to offer contrast.  I like this look so much - I want to expand it to an entire cake.  It would be somewhere between a complete cover-up like this cake and a simple row or two. 

I love the idea of a white/vanilla background and a rainbow of pearls, an ombre of pearls, chocolate pearls on vanilla, etc.  Or, the chocolate cake with rows of vanilla dots.

The cake was in the cake fridge overnight - I didn't bring it too room temperature before the final frosting - this resulted in a less-than-smooth finish.  Why?  The melted dark chocolate in the buttercream wanted to firm up when against the cold cake instead of maintaining spreadability.  This is one of those things I need to stay on top of for next time.  The flavor is all there, but I would prefer a smoother finish.

I baked a few cupcakes with the batter of the second vanilla cake I baked in order to get a fourth layer for the birthday cake.  I shared these with some colleagues.  No one threw the cake away.

When people ask me to bake for them ... I love it.  When my sponsor asks me to take an action I don't want ... I love that I matter.  And, when my life partner asks me to go for a walk with him ... I love that too.