Birthdays are for Cake!

I just love celebrating our children's birthdays. We take tons of pictures, I blog about the day (so that I can always look back and remember), and it's just really special to take that day (month really - once I turn the calendar and see their birthday coming I'm thinking about it all month) and praise the Lord for the amazing miracle and blessing He has entrusted to us. We try to make the day really special and have a small party later in the afternoon.

As far as birthday traditions, on Lydia's first birthday I decided to make a cake with a design. Now, I'd never made a cake before that wasn't in a 9 x 13" pan or sheet cake. I was living overseas and couldn't go to Michael's and pick out a cake pan and I definitely didn't have a clue about icing a cake. I got online and found a Moo Cow Cake that I could make from things I already had in my house. I decided to go for it. I had so much fun making this cake that I decided I was going to make a cake for my children for each birthday thereafter.

Lydia's first birthday cake

For her second birthday I became a little more adventurous and experimented with icing a cake with tips and colors. My goal for decorating the cake was for Lydia to be able to recognize Nemo. My heart melted when she saw it and declared, "Neeemo!"

Lydia recently turned 3 and this was her cake. She talked about her cake for at least two months before her birthday and had a hard time deciding which princess she wanted. It was so special when she finally saw her cake on her birthday. There was so much excitement and anticipation - and it brought her so much joy to have her very own, very special birthday cake.

In our home, I think cake is definitely going to be associated with birthdays. . . which made me recently realize I'm probably going to make a cake on Christmas as well. Another exciting cake tradition to think about!

PS - This is the chocolate cake recipe I used for her 2nd and 3rd birthday:

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (I used ghiradelli)

3/4 c. boiling water

1 1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. raw honey

6 eggs, separated

1 1/2 t. real vanilla extract

3 1/2 c. fresh-milled soft flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. sea salt

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

Melt chocolate in boiling water; cool. Cream butter and honey. Beat in egg yolks. Stir in vanilla and chocolate. Set aside. Mix flour, salt, and soda. Add to flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter. Butter/four cake pan(s). (I used Spectrum-brand organic palm oil shortening for the pan - it is a healthy alternative to Crisco.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (I didn't beat the egg whites separately and it turned out fine.)

It tastes great, came out of the pan easily, and is definately a cake recipe I can live with us eating on special occassions.