On April 28, we celebrated the birthday of my wonderful, amazing, ray of sunshine mom, Joanne Jean Bifulco.
The same day, we celebrated the birth of my wonderful, amazing, ray of sunshine niece, Gemma Grace Bifulco!!
How amazing is that?
What a day! We are so happy, proud and excited for my brother and Heather.
And come on…
Seriously…come on.
Have you ever?
We are so in love already.
This was not a day for any old cake. This was a day for a Pink Lady Cake – a spectacular sweet, soft, strawberry cake with a dreamy, yummy cream cheese frosting.
And although we couldn’t be in Idaho to celebrate, we lit a candle to on the cake for little Gemma’s first day on Earth.
Plus, I ate a slice for her. It’s just the kind of Aunt I am.
Happy Birthday Mom and Gemma!!!
(Daniel and my mom decided they wanted a Mickey/Minnie cake!)
- For the cake
- 4½ cups cake flour
- 3 cups sugar
- 5¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cups pureed frozen strawberries
- 8 egg whites
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 to 2 drops red food dye, if using (to make the pink color pop more)
- For the cream cheese frosting
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks; 6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two (or three) 9-inch round or 8-inch square cake pans. Line with parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
- Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixer bowl. With the electric mixer on low speed, blend for 30 seconds. Add the butter and strawberry puree and mix to blend the ingredients. Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, milk and red food dye, if using, to blend. Add the whites to the batter in two or three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and mixing only to incorporate after each addition. Divide the batter among the two or three prepared pans.
- Bake the cakes for 30 to 32 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Invert and turn out onto wire racks and peel off the paper liners. Let stand until completely cooled before assembling the cake, at least an hour.
- Make the cream cheese frosting
- In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar.
- Frost and assemble the cake
- Place one cake layer on a cake board or platter. Spread about ⅔ cup frosting over the layer, spreading it to the edge. Repeat with the second layer. Add the top layer and frost the top and sides of cake with remaining frosting, reserving some to tint pink (for decoration).
Love this cake. Made it for my son’s first birthday.
That cake looks awesome!! Congratulations to everyone Andrea!! Such wonderful news!
Looks so yummy ! I love the picture of your mom and Daniel, they have an amazing bond and love for each other!!! <3
OMG Andrea, I told June I wish you were my neighbor, lol
This is the first time I’ve seen this post. I sometimes forget Gemma was born on your mom’s birthday. I’m so happy tat she came when she did…and I can’t wait to make this cake for her next year on her 1st birthday:)
This cake was awesome, it came out spectacular & so pink!
I’m so glad you made this cake!