My mother always made a big fuss whenever a birthday came around. Lots of presents, lots of attention, lots of love. A special dinner. A little reminiscing about how things unfolded at the hospital on the day you were born. And, of course, a special
birthday cake, which was always a devil’s food cake frosted with whipped cream. She tinted the whipped cream in pastel colors—pink, yellow and green--a different one for each layer. I loved those cakes because they were so simple and pretty, and so delicious.
Today, on a whim, I decided to make my own birthday cake for the first time in my life. The cake was inspired by my mother’s special birthday cake, but I frosted it with vanilla buttercream instead of whipped cream. I tinted the filling for each layer a different shade
of pink, and topped the cake with pink sanding sugar and tall pink candles. The result is a birthday cake fit for a princess. Though I am far from that, I do like to eat special cake on my birthday, especially one that brings back a flood of good memories for my very happy childhood.
