And of course, there were “The Candles." These candles were not exactly of the “birthday candle variety” but rather the “dinner table variety” or those emergency candles you typically see in disaster relief kits.
You should know something about my parents. They are “resourceful types” who always taught me to make something from nothing. So it’s no surprise that these curious candles should appear. I can just imagine my mother saying “Oh darn I forgot to buy the birthday candles again” only for my Dad to reply, “Oh please, we’ve got these candles, these are great! And they’re more elegant too. OK, dim the lights”.
So if you have someone special in your life whose birthday is approaching, consider making them a homemade cake. My Classic Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe is as easy as it gets. It’s a flopsy mopsy, “imperfectly perfect” sort of cake that you can dress up or down. Heck, you can even skip the layering all together and bake it in a 9x14 Pyrex casserole dish, smear the frosting on top and call it a day. It’s so divinely delicious no one will even care about the presentation. And remember that’s not what a homemade cake is all about anyway. Its sole purpose is to remind those we care about most that they are truly loved, cherished and cared for, in a way that no store-bought cake can convey. And besides nothing says “I love You” more than a homemade baked good.
So drag out the bowls, measuring cups and spoons and embrace the homemade cake with all its homemade imperfections. It’s never the presentation that counts but the gesture that remains (jellybeans optional).
Share your #ImperfectlyPerfect birthday cake with us on Instagram @IHAInspiredHome + @EntertainingwithBeth and we’ll re-gram our favorites.