“Lady Bouvier’s Lover,” season 5, episode 21
If you’re a Simpsons fan and I tell you that this Cooking The Simpsons comes from season five’s “Lady Bouvier’s Lover,” then I’m obviously going to make the “Happy Birthday Magaggie” cake, right? Wrong! Ha-ha! (Nelson voice)
It’s Maggie’s 1st birthday party and the whole gang is there. Grandpa Simpson, Patty and Selma, their mother Jacqueline and the usual Simpsons. Marge has made a lovely cake, but points out to Homer that he didn’t do the best job decorating it. Candy letters spell out “HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGAGGIE” on top, and when Homer realizes what’s wrong he eats the extra A and G. And then eats some more letters. “Hey hey hey stop it! I made a special cake for you to ruin, it’s right over there!” cries Marge, and points to a whole other layer cake, iced and covered in random letters. It’s amazing.
Read the rest of the article here and make a cake for you to ruin below.
Special Cake for You to Ruin
Adapted from Epicurious and Serious Eats
Serves 1 Homer or 10 normal humans
For the cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
2+ tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
- Preheat oven to 375. Prepare 2 6-inch cake pans and four spaces in a muffin pan with cupcake liners OR prepare two 9-inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the baking powder, salt and flour.
- Add ½ of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Add the milk and mix. Add the last ½ of the flour and mix until batter is smooth. Stir in the sprinkles.
- Distribute the batter equally between the pans. If you are making 6-inch cakes, you’ll have enough leftover for about four cupcakes.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Start checking the cupcakes and cakes at 15 minutes and do not overbake. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
For the frosting:
½ cup egg whites (probably 4 eggs)*
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and room temperature
1 pinch salt
Colorful sugar letters for decorating
- Add egg whites and sugar to a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water making sure that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Check this by rubbing the mixture between your fingers to see if it feels grainy. When it doesn’t it’s done!
- Remove from heat and beat in vanilla. Add butter one cube at a time, beating well with an electric mixer after each addition. Add salt and continue to mix. The mixture will do weird stuff—be liquidy for too long, look like it’s separating. And finally it will just become frosting. Don’t lose hope.
- Decorate! Place one cooled layer on a platter and top with buttercream. Add second layer and frost the top and sides. Stick sugar letters on in a totally random fashion. Ruin it!
*If you’re worried about under-cooked eggs, use pasteurized egg whites
The Joy of Cooking Milhouse 