Out of this World Cake

For the past while I have been working on a birthday cake for my boss's son. He is turning three this year and the theme is "Celebrate His Third Orbit Around The Sun" - so my boss requested a solar system themed cake. She left the majority of the design up to me, she told me she wanted it to be a white cake with a strawberry filling - something simple for the little kids - and rectangle. Other than that I had complete creative control. The problem with giving me creative control is that I'm not very creative, as before mentioned. So, one night while EC and I were out dining at the local Tucci's (which wasn't amazing), we were talking about the cake, and he started sketching ideas for me on the paper tablecloth (which was amazing).

Armed with my tabletop drawing, I set out to work. Everything on the cake is edible, a positive since most kids I know like to stick everything in their mouths. I made stars, sculpted planets, UFOs, and little green aliens. EC got into the spirit of things and sculpted the tentacle alien.

My boss also requested cupcakes for the adults. Each cupcake was topped with a space topper and lots and lots of frosting. The vanilla cupcakes are probably the best cupcakes I have ever had in my entire life. Period. The chocolate cupcakes were ok, but not nearly as good. The actual cake, as requested, was a simple white cake. I couldn't resist adding a few sprinkles to the cake batter though, creating a "Funfetti" look.

(This was my alien, that I was super proud of)

Classic White Layer Cake

From Cooks Illustrated

Nonstick cooking spray2

2 ¼ cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus more for dusting the pans

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

6 large egg whites (¾ cup), at room temperature

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract1

¾ cups granulated sugar (12¼ ounces)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1½ sticks), softened but still cool

1. For the Cake: Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans (I used a 9x13) with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour.
2. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.
3. Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.
4. Add all but ½ cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1½ minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.

*To make cake Funfetti - add two tablespoons Jimmies. Gently stir until incorporated.5. Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans (or in my case, one 9x13 pan); using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.
6. Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1½ hours.