TWD--Perfect Party Cake

I'm sad to say and sorry to report that cake is just not a favorite thing here at our house.  So when Dorie's Perfect Party Cake was chosen by Carol at mix, mix...stir, stir for our baking this week from Baking From My Home to Yours, I seriously thought about skipping out.  The cake (thank you for the photo, Dorie!) in the book looks....well, perfect and tasty and I was actually a little intimidated by the four layers. 

BUT, since I didn't make last week's selection, I decided to just buck up and make some party cake--my way.

I made just 1/4 of the recipe and followed the recipe with everything except I made homemade buttermilk by adding a little splash of lemon juice to some 2% milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes.  The batter whipped up in no time and with great ease.  I like this recipe for a lovely white cake!

Then I made four cupcakes and one cute, little 3 inch cake.

The boys have been asking me when I was ever going to use these cute cupcake holders that I bought a few months ago and I decided this was the time. 

Slapped a little raspberry jam in the sliced layer of the three-inch cake. 

I whipped up 1/4 of the recipe for the buttercream.  Shh, I really like buttercream icing.  But it is SO bad with a lot of butta!  I love watching it transform from foamy egg whites, to shiny marshmallowy goodness and then into a silky, smooth icing.

Let's party!

The boys thought the cupcakes were pretty cool.  I thought my attempt at decorating them was somewhat lame, but oh well.  I did it--I made perfect party cake. 

And it was really good!

Want a little slice?  (And I do mean little.)

The lemon, raspberry and coconut were wonderful together.

Party on--perfectly.

Hey, thanks all for visiting my blog.  I try to get to all those who especially comment on mine, but sometimes may not make it there with a comment.  Thanks so much.  If you're here not as part of the Tuesday's With Dorie group, thanks also and go check out all the other awesome Perfect Party Cake creations at the Tuesday's With Dorie blog, the list of everyone is on the right.  If you REALLY want this yummy recipe, well--go buy Dorie's book, or today for the low, low price of NUTTIN"-you can get it on the link at the top to Carol's blog, mix, mix...stir, stir.