In honor of National Cake Day on Monday, I made the Mrs. Billett’s cake  from the cover of December’s Southern Living magazine. 

Mrs. Billett is my new best friend.  The wintry white confection was submitted to SL by Mrs. Sue Winter for their annual December cake contest.  She acquired the recipe from her mother.  Like my beloved Elizabeth Doyle’s chocolate cake, she and her mother never knew who Mrs. Billett was but have been making her white cake for every birthday since the 50s.

The only modification I made was not making the fondant snowflakes.  Mr. Bee is not fond of fondant and at $12 a package I didn’t want to waste it on him.  But if I were to make this for an event, I would give the fondant a whirl.

While it wasn’t a complicated recipe it takes longer than a usual cake.  But. Oh. My. Is it worth it.  I had it iced by 9:30 p.m. Slices were delivered to our neighbors who usually go to bed at 7:30 p.m.  But they took No-doze in order to stay up for their cake delivery. 

Lots of vanilla, an entire box of butter, 5 eggs and a 32 ounce bag of powdered sugar, it’s not for the faint of heart.  I think Mrs. Billet and Doyle will get along just fine.