February is a big birthday month in my extended family. My grandfather, a great aunt, a first cousin once removed (I searched the internet to figure out my dad’s cousin’s relation to me!), my dad & my brother-in-law all have February birthdays. And I’m sure there are other February birthdays in the family of which I am not aware. This is a good time to blog a birthday cake.

My great aunt Pauline was the 4th child and first girl in my grandfather’s family. (One of her sisters and her son are two of the birthdays mentioned above.) Aunt Pauline was Maid of Honor when my grandparents were married in 1939. She was my dad’s godmother when he was baptized. Aunt Pauline was a phenomenal cook.  Her specialty was cakes, cookies and pies. She obtained most of her cooking skills from her mother, my great grandma Zelinda Sebastian.

My grandparent’s wedding photo: (l to r) Best Man Ray, Aunt Pauline, Nona & Papa Steve.

My dad tells this story about his Aunt Pauline: “When I was in grade school and about ten or eleven years old, I would go up to Aunt Pauline’s home on Fridays after school to play with my cousin, Charles.  Many times she would have me sleep over, so I would have dinner there on Fridays and have delicious desserts that she prepared during the day.  The two layer cake with icing was her specialty and the creamy icing on the cake was about one inch high.  Whenever we were around while she was baking, we always got to lick the bowl; she made sure that there was plenty left in the mixing bowls for us. The cake batter bowl and the icing bowl were two extra delicious treats for us kids.  Often she would make apple, peach or cherry pies and they were awesome, especially when topped off with icing or whipped cream.  I would sleep in Charles’ room and early Saturday morning, Aunt Pauline would come up to the bedroom with a tray of cookies, donuts and two glasses of milk for Charles and me.  It was a pre-breakfast snack to start our day. Later, we would dress and go downstairs to have breakfast. Whoever visited Aunt Pauline never left her home hungry.”

My grandfather’s family: (L to r) Uncle Louie, Aunt Albina, Aunt Carolyn, Aunt Pauline & my grandfather.

Aunt Pauline’s Chocolate Cake with Fluffy White Icing (serves 12)

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together the butter and the sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, combining them into the butter & sugar well. Add in the vanilla, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder, mixing to combine.

Cream the butter & sugar first, add the eggs, then the rest of the ingredients.

Alternate adding in the flour and the buttermilk, mixing well until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into 2 8″ greased & floured cake pans. Bake the cakes in the center of a 350° oven for 35-45 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes then turn them out onto the cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.

Grease & flour the cake pans to insure the cakes come out of the pans easily.

Fluffy White Icing

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a small sauce pot, combine the milk and the flour. Cook over medium high heat until it reaches a boil. Remove the sauce pot from the heat and set it aside to cool; 30 minutes in the fridge or 1 hour at room temperature.

When the mixture is cool, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla in the large bowl of an electric mixer, then add in the cooled milk & flour mixture. Mix the icing at high speed for about 10 minutes, until it is fluffy and stiff peaks form.

Add the flour & milk mixture to the creamed butter & sugar.

Transfer one of the cakes onto a serving platter, frost the top, then add the second layer of the cake.

Lots of delicious icing, just the way my dad likes it!

Frost the top and sides of the layered cake and decorate it as desired. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Add a scoop of ice cream & celebrate!

Thanks for the wonderful birthday & special occasion cake recipe, Aunt Pauline!   ~Linda

Aunt Pauline’s Chocolate Cake with Fluffy White Icing (serves 12)

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream together the butter and the sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, combining them into the butter & sugar well. Add in the vanilla, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder, mixing to combine. Alternate adding in the flour and the buttermilk, mixing well until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into 2 8″ greased & floured cake pans. Bake the cakes in the center of a 350° oven for 35-45 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes then turn them out onto the cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.

Fluffy White Icing

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a small sauce pot, combine the milk and the flour. Cook over medium high heat until it reaches a boil. Remove the sauce pot from the heat and set it aside to cool; 30 minutes in the fridge or 1 hour at room temperature.

When the mixture is cool, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla in the large bowl of an electric mixer, then add in the cooled milk & flour mixture. Mix the icing at high speed for about 10 minutes, until it is fluffy and stiff peaks form. Transfer one of the cakes onto a serving platter, frost the top, then add the second layer of the cake. Frost the top and sides of the layered cake and decorate it as desired.