Tricia's Week 37 Recipe: Happy Day Cake

I know I'm behind, I didn't think I was this far behind.  I remember posting this recipe, and I think one other.  Either Blogger ate them, or it was in a dream that I posted them.  Likely the latter.  My mom made a recipe from my grandma called 'happy day cake' for my dad for his birthday.  I didn't have that recipe, so I made up my own.  Happy day cake is two white (or in this case yellow) cakes, round, with fruit jam in the middle and icing on the top. Feel free to experiment.  I think two chocolate cakes w/ raspberry filling would also be very happy.

Cake (courtesy of my mixer's cookbook)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
3  tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening (read butter, cause that is what I used)
1 cup low fat milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Cookbook directions for mixing:  combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl.  Add shortening, mil, and vanilla.  Attach bowl and flat beater and mix at speed 2 for 1 minute. Stop and scrape bowl, add eggs.  mix on speed 2 about 30 seconsds.  Scrape bowl . Turn to speed 6 and beat 1 minute.
The way I did it:  butter, softened, and sugar go in mixing bowl. Mix on speed 2 til well mixed.  Go to speed 4.  Add eggs one at a time until creamed in.  Meanwhile mix all dry ingredients in another bowl.  Have milk at the ready.  Add 1/2 dry ingredients, mix on speed 2 til blended.  Add 1/2 milk, speed 2 til blended.  Repeat w/ rest of dry and rest of milk.
Then:  Grease and flour two round cake pans.  Pour 1/2 batter into each.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick in middle comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes, then on rack until completely cool.

Make Happy Day Cake: Place one round on plate or cake server.  Add 1 mom's homemade strawberry jam (or small sized Smuckers jam of any variety that pleases you).  Top with second round.  Place on top icing..

Icing used:  1 cup (ish) powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp milk

I think I will tweak the cake a little, it was a bit dry, but otherwise - yum!