Strawberries and Mickey Mouse

Strawberries and Mickey Mouse… what more can you ask?!

This cake is a 6″ round, 4 layer vanilla cake with sliced strawberries in-between with vanilla buttercream. The outside has sprinkles on the bottom, strawberries on top of buttercream dollops and Mickey Mouse sugar bits around the outside.

Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup canola oil (or vegetable or extra light olive oil)
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and grease and line two 6″ round cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds).
4. Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed.
5. Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed.
6. Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour mix and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The batter should be thin.
7. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about 1/2 full.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of milk

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
2. Gradually add icing sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
3. Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.