Max & Ruby Cake

After creating my first birthday cake for my son's birthday I decided to try again for my daughter's birthday.  Max and Ruby is her favorite t.v. show so I decided to create a Max and Ruby cake.  The cake was a chocolate cake and the filling was a pecan praline filling.  I covered this cake in fondant and created the characters & decorations out of gum paste.  I had so much fun creating this cake!  I am addicted!

Chocolate Cake

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
3 c. sugar
5 large eggs
2 c. cake flour
1 c. Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract


Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended.

Combine cake flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

Pecan Praline Filling

1/2  cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
3/4  cup  dark corn syrup
1/3  cup  cornstarch
4  egg yolks
1 1/2  cups  half-and-half
1/8  teaspoon  salt
1  cup  chopped toasted pecans
3  tablespoons  butter or margarine
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat.

Whisk in pecans, butter, and vanilla. Place a sheet of wax paper directly on surface of mixture to prevent a film from forming; chill 4 hours.

Monkey Cake

My son had his 1st birthday in February and I was determined to make him a birthday cake.  I love watching all the cake shows on t.v. but had never tried actually creating a multi-tiered cake.  So, I bought supplies, did a little reading and set off on a cake creating journey.  I admit it was a little ambitious but I think it turned out well for my first cake.  The cake was a chocolate chip cake with fresh strawberry and whipped cream filling.  The decorations (except the monkeys) are fondant.  The monkeys I hand molded out of modeling chocolate.  Below is the recipe for the cake.  It was a fun experience!

Chocolate Chip Cake

(Note:  this recipe make 1 6in cake, 1 9in cake and 1 12in round cake.  I had to make 2 recipes for 6 cakes total)


1 2lb. box of cake flour
2 Tbls. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 sticks of butter, softened
5 c. sugar
3 1/2 c. water (room temperature)
6 large eggs
12 oz. chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Position 1 rack in top and 1 rack in bottom of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Line pans with parchment and spray with cooking spray.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat butter.  Gradually add 3 cups of sugar.  Beat in flour mixture in 5 additions with water in 4 additions.  In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until medium firm.  Gradually add remaining 2 cups of sugar and beat for 5 minutes.  Fold 1/3 egg whites into batter.  Fold in remaining whites.  Fold in chocolate pieces.

6 inch pan uses 2 cups of batter, 9 inch pan uses 4 cups of batter, 12 inch pan uses 9 cups

Place 6 & 9 inch pans on top rack and 12 inch on bottom.  Bake for 50-55 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean).  Let cool before removing from pan.

Decorate and enjoy!