Guest Post: The Birthday Cake

Today, a very special guest post. Oh, friends, I am so glad this cake (and its baker) came into my life. I think you'll feel the same.


This cake doesn't have a name. My sister and I know it only as The Birthday Cake. My Mom made it every single year for our birthdays until we moved out, and now sometimes it's waiting for us at Christmas. She calls it Whip Cream Cake. I most recently made it for my friend Amanda's birthday.

With the permission of Mother Gardiner, now you can make it for someone special. In her words, "You can make it tall, or you can make it small. But not too tall...because it will wiggle."

Mom used the ol' cake mix from the box trick, but I stepped it up a little and adopted this Better Homes and Gardens recipe affectionately called White Cake! Follow that recipe, but be sure to pour it into two well-greased round cake pans.

While the two round cakes are cooling, it is time for the most fun.

This is where things get tricky because I always buy way too much whipping cream. I can not tell you how much whipping cream to buy, but I usually buy 4 cartons. I asked my Mom how many she buys and she says, "Oh, I don't know, I just send Dad back to the store." We are not a scientific family, except my sister, who actually is a scientist.

Whip Cream Frosting

4 cartons of heavy whipping cream
Blackberries
Raspberries
1 peach
Sugar

Divide whipping cream in four bowls. Beat each portion until the whipping cream thickens. For three of the layers, mash up about a 1/2 cup (or chop up and blend, in the case of the peach) of the fruit of your choice and add each to the whip cream. For the peach and blackberry layers, I added a teaspoon or so of sugar. The raspberry layer was fine left as is. For the final layer, which will go on the very top of the cake, I like to just add sugar and a little food coloring -- pink and pale green are favorites.

Once the cakes have completely cooled, carefully remove them from the pans and try your best to cut them evenly in half, giving you four thin slices. Layer the fruit/whip cream frosting one by one and top with a pastel whipped finale.