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Chapter 1
Cake Bake
Sleep Over
A Tad, NOT a Smidgen!
Holly, Dolly and Molly were three sisters who loved life and didn't have a worry. They had a happy and cozy life in a small town, where they went to school, played with their friends and helped their mother with the chores. Their father was a journalist who traveled a lot, but always brought them souvenirs and stories from his trips.
One day, their father left for a special assignment in a faraway country. He promised to be back soon and hugged them goodbye. The sisters waved at him as he drove away in his car. They didn't know that it would be the last time they would see him.
Holly, Dolly and Molly are very excited about spending the weekend with their grandmother. She lives in an old Victorian style house with lots of rooms and an attic full of items from the past. The Fall and Spring are perfect times to play in the attic... The temperature is just right. Sleep over's always include 'bakes for cakes'! At least the weekend might blur the fact that their mother and father are not home.
The three sisters pack their bags and hop into their uncle's car. He is going to drive them to their grandmother's house, which is about an hour away from their own. They chat happily along the way, wondering what adventures await them in the attic.
They arrive at the house and are greeted by their grandmother, who hugs them warmly and invites them inside. She has prepared a delicious lunch for them, with sandwiches, soup, and cookies. They eat eagerly, then help her clean up the dishes.
"Can we go to the attic now, Grandma?" Holly asks. She is the oldest of the three, and the most curious.
"Of course, dear. But be careful not to make a mess. There are a lot of things up there that belong to your great-grandparents and even your great-great-grandparents. They are very old and fragile." Grandma says.
She leads them to a narrow staircase that goes up to the attic. She opens the door and lets them in. The attic is dark and dusty, but full of treasures. There are trunks, boxes, suitcases, chests, and cabinets filled with clothes, books, toys, jewelry, and other objects from different eras.
The sisters gasp in awe as they explore the attic. They find dresses with lace and pearls, hats with feathers and flowers, shoes with buckles and bows. They find books with leather covers and gold letters, maps with faded colors and strange names, letters with elegant handwriting and wax seals. They find dolls with porcelain faces and silk dresses, teddy bears with button eyes and fur coats, trains with metal wheels and wooden tracks.
They try on some of the clothes and pretend to be ladies from the past. They read some of the books and imagine traveling to exotic places. They play with some of the toys and make up stories about them.
They have so much fun that they lose track of time. They don't hear their grandmother calling them for dinner until she comes up to the attic herself.
"Girls, girls! It's time to eat! Come down now!" Grandma says.
"Okay, Grandma! We're coming!" Holly says.
They quickly put everything back where they found it and follow their grandmother downstairs. They wash their hands and sit at the table. Grandma has made a roast chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and carrots, and apple pie for dessert. It smells heavenly.
They thank their grandmother for the meal and dig in. They tell her about their discoveries in the attic and ask her questions about them.
"That dress you were wearing belonged to your great-grandmother Alice. She wore it on her wedding day." Grandma says.
"Wow! It's so beautiful!" Dolly says. She is the middle sister, and the most artistic.
"That book you were reading was written by your great-great-grandfather Henry. He was an explorer who traveled around the world." Grandma says.
"Cool! He must have seen a lot of things!" Molly says. She is the youngest sister, and the most adventurous.
"That doll you were playing with was given to your great-great-great-grandmother Mary by her father when she was a little girl. He was a sailor who brought it from France." Grandma says.
"Amazing! It's so pretty!" Holly says.
They finish their dinner and help their grandmother clear the table. Then they go back to the living room, where they watch a movie on TV. It's a comedy that makes them laugh a lot.
They go to bed around nine o'clock. Their grandmother tucks them in and kisses them goodnight. She tells them she loves them very much.
They fall asleep quickly, dreaming of the attic and its wonders.
The next morning, they wake up early and run downstairs. Their grandmother has already prepared breakfast for them: pancakes with maple syrup, bacon and eggs, orange juice and milk. They eat heartily, then ask their grandmother if they can go back to the attic.
"Sure, but only for an hour. Then we have to get ready for 'bakes for cakes'." Grandma says.
"What's 'bakes for cakes'?" Molly asks.
"It's a tradition we have in our family. Every time you girls come over for a sleepover, we bake a cake together. Then we decorate it with frosting and sprinkles and candles. Then we sing 'Happy Birthday' to each other and make a wish." Grandma explains.
"That sounds like fun!" Dolly says.
"It is! And today we're going to make a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Your favorite!" Grandma says.
"Yay!" The sisters cheer.
They finish their breakfast and rush to the attic. They spend another hour playing with the items they find there. They have even more fun than the day before.
They come down at ten o'clock and help their grandmother bake the cake. They mix the ingredients, pour the batter into a pan, and put it in the oven. They wait for it to bake, then take it out and let it cool. They make the frosting, spread it over the cake, and sprinkle it with colorful candies. They put candles on top and light them.
They sing 'Happy Birthday' to each other and blow out the candles. They each make a wish, but they don't tell what it is.
They cut the cake and eat a slice each. It tastes delicious.
They hug their grandmother and thank her for the cake and the sleepover.
Molly whispers to her sisters "wouldn't it be wonderful to live here?" Holly and Dolly whisper back "YES!"
They pack their bags and get ready to leave. Their uncle arrives to pick them up. He compliments them on their cake and asks them how their weekend was.
They tell him all about their adventures in the attic and how much they love their grandmother.
They say goodbye to their grandmother and promise to visit her again soon.
They get into their uncle's car and wave to their grandmother as they drive away.
Your classic vanilla butter cake but with Japanese techniques applied for the most plush, soft and moist yellow cake like you’ve never had before. This professional bakery style cake stays fresh and moist for 4 days — that’s unheard of!
This is THE Vanilla Cake recipe for all occasions — from layer cakes to birthday cakes, Victoria Sponge to strawberry shortcake … the possibilities are endless…..
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Frosting – classic vanilla buttercream provided, see here for my secret Less-Sweet Fluffy Frosting. Different pan sizes – Note 9. Cupcakes – see Vanilla Cupcakes recipe. Metric/weights – click button above ingredients. Sweetness – Note 11. Cake flour – no need, better with plain flour. Guarantee success – read top 5 points in Notes below. For chocolate cake – see this recipe.
Ingredients
Ingredients
CupsMet
2 cups plain / all purpose flour (cake flour OK too, Note 1)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (check it's still active, Note 2)
1/4 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
4 large eggs (50 – 55g / 2 oz each), at room temp (Note 3)
1 1/2 cups caster sugar / superfine sugar (granulated/regular ok too, Note 2)
115g / 1/2 cup unsalted butter , cut into 1.5cm / 1/2” cubes (or so)
1 cup milk , full fat (Note 5)
3 tsp vanilla extract , the best you can afford (Note 6)
3 tsp vegetable or canola oil (Note 7)
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
225g / 2 sticks unsalted butter , softened
500g / 1 lb soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , SIFTED
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 – 4 tbsp milk , to adjust thickness, if needed
Cool & frost:
Cool – Remove from oven. Cool in cake pans for 15 minutes, then gently turn out onto cooling racks. If using as layer cakes, cool upside down – slight dome will flatten perfectly. Level cake = neat layers.
Frost – Once cake layers are fully cool, top with frosting of choice, or cream and fresh berries or jam. See list of ideas in post!
Vanilla Buttercream:
Cream butter – Beat butter with paddle attachment in stand mixer for 3 minutes on high until it changes from yellow to almost white, and it becomes fluffy and creamy.
Add icing sugar / powdered sugar gradually in 3 lots, beating slowly (to avoid a powder storm) then once mostly incorporated, beat on high for a full 3 minutes until fluffy.
Finish – Add vanilla and milk, then beat for a further 30 seconds. Use milk only if needed to make it lovely and soft but still holds its form (eg for piping). Use immediately. (If you make ahead, refrigerate then beat to re-fluff).
Dreams and Nightmares
A few weeks later, their mother received a phone call that changed everything. She turned pale and dropped the phone. She told the sisters that their father had gone missing and that no one knew where he was or what had happened to him. She said they had to pack their bags and go to their grandmother's house in the city. She said it was not safe for them to stay here anymore.
The sisters were shocked and scared. They didn't understand why their father had disappeared or why they had to leave their home. They packed their things quickly and followed their mother to the train station. They boarded the train and watched as their town faded away in the distance.
They arrived at their grandmother's house late at night. It was a big and old Victorian mansion that looked dark and gloomy. Their grandmother greeted them with a stern face and led them to their rooms. She said they could explore the house tomorrow, but they had to stay in their rooms for now. She said there were many secrets in this house that they were not ready to know.
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