Party Time! BIRTHDAY LINK UP + Key Lime Cranberry Cake

WELCOME TO OUR THIRD BIRTHDAY PARTY! 

Man, you guys are in for a special treat today!

Today is our third blogoversary - and to celebrate, I am hosting a birthday link up with a few other bloggers. I've asked these bloggers to participate, and they wholeheartedly agreed to design a recipe that is birthday themed and share them all on the same day - TODAY! You can find the links to the specific recipes in the link up below. Just keep scrolling down on the page and you'll find lots of tasty treats! Here are the participating blogs: 

Host: Passing Daisies

Anna Dishes

Now Add Sugar

Royal Icing Diaries

Creative With Kristyn

Whisk & Heels 

Minou Girl 

On those blogs your find recipes for baked goods of all kinds - cookies, cakes, scones, chocolate mousse....and even a cookie decorating lesson! Hey Love Designs is also bringing you a special DIY craft of some sort... but you'll have to check it out on her blog to learn what it is :)

Since we are the host, I've decided to make the most important part of a birthday celebration... the birthday cake! Today you'll learn how to make a moist, delicious, Key Lime Cranberry Cake. I love this cake for multiple reasons. First, I am obsessed with anything key lime. Second, I like fruity flavored things. Third, the cranberries in this leave a beautiful pop of color when they burst in the oven - it's like pretty pink paint splotches all over your cake! 

I really wanted to decorate the cake with a tribal "flare" to it, since our new site design is tribal themed. So, I colored some fondant, cut it into triangles and arrows, and did what I could to pull it off. What do you think? Was it a success?

And see the mini paper flag banner that I taught you how to make last week? I told you better pictures were coming!

Key Lime Cranberry Cake

2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3 eggs
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. key lime juice
3/4 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. fresh cranberries

Directions

1. In a standing mixer, combine all wet ingredients and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. 

2. Add dry ingredients to the wet slowly until combined. 

3. Add cranberries and mix until covered in batter. 

4. Pour batter into two greased 8 inch cake pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. 

5. Slice each cake in half - we will need four layers of cake!

For the frosting, I would recommend using THIS one. I based both my cake and icing recipe on this, but I attempted a key lime cranberry icing, and I wish I have just stuck with key lime! Good nonetheless, but I would definitely use her icing recipe. The key lime juice makes a HUGE difference in flavor and, I've discovered, works a lot better than lime zest.

To assemble, place one of the four cake layers on your cake stand, or whatever you will be serving the cake on. Spread a thick layer of icing on top. Repeat this process until all four cake layers have icing in the middle. 

Then, spread the remainder of your icing smoothly on the top and sides of the cake, until the cake is completely covered. Decorate however you desire. 

And that's it! Yummy cake for you. I think this recipe would also make really pretty cupcakes!

Thanks to all the blogs who joined me in the birthday celebration - and I hope YOU enjoy all their fabulous recipes! 

What cake do YOU like to eat on your birthday!?