Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you. Okay it wasn't really any one's birthday but I still had a lot of fun making a birthday cake: frosting, candles and all. I highly suggest putting one of these together for no good reason--it's such a pick me up. And no pressure because you won't have guests coming over or a house to clean before they arrive! I can't say whether or not wishes made on a non-birthday cake will come true but who knows, stranger things have happened.

Buttermilk Birthday Cake
From How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or 1/3 cup plain yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup low-fat milk)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup soft unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs 3 extra large eggs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl and set aside.
• Pour the buttermilk (or yogurt and milk) into a measuring cup and stir in the vanilla.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Reduce the speed and add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition.
• Add alternately the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Pour into a greased 9x9 or divide evenly among 2 9-inch round pans.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, until the cake begins to shrink away from the sides and a toothpick comes out clean.

About this recipe: an easy recipe for a nice white cake. You could even do this by hand with a good wooden spoon and the stamina to stir the softened butter and sugar together for a while.

I baked my cake for much less than the time suggested. I think it was in the neighborhood of 20 - 25 minutes if I remember correctly. You don't end up with a lot of batter but it's a perfect amount for a 9"x9" square cake pan. I'm skeptical that you could divide it in two and have enough batter for 2 9-inch rounds but somebody try it and let me know, okay?

The Icing

• 1 1/3 cups butter, soft at room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
  

Directions: none! Oddly, Nigella gives the ingredients but never mentions how to make this icing, instead waxing on about how to get black icing, making a barbie doll cake, and other ways to decorate it. Here's what I suggest:

• In a bowl of an electric mixer add you softened butter, 1 1/2 - 2 cups of confectioner's sugar and beat at the lowest speed to start.
• Once it starts to come together and won't dust you and your kitchen with sugar, turn up the speed.
• Add the vanilla and the milk.
• Beat at a medium-high speed until it's smooth and creamy (this may take a while and you really can't over do it so beat away).
• Taste.
• If it's not sweet enough, add some more sugar, I suggest 1/4 - 1/2 a cup at a time, and beat some more afterward.
• Add food coloring if desired and continue to beat at a medium-high speed until it's evenly incorporated.
• Make sure your cake is entirely cool before frosting it or the butter will melt and it will ruin your frosting!
  

About this icing:

This is a great icing to experiment with how sweet you really like your frosting. By starting with at least half the amount of sugar it calls for and slowly adding more from there (tasting after each) you can tailor this to your ttaste buds Since the buttermilk cake is not very sweet in and of itself, it's okay to go a little on the sweet side for your frosting.

The result: a lightly sweet, lightly flavored white cake with a nice cake-y consistency. The simple frosting goes well with this simple dessert. I thought this cake was good, but I prefer the cream cake I blogged about earlier as your white cake staple because it is a simple recipe with a wonderful flavor.