Birthday Blocks

Name: Birthday Blocks
Ingredients: 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; 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

14 ingredients

3 steps

Ingredients

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
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

Directions

1

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.
2

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.
3

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.