A Pretty Cake for a Sweet Girl

Time for a 2nd birthday cake!  Two years have gone by so quickly.  I still remember seeing this little preemie for the first time.  Now a little person who wants to be in on everything!  

I started out with big ideas.  I was going to make a rainbow cake with lots of colorful layers. I looked at all the beautiful pictures on Pinterest and just had to make this cake. I finally found a natural plant based food color to use and got started. It was a disaster.  The cake tasted great but the colors were just so disappointing.  I actually have to say they were awful! Very dull and pale.  Not the bright colors I had seen on Pinterest.  There was no way I would use regular food coloring with the kids so on to plan #2.

I decided to just make a pretty cake.  I've done castles, trains, trucks and cupcakes but time for something that just fit her personality - sweet.
Vanilla Cake with vanilla frosting.  I love this recipe.  It's simple and tastes so good.  Four layers with a plain vanilla filling.  A little Shabby Chic Polka Dot Cake Banner made with washi tape from my Etsy Shop Well Dressed Cupcakes as a decoration and it was perfect.  Nella loved it!

Abby Cadabby & Elmo are her favorites so invitations were from CharlesAlexDesign on Etsy and also the Thank you notes.


A Happy Birthday Nella Banner from Well Dressed Cupcakes was perfect for the living room fireplace made with her favorite colors - purple & pink.

I made Abby & Elmo confetti for the table

and Gift Tags for the chocolate lollipops.






                       


       












Nella had her special birthday girl hat and wore it the entire time! This adorable hat was made by PixieandPenelope on Etsy.
Birthday Hat















 It was her day and I'm pretty sure she had a wonderful time.  I know she liked the cake! 

                                       


Nella"s Vanilla Birthday Cake
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of unsalted butter at room temp
2 cups sugar
5 eggs room temp
1 1/4 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Line 2,  9" pans with parchment paper
2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3.  Sift together dry ingredients & set aside
4.  In a large bowl, beat butter till smooth.  Add the sugar and beat until light and smooth.
5.  Add eggs, one at a time
6.  Alternate flour and milk ending with flour
7.  Stir in vanilla
8.  Divide and fold into pans
9.  Bake for 30-35 minutes
10.  Cool, split the layers and frost

Vanilla Frosting
2 sticks of unsalted butter softened
6-8 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla - clear vanilla if you want the cake pure white

1. Put 2 sticks of butter, 4 cups of sugar ingredients in a large bowl & just add half the milk
2. Beat for 5 minutes
3. Gradually add the remaining sugar alternately with milk
4. Add the vanilla

Enjoy!