With Cheech's first birthday quickly approaching (!!!), I have started the party-planning process. So, first thing's first... THE CAKE. Guys, I am serious about cake, and I am serious² about this cake. When there is bad birthday cake involved, even when it's not my birthday, I have trouble coping. Therefore, I've got it stuck in my head that Cheech's FIRST CAKE has to be stellar. And if it's not stellar, her party, and maybe even her life, could be ruined. I bet you're reading this, absolutely elated you're not related to me... am I right?
We have lots of family flying in/staying with us for the occasion and as much as I'd love to bake her her first birthday cake, realistically, it's out of the question. Ordering it will save me tons of time and lots of last minute stress. But, what cake do I order? At first, I was thinking a chocolate cake would be fun, but chocolate has caffeine, and the last thing my little energy ball needs is more energy. Also, I feel kind of funny giving her chocolate at such a young age. Joe thinks I'm being ridiculous, and that chocolate is totally fine, and we even tasted a chocolate cake, but I'm not so sure I'm convinced. Then, I thought of going classic with a strawberry shortcake cake. But when I realized strawberries aren't in season in April, I began to fear a flavorless, red goop-y glazed cake (are you starting to see how loony I am when it comes to cake?). Frustrated, I brought up the idea of forgoing the cake, and going for a beautiful stack of vegan doughnuts instead. For the record, even just the word "vegan" has a tendency to turn me off, but these doughnuts are KILLER. Joe's response to that was that I was turning into a Berkeley hippie mom.... yeeeah, no thank you. So I'm back to square one.
Perhaps some sort of maple/ginger concoction? Something lemony? Maybe I should just do chocolate? What's your favorite cake flavor? I need some inspiration here. And for the love of all that is good in this world, if any of you suggest "funfetti", I swear I will cut you.
Lemony! Everyone loves lemon. I made this Lemon Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting and Lemon Curd Filling that was absolutely DIVINE, and perfect for a birthday: http://www.eatrunread.com/2011/08/cake-of-week-lemon-layer-cake-with.html
ReplyDeleteI personally love lemon cake with either a lemon curd filling or a raspberry filling. my mouth is watering at the thought!
ReplyDeleteThe Princess Cake from Mollie's Stone is my most favorite cake ever ( apart from any Danish pastry and layer cake found in Danish bakeries but, you know, it's kinda hard to find a good old fashioned bakery in the US) It's a Scandinavian style layer cake with whipped cream, custard, marmalade and marzipan. It's gooood!!
ReplyDeletePs: Make sure it's freshly made. I had one bad experience with one that was too dry/old.
Deletei love, love, love marzipan. yum!
DeleteI get most of my of my cupcakes/cakes at Love at First Bite. They make seriously yummy treats.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.loveatfirstbitebakery.com/
Ha, I was just about to suggest that too. Love, love, LOVE their strawberry cupcakes!
DeleteYou got the lemon and strawberry cakes from there for your bday party, yes?
DeleteCelia, they were SO GOOD. I almost put them both in my diaper bag when I left. Why not get 2 cakes? or 3? or 4? or 10?
Yep, I had the Lovely Lemon and Pretty in Pink at my party (along with some great home made cakes). They were both so good. Super moist, very creamy. Just perfect for my crazy sweet tooth. They make a mean carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and pumpkin with cream cheese frosting. I vote for Shayna's idea: multiple cakes!!
Deletealright, i'm trying blackberry soul on friday, but will try these guys, too. we're most likely going to do multiple cakes because we're inviting quite a few people. it's going to be cake-tastic!
DeleteI love lemon, but I'm also a really big fan of banana cake and pineapple cake.
ReplyDeleteChocolate Torte. chocolate and whipped cream between the layer.
ReplyDeleteYes, Mom still makes one for my birthday and leaves out the nuts. (in fact, one will be made Friday)
what's wring with nuts?
Deletebaked nuts are THE DEVIL. Nuts in dessert is just a bad idea in general.
DeleteI am a white on white kind of girl. And I DIG butter cream frosting.
ReplyDeletemy issue is that a GOOD buttercream is SO HARD to find. i'm telling you, naurnie pants, i am one picky bitch when it comes to cake.
DeleteI'm definitely a chocolate cake + chocolate ganache kind of girl, but if you're concerned with the caffeine, what about angel food cake? I don't know if you're set on layers, but angel food cake + raspberry sauce (or any berry sauce, really) is fantastic.
ReplyDeletei like this idea, but joe's VERY set on the cake saying "happy birthday". why it's so important to him, i'll never know.
DeleteMy Grandmother used to always make me a banana shortcake instead of strawberry. I LOVED IT. And looked forward to is every year.
ReplyDeleteAnd I just had the cake melt down with my Grams birthday b/c my Mom wanted a cheap cake from the grocery and my Sis was making GF cupcakes... I finally just gave up and chose to IGNORE the cake;)
i knew if anyone understood my cake woes, it would be you.
DeleteAnd sorry to bust your bubble up there Mollie but I've always hated lemon in may cake. Blech!
ReplyDeletei always asked for an angel food cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberries; my birthday is in october and it makes zero sense to buy strawberries then, but i love them and i do not care. my request from joe these days is an amaretto cake; he made one from scratch for my 21st birthday when we were in college, and it remains the best cake-memory of all time. with the possible exception of...
ReplyDelete...whatever my first birthday cake was. the sands of time have obscured the flavor details, but i know that the top was decorated to look like a riverbank and there was a little stone raccoon in the middle. that raccoon has had a place of honor in every room i've ever had, and i adore it; no matter what sort of cake you choose, decorate it with something non-perishable and particularly cheechy for her to cherish in future years.
team angel food,
LMO
i don't know how you do it, but you and gracie o always mange to make me cry.
DeleteMango cake! Really delicious, soft, light, and usually made with mango pulp so no worries about seasonality. There are some good places in the South Bay, but I am sure you could find something up where you live.
ReplyDeletemoist yellow cake with butter cream frosting. http://pinterest.com/pin/283656476499753149/
ReplyDeletei don't think you can really go wrong with eating a couple sticks of butter on your birthday.
i don't think you can go wrong with a couple sticks of butter EVER.
DeleteWhen I was a kid we always had angel food cake for birthdays. It was always so exciting, 'cause we never had it any other time. Just for birthdays.
ReplyDeletepumpkin cake. with caramel frosting if you can hack it.
ReplyDeletehttp://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com/2011/10/paula-deens-pumpkin-cake-with-cinnamon.html
I'm a white or yellow cake girl. Personally, I think yellow cake + chocolate frosting is THE classic birthday cake.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I secretly love super cheap white sheet cake with frosting that makes your teeth ache. AND, I treat myself to a huge slab of funfetti-esque cake on my birthday every year since no one else wants to eat it with me. Go ahead and cut me.
++++ second this. for the love of all things kiddy don't do anything lemon! old lady cake yuck
Deleteoh, rachel. you, of all people, i would have thought to be the last on the funfetti train. :(
DeleteI third (or 500th) both the yellow cake with chocolate frosting recommendation, and the dislike of lemon cake. Everybody does not love lemon (this girl).
DeleteI think carrot cake is the perfect cake for little ones...
ReplyDeletecarrot cake is a great idea
Deleteyou guys, but RAISINS ARE THE DEVIL.
Deleteyellow cake. chocolate frosting.
ReplyDeletefo real.
the birthday cake of my youth. the birthday cake of bryan's youth. (although is favorite is boston cream pie but i'm of the mindset that most people make a HORRIBLE boston cream. if you could find one that did it right, seems like the perfect crowd pleaser/cheech pleaser. lots of gooey custard to sink herself into. just enough chocolate to give her the taste but not be overpowering. simple, moist cake. although don't you hate the word moist? soft cake. let's go with soft cake.)
that's my vote. boston cream pie.
best cake that's not called a cake.
boston cream was at the top of my list, and there's a place down the street that actually makes an awesome one, but i'm not completely sold. i am definitely liking the simplicity of yellow w/ chocolate frosting, though.
Deletep.s. "moist" is totally fine with me. so is "panties".
i freaking love you.
DeleteI like lemony too, but my favourite cake of the moment is the blueberry sour cream cake from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook http://hummingbirdbakery.com/cookbooks/the-hummingbird-bakery-cookbook/ . I make it with raspberries, not blueberries. It is absolutely delish!
ReplyDeleteyou could have a whipped, shortcake and switch out the strawberries for a fruit that's in season? (mangoes & pineapple are said to be in season.)
ReplyDelete: )
this is q great idea. i'm kind of liking the banana shortcake idea mentioned by kelly, above.
DeleteI vote for chocolate cake. It's her first birthday! One of the great joys of my life was watching May Blossom try chocolate for the first time on her birthday. It doesn't have to be something she has often, but a good chocolate cake (try the recipe on my blog, from the New York Times Cookbook) is worth the bit of extra wiggling you'll get out of her on the day, I reckon.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, hummingbird or banana cakes are good options too. As long as it's proper yummy cake, not cardboardy rubbish.
Or donuts. Donuts rock the party.
that's what i said about the donut idea! joe knows nothing.
Deletemy fave is magnolia bakery buttercream frosting with vanilla cake. look up the recipe. you and your baby will not be disappointed!
ReplyDeletexo
sami
do you think they'l ship me a cake? overnight? for free?
DeleteBanana cake. Der. http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/09/monkey-cake/
ReplyDeleteDER. i'm stealing that.
Deleteyellow cake. chocolate icing. can't go wrong.
ReplyDeletei'm thinking this is the winner.
DeleteIf you want to order it, allow me to recommend ordering it through Sweet Adeline's. Independent, women-owned, delicious, neighborhood joint. (http://www.sweetadelinebakeshop.com/).
ReplyDeleteOr, if cost is a concern, try an independent baker who is still building her portfolio, like Christina Marie Pastries (http://www.yelp.com/biz/christina-marie-pastries-san-francisco). Tons of personalization, and probably a free tasting of different flavors and free delivery would be would be included.
(P.S. I've had stellar experiences with both, and both are used to catering cakes for a crowd, aka weddings, baby showers, etc).
Lastly, if you change your mind about baking it yourself, I've had great experience with Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake. In fact, I just baked two this weekend (good friend got his dream job!). It's lemon, with lemony white buttercream, and raspberry preserves filling. Please. Just google it, and look at the pictures that pop up. Extra bonus: it's super forgiving.
Oh, and as for flavors: it *is* Citrus season, so lemon would be great, but also consider that Strawberry season in northern california starts absurdly early. The Strawberries are already in at the farmer's market and at Berkeley Bowl, and I can personally testify that they're delicious. Not as delicious as they will be in May or June, but just as good as the strawberries you get in the rest of the country year-round.
Good luck, let us know what you decide!
Like many others have already said, when I think birthday cake, I think yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Or, to make that a little more interesting, you could do a banana cake with chocolate frosting. Our wedding cake was banana with chocolate ganache filling and buttercream frosting, and that was pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, add me to the list of people who don't really like lemon.
I'm sad the vegan choice didn't stand a chance.
ReplyDeleteI vote tres leches then.
"There are all kinds of cakes around town.
ReplyDeleteThere is vanilla cake with chocolate icing and candles.
There is chocolate cake with vanilla icing and no candles but very pretty flowers all around.
There is lemon cake with a picture of a lemon on the top.
There is poppy seed cake with little poppy seeds everywhere, making a mess.
The cake in the box is strawberry shortcake."
From: 13 Words by Lemony Snicket (illustrated by Maira Kalman)
For first birthday cakes I like dense moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, orange and poppyseed cake with a sweet orange glaze, or banana cake. Make because they all fruit/veg in them they feel a little less naughty after a year of avoiding sugar and salt like they are the devil himself.
My son's first birthday cake was this: Chocolate cake layer, vanilla cream in the middle, banana cake layer, covered all over in caramel buttercream, with a number 1 shaped candle on the top. There was a second identical cake sans candle to feed the hoards. As predicted, he ate half a mouthful of the banana layer, and was then off and playing again. The moral of the story is not to worry too awfully much as Cheech may well find other things to be interested in on the big day.
p.s. I thought the donuts were an excellent idea.
the most important part of 1st birthday cake is frosting 'cause PICTURES. would cheech look cuter with a chocolate-y face or a buttercream-y face?
ReplyDelete