Birthday Cake

Hey all,
this is the birthday cake i made for my birthday.

This is my second attempt at making a decorated cake. I got high marks from my family for this cake, some of the comments were " really moist and delicous and " this is like 5 star dining"
The bottom layer is vanilla cake and the top is chocolate cake. i used chocolate icing to ice (recipe follows), strips of pink and white fondant for ribbons, pink and white fondant flowers that i cut out and pink writing icing for the drawn on flowers/swirls.

Vanilla Cake recipe:

Ingredients (serves 15)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 440g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 300g butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 310ml (1 1/4 cups) milk
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 3 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 140°C. Position a rack on the second lowest shelf of the oven. Brush a round 25cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place the self-raising flour, plain flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until just combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and all the butter is incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack.

Chocolate Cake + Chocolate icing:

Ingredients (serves 8)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 270g (1 1/3 cups, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 185ml (3/4 cup) milk
• 125g butter, cubed
• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• Chocolate icing :
• 195g (11/4 cups) pure icing sugar
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• 10g (2 tsp) butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbs boiling water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a deep, square, 19cm (base measurement) cake pan (see tip below) with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides of the pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place the sugar, milk and butter in a large saucepan. Use a fine sieve to sift the cocoa and bicarbonate of soda over the mixture. Place the pan over medium-low heat and use a whisk to stir until the mixture is smooth (don't boil the mixture). (See microwave tip.) Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Use a sieve to sift half of each the self-raising and plain flours into the pan. Use the whisk to stir until the mixture is smooth. Repeat with the remaining flours. Add the eggs and continue to stir until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and gently tap the pan on a bench to release any large air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside for 2 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. Set aside for 1 3/4 hours or until completely cool.
5. To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a medium bowl. Add the butter and water, and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Use the back of a spoon or palette knife to spread the icing evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Set aside for about 50 minutes or until the icing is firm