I would say this is my go-to homemade cake, it’s easy, it’s moist and just plain delicious. To be fair this is also the only homemade cake I make. I should really come up with a vanilla version, probably won’t.  Anyway my daughter-in-law asked me to make my Granddaughters second birthday cake. I said as long as you don’t mind it being my crazy chocolate cake. I guess I could have just bought a couple of box mixes but this was my first thought. Thankfully she was on board.

 

This is what my cake usually looks like. Just a regular square little cake. Several years ago my sister turned this simple little confection into a beautiful wedding cake for our cousin. I guess you can call this a little black dress, if you get my reference.

My biggest struggle was and is decorating. I have wonderful ideas but cake decorating is not in the cards for me. So I was super worried that while I know the cake would taste great, how would it look. I was even considering ordering one from the local bakery but decided the cost would have been ridiculous for the what I wanted.  The party was a Finding Nemo theme. I ended up on Pinterest and ordered the decorations for the top of the cake. It was under $30 – perfect!

I also have another confession to make. I kept thinking about making a 3 tiered cake and I did make 3 separate sized cakes, until 4am the next morning I awoke to, crap I’m making a wedding cake, not a birthday cake UGH! Needless to say I mostly started over and there are 2 unfrosted cakes in my freezer.

This cake uses simple ingredients that most people who bake already have on hand. I have tried to double the ingredients without much success so I made the same recipe 5 times. I think I can go to the kitchen right now and not have to even pull out the recipe. I know for a fact this will be the first baking recipe I will teach my granddaughter.

 

This cake is super easy, all you need to do it add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir till everything is incorporated. Place in your baking pan and place it in the oven.

 

This cake is super easy, all you need to do it add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir till everything is incorporated. Place in your baking pan and place it in the oven.

 

The frosting I make for this easy cake is probably even easier with it being butter, confectioners sugar and a little vanilla extract. If you are ever in a bind for a quick dessert, make this! The longest part of the whole process is letting the cake cool completely so you can frost it. I will admit I have served it a little on the warm side before. No complaints.

My daughter brought the leftover birthday cake to work with her the next day and her co-workers raved about it. I believe it went like. “I bet your mother made the cake?” “It’s perfect” I can ask for no higher praise.