Birthday Cake

Birthday Cake

Tonight I made a funfetti birthday cake from scratch. I love seeing simple ingredients like butter and sugar turn into something so special. What is it about a simple homemade birthday cake that can make anyone feel loved and special? Is it the swirls of the frosting that you see how time was spent? Is the the yumminess of the cake itself and how it shows that someone took the time to make it just for you? Or is the pure simple fact that a mother or father took time to make it, smiling big when they walk it out to their child singing the infamous "Happy Birthday" song while walking carefully as to not allow the candles to be blown out? Whatever it is, my memories of my youth and my mom and all her cakes were running rapidly through my mind tonight as she turns 68 tomorrow.
I made this cake for my mom tonight, something she always enjoyed on her birthday, a cake from her girls. Whether we bought it from La Boulangerie or picked one up from Eddie's, she always loved how we would end the day singing to her, celebrating her. This cake is unlike any other cake I have made or purchased for my mom. You see as I was frosting this cake I thought about all the parties she threw for me and my siblings and all the cakes she has brought out to me, holding it with one hand and using her other one to shield any slight breeze from the candle flames. No matter how old I got, she'd bring me a cake on my birthday. They were always homemade, but as time passed they became smaller treats as baking slowly slipped away from her abilty. Sometimes it was a chocolate eclair-our favorite-and other times a cream cheese puff-another all time favorite. So tomorrow, I will go see my mom and bring her her birthday cake; sing to her, love her, and blow out the candles for her. She will smile and we will eat cake together. And I know she will think how special this moment is and how it is familiar to her, like birthday cake.
Happy Birthday sweet mother of mine. I love you.