Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays!

With seven kiddos, the hubby, and a few other birthdays and holidays thrown in there throughout the year you can imagine I make a lot of cakes during the year. I may have to start keeping count, so I know what my total is every year! I'm already into cake baking season and I didn't get a long break from holiday baking season, lol. I've told all the kids that I will make them whatever dinner and birthday cake they want for their birthday and boy, have they given me some challenges over the years. This time around, though, I got a challenge I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull off...a cheeseburger cake. Yep, that's right, a cheeseburger cake. Oh, and I don't take any requests for the next birthday until the current birthday up has pasted, so I had two weeks to prepare myself to do this. Talk about pressure! I somehow managed to pull this cake off, and was even told this was the best one I've ever made. So if you ever find yourself needing to make a cheeseburger cake, or just want to make one for fun, I've got just the tips for you!

What's cooking in my kitchen this week:
Cheeseburger cake

What you'll need:
1 box chocolate cake mix
2 boxes vanilla cake mix
Eggs - each cake mix is different, so check the boxes to get the total needed
Oil/butter - again each cake mix is different, so check the boxes to get the total amount needed
2 packages (11 oz) white chocolate chips
Red, green, and yellow food coloring
Sliced almonds

Toothpick

honey

3-4 cups vanilla buttercream frosting*

*Note: If making yourself, you will need the following:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbsp milk

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix up cake batters according to directions on the box. I know this sounds like cheating, but when you are doing more than just a round or square cake, a cake mix is the best way to go. Grease cake pans very well and put cake batter in them, making sure to use 1 cake pan for each vanilla cake mix and split the chocolate cake mix between 2 cake pans. Bake according to directions on box. Cool cakes, if possible on wire racks, before removing from cake pans. 

While cakes are baking in oven, take white chocolate chips and put in microwave safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds at a time until chocolate is melted. Do not microwave more than 30 seconds at a time or it will burn the chocolate, I know from experience! Will take about a minute and a half to two minutes to melt completely. Once chocolate is melted, separate into 3 parts. Leave one part white, put red food coloring in one part, and yellow food coloring in third part to make "onions", "tomatoes", and "cheese". Place wax paper on cookie sheets and use a spoon to make onions, tomatoes and cheese shapes out of white chocolate. Cool in fridge or freezer. 

If making vanilla buttercream frosting from scratch, make it when cakes are baking and/or cooling. To make vanilla buttercream frosting, combine softened butter and powdered sugar in medium bowl and cream together, then stir in vanilla and milk until smooth and has frosting consistency. Separate frosting into four parts, with one part being the largest and then three smaller, equal parts. Dye the largest part green for "lettuce", leave one of the smaller parts white for "mayo", dye one smaller part yellow for "mustard", and dye the fourth smaller part red for "ketchup". 

Once cakes have cooled completely, remove from cake pan and place one of the vanilla cakes on cake board. Spread the "mayo"on the vanilla cake layer. 

Place one of the chocolate cakes on top of the vanilla cake and then spread the "mustard" on the top. You don't have to be perfect getting to the edges, this is just really for effect and giving something to keep the layers stuck together.

Pipe green frosting from frosting bag with broad, flat tip. It's ok not to be perfect as you are trying to make it look like lettuce on the "burger". Place "onions", "tomatoes", and "cheese" around edges and then put other chocolate cake on top, repeating with red frosting for "ketchup", instead of "mustard". Place other vanilla cake to top off cheeseburger. 

Take toothpick and dip in honey. Stick honey on one side of almond sliver and place on top of vanilla cake to look like sesame seeds. Enjoy! 

Did you know?

On this day in 1931, Alka Seltzer is introduced in the U.S. by Miles Laboratories.