Happy Birthday Owen!

Happy Birthday Owen!  My youngest is 2 years old today. We adopted him when he was three days old, and it has certainly gone quickly since! Yesterday at his day care they made him a crown which he does not like to take off, so we left it on for this picture with big brother Josh.

Readers here may remember that Josh bought the Perfect Brownie pan for himself. Then he wanted the Big Top Cupcake. Clearly, we are watching too much TV, but these seemed fun, and they were! Both bake really well. Here's a photo of the BT Cupcake. I have yet to scoop out the inside and frost the top for Owen. Cakes with fillings are a hot trend right now. I'll put pudding in this one, but that was a huge vintage trend, too. I have lots of photos of how to scoop our angel food cakes in a square shape to add chocolate pudding. Now Wilton and the Big Top have inserts to make shaped fillings. Wilton even has a heart shaped one I want...These remind me of the Tunnel of Fudge, the famous Pillsbury recipe. Before this recipe, Bundt cake pans were about to be discontinued due to lack of sales. Now they are second only to Jello molds. The Tunnel won 2nd place in a 1967 or 1968 Bake Off. I cut and paste this from the Pillsbury site. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Cake

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups margarine or butter, softened

6 eggs

2 cups powdered sugar

2 1/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups chopped walnuts*

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

4 to 6 teaspoons milk



DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch tube pan. In large bowl, combine sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; blend well. By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into greased and floured pan; spread evenly.

2. Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from sides of pan.** Cool upright in pan on wire rack 1 1/2 hours. Invert onto serving plate; cool at least 2 hours.

3. In small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store tightly covered.