Birthday cake & cupcakes... and frosting too!

My “baby” just turned four. We celebrated with a dinosaur cake and chocolate and vanilla cupcakes.

Now let's see which cake (ingredients) you would rather eat (put in your body).

Starting with boxed cake and canned frosting.

Betty Crocker's SuperMoist Vanilla Cake: Sugar, Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil*, Modified Corn Starch, Propylene Glycol, Monoesters of Fatty Acids, Corn Starch, Baking Soda, Salt, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Dextrose, Monocalcium Phosphate, Distilled Monoglycerides, Dicalcium Phosphate, Maltodextrin, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Datem, Monoglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Aluminum Sulfate, Nonfat Milk.

Betty Crocker's Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting: Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean & Cottonseed Oil*, Water, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Wheat Starch, Contains 1 Percent Or Less Of: Salt, Distilled Monoglycerides, Artificial Color Yellows 5&6, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Acid, Pyrophosphate, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Nonfat Milk, Potassium Sorbate.

*If you don't know, partially hydrogenated oil = trans fat, one of the very worst “foods” you can ingest!

A cake from a bakery should be better, right?

Wegman's Ultimate White Cake: Sugar, Butter, Water, Enriched Bleached Flour (Bleached Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid), Egg Whites, Soybean Oil. Contains 2% or less of the following: Whole Milk, Palm Oil, Cornstarch, Emulsifiers (Propylene Glycol Mono and Diesters of Fatty Acids, Sorbitan Monostearate, Mono and Diglycerides, Polysorbate 60), Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Modified Tapioca Starch, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Calcium Acetate, Soy Flour, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Soy Lecithin, Natural and Artificial Flavor.

Still a lot of additives that sound like they should only belong in a chemistry lab!

Now, homemade from scratch.

Vanilla cake: unbleached flour, sugar, butter, milk, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and eggs.

Vanilla frosting: confectioners' sugar, butter, salt, vanilla extract and milk.

I rest my case.

I can see why you would go with the box option though: it's convenient and it's easy. Well, guess what? Making a cake from scratch is equally convenient (you already have most, if not all, the required ingredients in your pantry and fridge) and easy ( my 4-year old can measure and mix – with a little help!). So please give it a try! Especially if you're baking  for and with your kids! You will all be so proud you did it!

Here are my family's favorite cake and frosting recipes.

Mix and match! Decorate! Most importantly, have fun with it!

Chocolate Cake / Cupcakes

• 2 ½ cups unbleached cake flour = 280 g de farine à gâteau (ou 250 g de farine normale)
• 1 2/3 cups sugar = 320 g de sucre
• 3/4 cup butter, softened = 170 g de beurre
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa = 75 g de cacao (style Van Houten)
• 1 cup water = 235 ml d'eau
• ¼ cup milk = 60 ml de lait
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda = 1 ¼ cuillère à café de bicarbonate de soude (en pharmacie)
• 1 teaspoon salt = 1 cuillère à café de sel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract = 1 cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder = une pincée de levure chimique
• 3 large eggs = 3 oeufs

Heat oven to 350°F / 180°C .

Beat sugar and softened butter together. Add eggs and vanilla extract.

Mix flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add flour mixture, water and milk to sugar/butter mixture and beat well, until smooth.

For 24 cupcakes: place cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Fill each with cake batter (about 2/3 full). Bake about 20 to 22 minutes.

For one 13”x9” (33x23 cm) rectangular pan: grease pan and pour batter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

For two 9” (23 cm) or 8” (20 cm) round pans: grease pans and pour batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

For all: remove from pan and let cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.

Vanilla Cake / Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour = 225 g de farine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar = 285 g de sucre
• 1/2 cup butter, softened = 115 g de beurre, ramolli
• 1 1/4 cups milk = 300 ml de lait
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder = 3 1/2 cuillères à café  (13 g) de levure (chimique)
• 1 teaspoon salt = 1 cuillère à café de sel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract = 2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille
• 3 large eggs = 3 oeufs

Pre-heat oven to 350°F / 180°C .

Beat sugar and softened butter together. Add eggs and vanilla extract.

Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add flour mixture and milk to sugar/butter mixture and beat well, until smooth.

For 24 cupcakes: place cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Fill each with cake batter (about 2/3 full). Bake for about 20 minutes.

For one 13”x9” (33x23 cm) rectangular pan: grease pan and pour batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

For two 9” (23 cm) or 8” (20 cm) round pans: grease pans and pour batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

For all: remove from pan and let cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting (makes about 4 cups)

• 1 3/4 cups unsweetened natural cocoa = 200 g de cacao en poudre (type Van Houten)
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided = 450 g de sucre glace
• 1 cup heavy cream = 235 ml de crème fleurette
• 1 cup unsalted butter, very soft = 230 g de beurre
• 1/8 teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract = 2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille

Mix cocoa and 1 ½ cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl.

Bring cream to a simmer on the stove and whisk into cocoa/sugar mixture. Whisk for a minute. The lumps will disappear as the sugar dissolves and the cocoa hydrates. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Place butter, salt, and remaining 2 cups confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Add vanilla. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add cocoa mixture until it's all incorporated. Scrape the bowl, then beat at medium speed for one more minute. Spread or pipe on cake or cupcakes.

Note: this frosting is insanely scrumptious but quite rich! If you want something light and fluffy, try this chocolate buttercream frosting instead.

Vanilla Frosting (makes about 2 ¾ cups)

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter = 140 g de beurre
• 1/8 teaspoon salt = une pincée de sel
• 4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar = 525 g à 650 g de sucre glace
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract = 2 cuillères à café d'extrait de vanille
• 1/4 cup milk = 60 ml de lait

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and salt until fluffy.

Add about half the confectioners' sugar, and beat slowly until well blended.

Add the vanilla and half the milk, and beat until fluffy. Continue mixing in sugar and milk alternately until they've been completely incorporated. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Spread or pipe on cake or cupcakes.

Note: adjust the amount of confectioners sugar depending on how sweet and thick you want the frosting to be.

Cream Cheese Frosting (makes about 2 ¾ cups)

• ½ lb. cream cheese, softened = 225 g de cream cheese (Philadelphia ou équivalent)
• 8 tablespoons butter, softened = 115 g de beurre
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract = ½ cuillère à café d'extrait de vanille
• 4 cups confectioners sugar = 525 g de sucre glace
• 1 or 2 tablespoons milk (optional) = 1 ou 2 cuillères à soupe de lait (facultatif)

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until fluffy.

Gradually add sugar and mix slowly until completely incorporated.

If you need a thinner, spreadable consistency, add one or two tablespoons of milk.

Note: We like the tang of this frosting on sweet chocolate cupcakes but it also works very well with spiced pumpkin cake or cinnamon rolls. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

Happy Birthday!