Cake Recipes by Anukriti Parsai

Kids love layers of chocolate cake with lots of chocolaty frosting. Here is a soft and gooey chocolate cake recipe that will make you a favorite mommy among all the kids present at the party. This is one of my simple 1st birthday cake recipes that is perfect for every occasion.

Ingredients:

• Sugar – 1 ½ cups
• Flour – 2 cups
• Shortening – 1 cup
• Buttermilk – 1 cup
• Cocoa – 4 tablespoons
• Baking powder – 2 tablespoons
• Cooking chocolate – ½ cup
• Eggs – 2
• Mixed fruit essence or extract – ¼ teaspoon

Preparation:

• Beat the eggs and shortening for 2 minutes with the help of a blender at high speed.
• Add the sugar and beat until the sugar dissolves and you get a frothy white mixture.
• Beat in the buttermilk at medium speed.
• Add the mixed fruit essence and fold lightly.
• Mix together the flour, cocoa powder and cooking chocolate and keep aside.
• Add this mixture, one tablespoon at a time, to the egg mix in the blender at high speed.
• Beat for about 3-4 minutes. You will get a mix of dropping consistency.
• Grease two 9-inch baking pans and pour the mix equally in the two pans.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.
• The best way to check if your cake is done or not is to insert a toothpick in the center of it. If it comes out clean then your cake is done.
• Let it cool on a wire rack before taking it out of the pan.

To prepare the layers:

Ingredients:

• Melted dark and white chocolate – 2 cups
• Icing sugar – 3 cups
• Butter – 3-4 sticks
• Vanilla essence – 4 drops

To prepare:

• Melt the butter with the chocolate on a double boiler.
• Let the mix cool and add 2 cups of icing sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well.
• Spread the mix on one of the cakes and put the other cake on top of it. Press lightly.
• Use the rest of the mix to cover the cake from all sides and evenly on the top.
• Put the cake in the fridge for about an hour to let the chocolate set.
• Once the chocolate is set, dust the remaining icing sugar on the top and the sides of the cake to give it a ‘fairy tale’ look.

Tips to add to the chocolate cake recipe:

• Use a flat spatula dipped in warm water to spread the icing on the cake for even layers and smooth spreading.
• You can even put the icing in a piping bag and use it to decorate the sides of the cake.
• Use some regular grated chocolate on top of the icing for one more chocolate layer.

The following cake recipe is not only great for kids’ birthday parties but it is also nut and lactose free so you don’t have to worry about allergies and reactions. In other words, you get to have a worry free party. This delightful rich chocolate cake recipe is an especially great 1st birthday cake recipes.

Ingredients:

• Rice flour – 2 ¾ cups
• Cocoa powder – 1 cup
• Baking soda – 1 tablespoon
• Salt – ½ tablespoon
• Shortening (soy and dairy free) – 1 ½ cups (you will easily find this at any store)
• Sugar – 2 ½ cups
• Eggs – 4
• Rice or almond milk – 1 ½ cups
• Maple syrup – ¼ cup (you can replace this with jam)
• Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons

Method:

• Beat the shortening and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes at high speed.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In the meantime, sift together the rice flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. You can also add some chocolate chips if you want.
• Add the eggs to the sugar and shortening mix, one by one. Beat well after each addition. In the end, you will get a slightly viscous mix that is glossy.
• Now add the maple syrup or jam, vanilla extract and rice milk and beat well.
• Use a wooden spatula to mix the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the mix, spoon by spoon. Do not over-mix.
• Pour the mixture in cake pans and bake for 35 minutes. At the end of the baking time, a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean.
• Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
• Your chocolate cake is ready.

For dairy free icing:

Ingredients:

• Powdered sugar – 2 cups
• Dairy free margarine – ½ cup
• Almond milk – ¼ cup
• Cocoa powder (unsweetened) – ¾ cup
• Vanilla essence – ½ teaspoon

Method:

• Beat the sugar and margarine using an electric hand mixer until well combined.
• Add the almond milk, cocoa powder and vanilla to the mix and let it rest for some time.

To decorate:

• You can decorate the cake in two ways: one is to make the layers with frosting, and the other is to just spread the icing all over the cake and enjoy.
• When spreading the icing on the cake, start with the top and let it slide all the way down the sides. Put it in the refrigerator to set to get the ‘dripping chocolate’ look.

Remember the key to a perfect chocolate cake recipe is to beat the ingredients to the right consistency. The cake batter should not be too fluid or too thick; dropping consistency is just perfect.

Your child’s first birthday and 1st birthday cake recipes are truly special day for you and your family. They may not remember much of the day in years to come but rest assured, kids do know when it’s a special day and enjoy all the excitement. You can prepare your first birthday cake recipes in no time

The highlight of every birthday party is the cake and every kid in the world loves a chocolate cake. Therefore, chocolate cakes remain the first choice for most birthday parties. Here is a delicious chocolate cake recipe that is easy to make and guaranteed to please your toddler…and the guests.

Ingredients:

• Cocoa powder – 1 cup
• Boiling water – 2 cups
• Butter – 1 cup
• Sugar – 2 ½ cups
• Eggs – 4
• All-purpose flour – 2 ¾ cups
• Baking soda – 2 ¼ teaspoons
• Salt – A pinch
• Vanilla extract or essence – 1 ½ teaspoons

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F.
• Mix the cocoa powder in boiling water and make sure there are no lumps.
• Mix the baking powder, flour and baking soda, and keep aside.
• Mix the butter and sugar together in a blender.
• Once the mixture is creamy, add the eggs one by one. Beat well after each addition.
• Once the sugar is fully dissolved and the eggs are nicely beaten and slightly frothy, start adding the flour mix spoon by spoon, beating well after each addition.
• Add the cocoa mixture and fold lightly.
• Add the vanilla essence.
• Grease three 9-inch baking pans.
• Divide and pour the batter into the three pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes.
• Cool before taking out of the pans.

Your chocolate cake is ready. Now for the wonderful frosting that kids love on their cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup of half and half cream
• ¾ cup of unsalted butter
• 2 ½ cups of icing sugar
• Mixed fruit jam
• Piping bag

Directions:

• In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips, cream and butter.
• Take off the heat and stir in the icing sugar.
• Beat the mix until it achieves a spreading consistency. Don’t overbeat it otherwise the cream will separate and give a slightly acrid taste.
• Cut the cake in layers and spread the frosting between the layers and all over the cake.
• Put some mixed fruit jam in a piping bag and pipe over the cake in any design you like.
• Put the cake in the refrigerator to set.

You can also decorate the cake with gems and edible silver balls. Make sure that you don’t put anything in and on the cake that is difficult for the toddlers to swallow.