BIRTHDAY BLOCKS

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Birthday Blocks image

Cream cheese is the secret ingredient in this simple pound cake recipe. It makes the cake firm for cutting-and easy to frost, too. This cake can be baked ahead and frozen, then thawed before the party and decorated, leaving you with plenty of time for other preparations. - Ethel Ledbetter, Canton, North Carolina

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 1h50m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 15

1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
FROSTING/DECORATING:
1/3 cup butter, softened
9 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Additional milk
Tinted icing and pastry bag or tubes of tinted icing

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add flour; beat just until blended. Stir in extracts. Pour into two greased and floured 9x5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 325° for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in 4 cups confectioners' sugar. Slowly add milk and vanilla. Beat in remaining confectioners' sugar. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches spreading consistency; set aside., To make building blocks, cut each cake in half, then cut each half into four blocks for a total of 16 blocks. Gently trim crusts of each; blocks should measure 1-3/4x1-3/4 in. Frost sides and top of blocks. Smooth frosting using a warm spatula. Using tinted icing, decorate with letters and numbers (see photo). Carefully stack blocks on a serving platter.

Nutrition Facts :

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