Snickerdoodle Cake

Directions

1. 1
   Cake.
2. 2
   Preheat the oven to 350oF.
3. 3
   Grease two round 9-inch cake pans with solid shortening and dust with flour.
4. 4
   Shake out the excess flour and set pans aside.
5. 5
   Place the cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
6. 6
   Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
7. 7
   Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
8. 8
   Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed.
9. 9
   The batter should look well combined.
10. 10
    Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula.
11. 11
    Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger (27 to 29 minutes).
12. 12
    Allow them to cool completely (at least 30 minutes).
13. 13
    Frosting.
14. 14
    Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.
15. 15
    Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds.
16. 16
    Stop the machine and add the confectioner's sugar, 3 tbsp of milk, and vanilla.
17. 17
    Add cinnamon; blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated (approximately 1 minute).
18. 18
    Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy (at least 1 minute).
19. 19
    Blend in up to 1 tbsp of milk if the frosting seems too stiff.
20. 20
    Yield: 3 1/2 cups.
21. 21
    To Frost Cake.
22. 22
    Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter.
23. 23
    Spread the top with frosting.
24. 24
    Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.