Something Special Birthday Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Cake ingredients
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar, sifted
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup milk
icing
6 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
Grease 2 straight sided 9x12 round cake pans and line with parchment or wax paper.
Cake: Sift flour, measure carefully 2 1/2 cups and sift this again with the baking powder and salt onto waxed paper or another bowl.
Beat the butter with electric mixer in a bowl until smooth.
Gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups sugar until fluffy.
Beat in yolks one at a time.
Beat in vanilla, and almond extract.
On low speed alternately add flour and milk in 3 additions.
In yet another bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.
Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter.
Scrape the batter into prepared pans, spreading level.
Bake for 30 minutes.
The top should spring back when lightly touched.
Cool pans 10 minutes, then unmold on cake racks to cool.
icing: Sift sugar and cocoa into a large bowl.
Add butter, salt and vanilla.
Beat on high until fluffy, adding drops of milk until desired spreading consistency is reached.
Frost as usual.