My mom started this tradition with us. I'd love to know how the tradition came about, but whatever the reason, I'm sure happy to be keeping the tradition alive.
You might remember some of Jack's previous half birthday cakes...
- almond-crusted butter cake from 2010
- lemonade cake from 2011
- lemon poppyseed cake with lemon cream cheese frosting from 2014
This year, I decided to make a Cinnamon Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake. I love the combination of cinnamon and chocolate. Also, the cake is topped with a rich, thick, shiny chocolate glaze. There was just a bit left over after topping the cake which I happily ate with a spoon.
Rule #1 of half birthday cakes...well, the first rule is that you only serve 1/2 of a cake.
Rule #2 of half birthday cakes...that other half needs to get out of your house. I made a happy discovery this week. My grocery store bakery sells 1/2 cake containers!!! Woo hoo! Perfect for giving that 2nd half away.
(I'm also so thankful for friends who are up for taking weird things from my kitchen. TEXT: "Hey! Can I swing by your house and drop off half of a cake?")
Oh! You're probably wondering about that 1/2 candle. I KNOW, right?!?!? So cute! Well, if it's something cute, it probably came from Kate Spade or Target. In this case, Target. (I'm not seeing it online, but maybe it will appear...keep checking.) I bought all they had at my local Target (sorry), my sister bought out the Target nearest to her, and my aunt bought out her closest Target.
If your Target is out of stock, my family sends its sincere apologies.
If your Target is out of stock, my family sends its sincere apologies.
Quick note on this butter. I used Land O' Lakes new European Butter. It has more milk fat than regular butter. Mo' butter fat, mo' better. You can totally use regular butter here. (I do work with Land O' Lakes, but this is not a sponsored post...I just HAD TO try this butter.)
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
{makes 1 Bundt cake}
2 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 TBSP cornstarch
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (European or regular) salted butter, room temperature
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 & 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips tossed with 1/2 teaspoon flour
Chocolate Glaze
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 TBSP salted butter, room temperature
Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 325.
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream.
In three additions, add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour, mixing on low until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepare pan and bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
Place on a wire rack for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, place the rack face down on top of the exposed part of the cake. Flip the cake so that the exposed part is now resting on the rack. Wait one minute or so; you'll hear the cake release from the pan. Remove the pan and let the cake cool completely.
Make the glaze:
In a small sauce pan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Continue stirring until the chocolate is smooth. Stir in the butter until incorporated.
Let the glaze cool just a bit. Stir and transfer to a piping bag. Pipe the glaze over the cake, or alternatively, spoon the glaze over. The glaze will set up as it dries.
16 and a half.
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