My One Year Blogging Anniversary and Birthday!!


I started my food blog exactly one year ago today and cannot believe how much I enjoy this and look forward to baking (and cooking) new recipes. I discovered that I have a real of love of baking, probably because I love cake and cookies more than any other food. I still have many more (countless) recipes to try and definitely need to challenge myself more. Still have my fear of yeast and of making a 7 minute frosting (Katy I chickened out at the last minute!). But I know that if I push myself I can do it! I want to thank everyone for leaving all your positive and encouraging comments. I love when you all stop by and have a blast reading the comments. Thank you all so much. I want to also give a special thanks to my husband, Danny. He is my biggest supporter and gives me tons of encouragement, especially when I think I can't cook or bake!!! He always tells me how good a cook and baker I am. That means a lot to me.

Today is also my birthday and let's just say I am older than dirt. They say that age is a state of mind....well if that is the case I am 18 but when I look in the mirror....I am old!!!! Because it's my birthday, I have made my favorite cake....a chocolate layer cake with white frosting. I tasted a small sliver of the cake last night before I frosted it and it is good. This will be the chocolate cake I will make from now on. It's a rich devil's food cake. The frosting tastes like a marshmallow frosting which I love!!! It's cooked first mixing milk and flour. I think this is the way frostings were made years back but I'm not sure. I love cooked frostings like this. They are soooo good. Next time I want to make the popular 7 minute frosting. It just has me a bit nervous since you beat it on top of a double boiler. I don't know why I worry about that....maybe it's my nature. Anyhow I found this on Recipezaar and it is out of this world good!!!!!

THE ONLY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED! (DEVIL'S FOOD) recipe #26370

CAKE
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

FROSTING
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar (I used powdered sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 F
In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, coffee and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes. Expect batter to be thin.
Pour into a 9 x 13 greased and floured pan or 2 9" round pans. Bake 9 x 13 pan for about 45 minutes or 9" pans for about 30 minutes. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes and then cool completely on racks.

While cake is cooling make the icing: Combine the milk and flour in a saucepan and cook over low heat until thick, whisking constantly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
In a medium bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk and flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes. Frost cooled cake and enjoy!!!!

Comments

Debbie,

Happy Birthday! You say you're older than dirt, but just remember that women are like wine. We get better with age.

Happy Blogiversary! I look forward to checking out your new recipes like a kid on Christmas morning. You have inspired me to try my hand at baking more and you know I've tried a lot of your recipes with great success.
What a great thing...your birthday and blog anniversary on the same day! Have a happy one! Yummy cake and I love your blog.
Cassie said…
Wow, Happy Anniversary! And Happy Birthday! The cake is beautiful!
Katy ~ said…
Happy Birthday, dear Friend! And Happy Blogaversary!! Wishing you many more happy birthdays and posts.

Debbie, even though I've made the 7-Minute Frosting a half dozen times or more, I still get panicky; so I understand totally.

Your cake looks positively divine!

The comment from Katherine Aucoin reminds me of an joke I received in an email. "Women are like wine. Men are like grapes. You have to stomp them until you get something presentable enough to bring to dinner!"
Jennifer said…
Happy Birthday and congrats on your blogversarry! That cake looks amazing, I use mixes but need to branch out!
Bethie said…
Happy Birthday and Blogiversary! I'll take a slice of the cake, please.
Mary Bergfeld said…
Debbie, I don't think anyone can improve on Katerine's words so all I'm going to do is wish you a Happy Birthday and a Happy Anniversary. Your cake sounds really, really good.
Mary said…
happy Blog anniverary , great cake!
Pearl said…
happy birthday and blogiversary!
Congratulations! How exciting :)
Denise said…
How wonderful. Congratulations!!!
Coleens Recipes said…
Happy Blogiversary!!!! I enjoy your blog every morning.
Jenn said…
Congrats on r blogiversay!!! Happy birthday to you too!!! A double celeration is in order that cake is a good way to start.
Debbie said…
Happy Birthday to you!! And Happy Blogiversary.
I want to make that cake. YUM
Happy birthday- and many more! Remember, we don't get older, we just get better!
I have really enjoyed your blog and look forward to another year of yummy recipes!
Awsome looking cake, too!
teresa said…
What a day of celebration! Happy birthday and blogiversary. Keep all the good stuff coming, you've got a fantastic blog!

This cake looks heavenly!
Reeni said…
Happy Birthday and Happy Blogoversary!! I hope you are enjoying your day and eating lots of this delicious cake! Have another great year!
Anonymous said…
Happy birthday to you and your blog!
Pam said…
Happy birthday and blogiversary. The cake looks like the perfect treat to celebrate with.
♥peachkins♥ said…
Happy Birthday and Happy Blogoversary!
♥Rosie♥ said…
Debbie, Happy Birthday! Your cake looks wonderful!!

Also Happy Blogaversary so pleased I found your blog to visit - love it :0)
Manggy said…
Happy blog birthday-- and happy birthday! Awesome. Don't worry about age-- happiness, and being able to share love is all that matters! :) And share cake, of course. Don't worry about 7 minute frosting-- I've never failed making it, even the first time! Just keep beating and don't stop till you see those stiff peaks, it'll happen!
Megan said…
Happy birthday! Even though I am a day late - better late than never!

Great cake - it looks like Ina Garten's recipe, which is my #1 pick for chocolate cake.
Judy said…
Happy Birthday and Happy Blogoversary! I wish I could share your celebration cake because it looks delicious.
Sara said…
Happy birthday and blogiversary! The cake looks amazing.
Amanda said…
h Debbie, happy blogiversary and birthday!!! You are just like me, learning how much you love baking and cooking. Your first couple of sentences are pretty much what I would have written too :)

And thank you for the cake recipe, I will definitely try it (she says as she files it with the other 10,000) LOL
Monica H said…
Happy Blogoversary! and happy birthday to you too 18 year old!

This cake looks wonderful- hope you enjoyed your day!
Kerstin said…
Happy blogoversary and happy birthday!! I hope you have an amazing celebration - your cake looks fantastic!
noble pig said…
Happy everything a few days late! Beautiful cake...love the cherry on top!
Pamela said…
Oh, Debbie!! I'm so behind on my reader. Happy Belated Birthday!! Hope you had a wonderful time...that cake looks AMAZING!! Congrats on the blogiversary, too!! Keep up the fabulous work!
Emily said…
I love cooked frostings too. I think you're right; I think that's sort of an old fashioned thing. I like them because the don't taste as harsh as the powdered sugar frostings.

This cake sounds delicious. I need a good, basic chocolate cake recipe. Do you prefer cakes made with butter or oil?

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Blogiversary to you!
Barbara Bakes said…
Congratulations on your anniversary and Happy Birthday! Good for you for making the perfect cake for your birthday!
Lisa said…
Happy Birthday and Blogiversary and all that jazz! Chocolate cake is definitely the way to celebrate. And that getting older thing, that's just a matter of perspective...
Ingrid_3Bs said…
Happy Birthday! Happy Blogiversary! Yay, for cake! Looks good and that frosting sounds amazing! Love anything marshmallow-y!

Btw, I haven't made a 7 minute frosting yet either. When you decide to do it let me know and I'll give it a try too.
~ingrid