Semi-Homemade Butter Cake With Buttercream Frosting

The man's birthday is here.  I  did a semi-homemade cake using a boxed mix as a starter.  No dealing with cake flours, sifting, powders all over the counter.  Genius right?  It came out fabulous and I just had to cover it with sprinkles.  I got the recipe from a book a dear friend let me borrow titled Cake Mix Doctor  and I'm addicted to it.  Seriously, I can't stop reading it.  You would think it had a plot and dramatic ending.  Well, it will be dramatic when she has to tear it from my clutches because I don't want to return it.  I may just bury it in the yard...after we finish eating the cake of course.

Basic Butter Cake

1 package white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
8 tbs melted butter
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 round cake pans and set aside.  Place cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl.  Blend with electric mixer on low for one minute then medium for two minutes.  Batter should be thick.  Divide between two pans and smooth.  Bake 25-27 minutes til golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed.  Cool for 10 minutes in pans.  Remove from pans and cool on rack completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

8 tbs room temp butter
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
3 or 4 tbs milk
2 tsp vanilla

Blend butter with mixer on low until fluffy, about 30 seconds.  Add sugar, 3 tbs of milk, and vanilla.  Blend 1 minute on low then 1 minute on medium.  Blend in more milk if too stiff.

Original Recipe found in The Cake Mix Doctor