Miss O's Birthday Cake

My little baby turned one last weekend. I am still coming to terms and processing this fact. How has it been a year already?  I found myself replaying every moment of the days leading up to her birth, the event and the weekend after. So much happened in such a short period of time. 

Here we are a year later and it is like Miss O has always been a part of our family.  I cannot imagine our life without her.   To celebrate such a momentous occasion I wanted to make a very special treat.  Miss O has had limited sugar and no cake up until her first birthday. I wanted her first cake to be fabulous.

I searched and searched and came up with a vanilla bean cake.  I had vanilla beans just waiting to be used and I couldn't think of a better way than for a birthday cake. 

Daddy scraped the vanilla beans and I prepped the batter.  Everything came together nicely and we frosted the cupcakes as Miss O napped the morning away. 

We decided to have the cupcakes in the afternoon. We got all set up, cameras ready.  Miss O immediately went for her cupcake top first, getting frosting all over her hands.  The sticky, gooey frosting stuck to her fingers in a way she didn't quite enjoy.  After breaking up the cupcake a bit and trying to get her to at least taste the sweetness we gave up. Miss O would have none of it.  I was left seriously questioning how this could be my daughter. 

Don't judge these cupcakes based on Miss O's reaction. We thoroughly enjoyed them.

Vanilla Bean Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

by Emily Morris

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients (12 cupcakes)

For the Vanilla Bean Cake:

• 10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

For the Vanilla Bean Butter Cream Frosting:

• 2 cups butter, room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar. With the paddle attachment on, beat on low speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds as much as possible from the vanilla bean halves. Add the vanilla seeds to the creamed butter.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a small bowl sift the flour and baking powder together. Add the flour mixture to the mixer alternately with the milk. Beat until just combined.

Pour batter into the lined muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the pans from the oven, let the cakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Vanilla Bean Butter Cream Frosting;

In a mixing bowl add the butter. With the paddle attachment on, beat on low speed until light and fluffy about 3-5 minutes.

Add the vanilla seeds to the creamed butter using the method above.

Gently beat in the powder sugar, a little at a time. When all the sugar is added, increase the mixer's speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 more minutes.

Add a few drops of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency.

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