At the end of August, I commented on FB how excited I was for the birthday cake I was making for myself. I had a few people comment that one shouldn't have to bake his/her own birthday cake but I really was beyond fine with it. I wanted to make this cake.
This cake just so happens to be one of my all-time favorites. It's right up there with Princess Cake from Gayle's in Capitola and Banana Cake from Icing on the Cake in Los Gatos (both in my native California). It's my Grandma B's recipe and it is the cake that I wanted for my birthday every year growing up. It is also my dad's favorite and I do believe my other siblings requested it frequently as well. Up unti my birthday this year, I hadn't had it since my Grandma's funeral back in 2004. That's a long time to go without.
Now I'm not currently willing to give up the recipe...but I'm more than happy to tell you about it...
In preparing to make this cake, I called my mom. Being sure that she had always made this deliciousness from scratch, I asked for her Angel Food Cake recipe. She told me to go and buy whatever boxed mix was at the store. Now I know her secret...bwa ha ha ha! Now don't go thinking that this is just a receipe for basic Angel Food Cake. This treat is all about the filling/frosting which - if no Angel Food Cake is available - can easily be consumed by the spoonful. It's a glorious combination of heavy whipping cream, crushed pineapple, gelatin, and a few other ingredients. Did you think I was actually going to list everything needed? I think not.
The cake itself wasn't a big deal to make. I actually whipped it up the night before and made sure it cooled completely before I hit the sack. In the morning I went to work on the filling. It's not a difficult process...just a bit on the time-consuming side. Once the filling is made, the cake is sliced in half horizontally and the filling is spread in between the layers and then over the whole thing. Then, in order to keep it from getting melty or sliding around, it has to be kept in the fridge until serving (really should be chilled for a few hours or overnight). I was especially thankful for my second fridge downstairs that day because between the cake pedestal and the dome, it took up a whole lotta space!
Now, before I stick the pictures in here, I must offer an apology to my friend Katie. I had promised her a) a photo of this fabulous cake in all its glory and b) to post said picture right away. Neither of these promises were kept. We cut into the cake and had 2nds before thinking to take a picture and I'm just now sharing pictures of the half-eaten cake now that it's been well over a month since my birthday. I'm really sorry, Katie...maybe next time I'll be able to keep my hand from shoveling something into my mouth before I can grab the camera.
This is a side view that almost looks like a complete cake without any damage or consumption having taken place.
What the cake really looked like once I decided to take a picture. Those squiggly and swiped lines on the pedestal may or may not be spots where one or more people helped clean off any extra filling from where the rest of the cake once stood.
The cake was positively dee-lish-us and while the three weirdies that I live with don't love the cake as much as I do, I think I'll be making this puppy for my birthday just about every year from here on out. Yum. Oh - and speaking of yum, the leftovers are positively wonderful. Every bit as good on days 2 and 3 as the original was on day 1. Mmmmmmm.
1 comment:
Very yummy and yes, very deceiving picture!
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