If you’ve been following the blog since the beginning, you might remember the photos and recipes.On several occasions, I’ve posted our “go to” birthday cake recipes.
My sister got me the one Swan’s Down vintage cake pan in Omak, Washington when were visiting our brother one summer.
I did mail a birthday card to my sister. (Unusual for me that it wasn’t belated)
In my family, we’d try to get it in the octave, as my mom would call it. Enjoy your day!
Happy Day Cake Recipe-
For Birthdays it was the 1-2-3-4 Cake recipe or the Happy Day Cake recipe on the back of the Swan’s Down Cake Flour box, frosted with Penuche icing. My mother would put the saucepan into a sink of cold water and then beat it by hand once it cooled. I can hear the ring of the metal loop at the end of the pan’s handle. And as I remember it she added a dash of vanilla extract. My dad would pour milk over a slice and eat it with a spoon. Cake and frosting recipes below photo.
Happy Day Cake
2½ cups sifted cake flour
1½ cups sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
Sift flour with sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir shortening to soften. Add flour mixture, ¾ cup of the milk and vanilla. Mix until all flour is dampened, then beat two minutes at medium speed. Add eggs and remaining ¼ cup milk. Beat one minute longer. Pour into two 9-inch layer pans that have been lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans and cool thoroughly on racks.
This cake also may be baked in three 8-inch layer pans for 25 to 35 minutes, or in a 13- by 9-inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes. Batter may be spooned into 36 medium paper baking cups in muffin pans, filling half full. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, more or less
- hot water, optional
Preparation:
In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium low and continue to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Gradually add sifted confectioners’ sugar. Beat until thick enough to spread. If too thick, add a little hot water. Frosts top and sides of a 2-layer cake or a 13×9-inch cake.
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p.s. Last year I mailed an actual cake but this year it will be virtual
and another connection was the post when my friend J sent me a cupcake tree to Ohio when I was visiting
Happy day!
Happy Birthday, Mary!
Happy birthday Mary! Swans down and 1-2-3-4 Cake …….. brings back memories, prob. 7 decades ago!!! I think i still have part of a Swans Down Box!!! Your frosting sounds fab! Mom made that other classic frosting …… the one that is cooked for 7 minutes. It’s in Joy of Cooking. Is the name actually 7 Minute Frosting??? 🙂 What a fun blog!!!! I can never remember what ingredient goes with each number!!!!! 🙂
PS. The Swan’s Down Pans are beautiful. I don’t remember if Mom ever had those or not!
Oh my – my mom made the Happy Day Cake too – she would substitute water for milk so we could eat it anytime (it was parve) – I still have that recipe. With chocolate icing, it was the best!
Those cake pans are very clever! My MIL always makes bundt cakes. I love hearing/seeing about everyone’s childhood traditions. 🙂
Thanks for the memories, I thought I was in my grandmother’s kitchen looking at those pans.