Violet Buttercream Cake

I woke up early one morning this week and stumbled upstairs, dazed and confused as usual. In an attempt to wake me up (he knows I like things that grow), my husband, did me the favor of guiding/shoving me out the door into the sunshine, blinking sleepy eyes and all. And you know what? It was dazzling. Spring actually came! Trees brushed green, some puffy pink already. It's like the world just shot into technicolor. Thank heavens! I was tired of monochrome.

Baking-wise? What a week! Tried the violet macarons again, and botched them! A second time! My macaron stats are tilting against me. Frustrated, and wanting desperately to use my violet syrup in something that would work out, I just baked a big, giant, fluffy, violet-flavored cake. Ha!

And it was delicious. But unfortunately the violet flavor didn't come out too well. Husby claims he could taste it, but I sure couldn't. Still, a vanilla cake with flowers on it? Not much to complain about there.






Violet Buttercream Cake

For the cake:
12 T butter, softened
1 t vanilla extract
1 c sugar
4 eggs
2 c self-rising flour
4 T violet syrup
2 T milk

For the frosting:
3 1/4 c powdered sugar
1 c butter, at room temperature
1/2 t vanilla extract
3 T violet syrup
blue food coloring, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 2 9' round baking pans. Beat butter, vanilla, and sugar for a long time until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined. Then add flour and violet syrup in alternating batches. Once all combined, increase speed to medium, beat until mixture is pale color.

Divide evenly between cake pans, smooth tops with spatula. Bake about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:
Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Mix on low until well blended, then on medium for another 2 minutes. Add vanilla, violet syrup, and blue food coloring, if desired. Beat on medium for another minute. If texture is still too dry, add milk until desired texture is reached.