Chocolate Birthday Cake with Whipped Vanilla Frosting

I made this cute little cake with companion cupcakes for a sweet little boy's first birthday party.  Lately I've really been into using fondant and a lot of decorations, but since the cake was for a cake smash I went for a more of a simple style.  I used my usual chocolate cake recipe, but instead of sour cream I used non fat Greek yogurt.  I don't think there was much of a difference but it came out nice and moist, and I guess there is the added bonus of some protein in there!

For the cutouts, I actually used modelling chocolate which was cut out on my Cricut Cake that I got for Christmas.  I love modelling chocolate, but I won't be doing this again.  It was a huge pain to roll out and it kept getting stuck on the blade.  Last time my marshmallow fondant didn't work well either, so far the best has been Satin Ice rolled fondant.   There is definitely a learning curve with the Cricut, but it's so nice to have for detailed letters.

If you're wondering, I make my modelling chocolate using candy melts, which I have a ridiculous amount stashed away from my cake pop making days.  The recipe, from Spider Farmer is below.  

 Sugary Birthday Buttercream Frosting
from Sweetapolita

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened

6 cups icing sugar (confectioners’)

120 ml whipping cream

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon water

pinch of salt

Beat the butter and icing sugar in an electric mixer on low with the paddle attachment for about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, water, whipping cream, and salt, and whip on high speed until fluffy and smooth–about 4 minutes. If consistency is too thick, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time, then whip again for 30 seconds or so.

Makes enough to fill & frost a 3-layer, 8″ cake.

Modeling Chocolate from Candy Melts:
from Spider Farmer

• 7 ounces (200 grams) Candy Melts
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1. Melt the candy in a large pyrex measuring cup in the microwave, 1 minute /half power, then 2 more bursts of 30 secs at half power, stirring at the end of each heating cycle.
2. Grease your measuring spoon with veggie oil or shortening, so the corn syrup will easily slide off.
3. Stir the candy until smooth and lump free, then add the corn syrup. The candy will start to seize almost instantly, but keep stirring until you’ve incorporated all the syrup. You’ll end up with a big blob of warm candy. It’ll have the texture of a tootsie roll. (Well, a warm tootsie roll.)
4. Put your blob in a freezer safe resealable bag and pop it in the fridge. Once your dough is cold, you can take it out, cut off a piece that you want to work with, and knead it until it’s a workable mass.

It’ll be really hard when you first take it out of the fridge. If you have time to let it warm up a bit, it will be easier to work. You can mold it like it were fondant or marzipan.

Linked to:
Sweet Indulgences Sunday