A Very Special Birthday Celebration!!!!

Today we celebrated my niece W's 5th Birthday! We had a party at our house after church. Gramma made homemade Sloppy Joes and Aunt Melissa made Ribbon Jello for lunch. Aunt Melissa also made a 6-Layer Rainbow Birthday Cake complete with a Number 5 on the top! It was frosted with a Lemony Swiss Merinque Frosting that I made as well! It was so much fun.  There was lots of laughter and presents, storytelling by Grandpa and playing on Grandpa's Ipad!!! It really was a lot of fun.

I wanted to share the recipe for the cake and frosting with you all as well. It is a little bit of work to make, but SO VERY WORTH IT in the end. Especially when I saw the look on both of my nieces faces when it was cut into!!! I would do it again in a heartbeat! :)

RAINBOW CAKE:

My Finished Product (I cut out a Paper #5 and sprinkled around it with Stars)

INGREDIENTS:
2 Boxes White Cake Mix (Along with Ingredients to make cake)
Food Coloring

Mix 1 Cake Mix according to package directions. Scoop out in about 2-Cup Measurements into 3 bowls. Tint with desired Food Coloring Color (I.E. Purple, Blue, Green, etc.) Pour into 9-inch round cake pans and bake according to package directions...checking cake about 10 minutes before it would be done as it may cook up faster as you are using less mix.  Mix up the 2nd Cake Mix and separate into 3, about 2-Cup Measurements and tint the other desired 3 colors. Bake. Let cool completely before frosting. 

LEMONY SWISS MERINQUE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Filling & Crumb Coat:
9 Egg Whites
1 3/4 C. Sugar
2 C. Unsalted Butter (4 Sticks); cut up into small pieces at Room Temperature
2 tsp. Lemon Extract

Frosting:
5 Egg Whites
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Unsalted Butter (2 Sticks); cut up into small piece at Room Temperature
1 1/2 tsp. Lemon Extract

1. In a Medium Saucepan over Medium Heat whisk the Egg Whites and 1 3/4 C. Sugar for Filling & Crumb Coat until Sugar completely dissolves. Pour into Bowl of Electric Mixer fitted with the Whisk attachment. Whisk on High Speed until mixture is about room temperature. Slow mixer to Medium speed and add the Butter; mixing well after each addition. Switch to Paddle Attachment and mix on High speed until incorporated; about 5 minutes. Beat in Lemon Extract. You are now ready to assemble the cake into layers. Start with Purple layer on the bottom, put some Filling on top of cake and spread around (don't worry if it goes over the edge as you will use this to frost the cake as well). Once all layers (except top layer) have filling on them; place cake in the refrigerator while you make the Frosting. 

2. For the Frosting: In a medium saucepan over Medium Heat whisk the 5 Egg Whites and 1-Cup of Sugar until the Sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into bowl of Electric Mixer fitted with Whisk attachment and whisk on High until about Room Temperature. Slow mixer to Medium Speed and add the Butter; mixing well after each addition. Switch to Paddle Attachment and mix on High Speed until incorporated; about 5 minutes. Beat in Lemon Extract. Now you are ready to frost the cake totally. I found it easier to do the sides first and then the top! 

Here's a picture of the Birthday Girl with her slice of cake, and a picture of me with the inside of the cake!

 The Happy Birthday Girl 

Aunt Melissa & her creation