Sometimes, I wonder whether or not I should do a post about friends and family having birthdays and then I feel bad when I remember some and forget others. Regardless of what I post on my blog, I always make sure to send a card or at least a text/Facebook post.
That being said, Rachel turns 25 today! I still feel like she's 21, which is curious because for her 21st birthday, she and her boyfriend Travis went to see The Dark Knight. Now, for her 25th birthday, she and her husband Travis plan to see The Dark Knight Rises. Also, I'm 21 so surely she couldn't be either!
July 18, 2011 - July 18, 2012
Rachel's 24th birthday brunch, Family vacation to Grand Lake, my 21st birthday brunch
Anberlin concert, Turkey Trot, Christmas Eve
Cozumel cruise, Rachel's birdal shower, Rachel's bachelorette party
What a year it has been! What a quarter of a century it has been! I'm so lucky to call this lady my sister, my best friend, my inspiration. I'm also very lucky that we wear the same size in almost everything and her closet is a mere two flights of stairs away. (I kid, I kid.)
For her dessert, she made a special request for a cake she saw on Pinterest. A quarter! (She later changed her request to birthday pie, but I told her it wasn't Thanksgiving and she would be getting her quarter cake if it's the last thing I did!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
For her dessert, she made a special request for a cake she saw on Pinterest. A quarter! (She later changed her request to birthday pie, but I told her it wasn't Thanksgiving and she would be getting her quarter cake if it's the last thing I did!)
Simple White Cake:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
*I made this cake once before (here) when I tripled the original recipe for three layers. This time I only made two layers, so posted above is the original recipe doubled and slightly modified. It makes 24 cupcakes or 2 9x9 inch pans.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 6 tablespoons milk
With an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter. Mix on low until well blended, and then on medium for another two minutes. Add lemon extract and milk, beating on medium for another minute.
*For the colors, I added 12 drops blue and 12 drops yellow to the cake batter to make mint. I added 10 drops blue, 2 drops red to to the frosting to make ice.
*For the colors, I added 12 drops blue and 12 drops yellow to the cake batter to make mint. I added 10 drops blue, 2 drops red to to the frosting to make ice.
