Birthday Cake

By AzWench

This recipe bakes up into a really tender three-layer white cake. (Freezing the layers before frosting them makes assembly easy.) It's an ideal birthday cake for young ones.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups cake flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 6 egg whites
• Milk Chocolate Frosting
• Garnish: multicolored candy sprinkles

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk and 2/3 cup water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in extracts.

Beat egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form, fold about one-third of egg whites into batter. Gradually fold in remaining egg whites. Pour cake batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cool 15 minutes. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap. Freeze 4 hours.

Unwrap frozen cake layers. Spread Milk Chocolate Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving. Garnish, if desired.