Happy Birthday Daffy!

Black cherry vanilla poke cake

So a few things you should know about me:

1. I have two brothers and a sister.
2. All my sibs are pretty much superstars at what they do
3. It was one of my brother's birthday the other day.

Some things you should know about my brother who just got older:

1. For some reason, some of our cousins call him Daffy Jaffy.  I don't know why or where this came from or who exactly started this.
2. My brother constantly asks me to make him cakes, which I almost never do because he lives 2 hours away from me and how am I supposed to transport those suckers?
3. My brother is a really nice guy.  Like REALLY nice.  So much so that I might say he was one of my favorite people.  But I won't say that because he is my brother and I would probably earn a noogie for saying something like that.

okay maybe he isn't SO nice.  But I still like him enough.

So for my brother's birthday I decided to make good on his incessant requests for cake.  And I made him this:

The cake was not conducive to writing on, so I wrote "happy b-day!" on the back of a Hershey bar.
It worked wonders.

Now, this was supposed to be an exercise in making cake in a different way.  I had seen a blogpost on whipperberry about black cherry and white chocolate cupcakes... in a jar.  I was intrigued.  Unfortunately when I went to make the recipe, I didn't have any jars.

So I tried to go out and buy some.  No avail.

So instead I made this cake, along with a few individual cakes.

I was very unsure on how this would turn out.  This cake is moist.  I mean super ridiculously moist.  So I was afraid it would fall apart.  And that it would NOT make the 2 hour journey to my brother.

Thankfully, I was wrong and all was well.

My brother posted these photos on facebook of the cake, with the same captions under the photos:

 I just came home from the gym and this is the birthday cake Asra made

15 minutes later I couldn't stop myself.  Thanks Asra for the delicious cake! Now I have to go back to the gym.  :)

 Well, I think I can say that cake was a success.  And it was easy to make.  So here goes.

Black Cherry and Vanilla Poke Cake


Ingredients:

• Vanilla cake, baked as per box instructions or recipe instructions
• 1 small package black cherry jello
• 2 cups water (one boiling; one cold)
• 1 small package instant vanilla pudding
• 1 package cool whip
• 1 cup milk
• black cherries for garnish

Directions:

Use any vanilla cake recipe (or box mix) that you like.  You can make this as cupcakes, cook it in small bowls for individual size cakes (some of the baking pictures below are of the individual sized cakes), or in round pans or a large rectangular pan.  I would not suggest a layer cake for this recipe though because the cake is too moist to hold up well under the weight.

Four small individual cakes made in custard cups

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely.  While its cooling, make the jello.  Combine one cup boiling water to the mix and mix well until the powder is dissolved. Then add one cup cold water.

You can play with other flavors too if black cherry is not your thing.  Its not usually mine, but this was still pretty good!

Once the cake has cooled, poke holes in cake with a fork or toothpick, all over.  The more holes, the more black cherry flavor in the cake.

Prick away!  The more holes, the more black cherry in the cake!

Then carefully pour the jello onto the cake.  Yes, you read that right.  It sounds weird, but just do it.  You won't be sorry.  I promise.

Pour carefully so as not to overfill the dish or to spill the jello mixture

When pouring jello onto a full size cake, its easier to use a spoon.  Be careful not to skimp on the jello!

Then you have to refrigerate the cake for three hours.  Yes, three hours.  I said this cake was easy, but I didn't say it was quick!  But while you are waiting you can do other things.

Like watch a movie.

Take a shower.

Read a book.

Call your sister and tell her about this cake you are making for your brother.

Make the frosting for the cake.

three ingredients = amazing frosting that is easy AND quick!

 Just mix together the milk and the pudding.  I know the pudding box says to use more milk than this recipe says.  Do not listen to the pudding box.  It is trying to lead you astray.  Listen to this recipe.  Use only ONE CUP OF MILK.

Then fold in the cool whip.  Tada!  All done.

It looks really yellow in this picture.  It was yellow, but not quite this yellow.  Think more of a light creamy yellow...

I opted to use fat free cool whip.  No one was the wiser.  So if you can cut out calories and things, you should do it.  Sugar free and fat free cool whip would probably work okay here too because there is sugar in the pudding.  Let's be a little healthy.

After the three hours are up, frost the cake and decorate.  Then enjoy! (but please try to eat it slower than 15 minutes for the half the cake.  We want you to see another birthday).