Pop Goes Your Birthday

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9” x 13” (3 L) baking dish.

Step 2:

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.

Step 3:

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

Step 4:

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Beat until combined.  Add half the milk and another third of the flour mixture, beating after each addition. Add remaining milk and end with the flour mixture. Beat until combined.

Step 5:

Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Lightly tap pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Step 6:

Bake in preheated oven 35-40 minutes until lightly golden or a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Step 7:

Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake and invert pan onto rack to remove. Turn cake top side up and continue cooling on wire rack.

Step 8:

Beat shortening, 2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar, milk and vanilla for 5 minutes in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Add remaining icing sugar, 1 cup (250mL) at a time, beating for 1 minute after addition.

Step 9:

When cake is cold, place in a large bowl. With clean fingers, a pastry blender or fork, crumble the cake into small crumbs. Stir in icing and continue blending the cake and icing together. The icing will make the cake crumbs stick together.

Step 10:

Place a tbsp. (15 mL) of cake mixture into the palm of your hand and roll into balls. Dip sticks into melted chocolate and place in each cake ball. Place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Place in freezer for about 15 minutes.  This will hold them on the sticks for easy dipping.

Step 11:

Dip cake balls into melted chocolate. Place back in freezer to set. Store in airtight container in refrigerator or freezer.