Chocolate Birthday Cake

Grab a spoon and sneak a taste. Lick the whisk. "Clean" the spatula before it heads into the dishwasher.

I am 21 today! My friend Isabel and I made a cake today in honor of the occasion. She has a beautiful kitchen with two of everything. Two dishwashers! 

"Do you put your dirty dishes in the sink or on the counter next to the sink when the dishwasher is running?"

"We usually just put them in the other dishwasher"

It's a really good place to be, food-wise. And everything-wise. I might also mention her dad made a killer steak dinner the other night, grilled outside, and a delicious meatball dinner tonight.

Anyway, so I think...being 21 is mostly exciting because you can have a drink in public. 

And weirdly this transition happens all of a sudden, boom, on your birthday. Because obviously yesterday I wasn't mature enough to drink and today I am. Yesterday, I couldn't have walked into some bars and ordered a ginger ale, and today the government just decided they don't care any more! Fully grown up and ready to get a horizontal driver's license and all. But not after any drinks.

I think making a wish might be the best part about birthdays. I mean, you can wait for 11:11 every day but the birthday wish is the most potent of all wishes. It has power to make or break that year., depending on how good a wish you make. Breathe with your whole body, expand your rib cage, relax your diaphragm, and blow! You better get every last candle or you will have missed out on the best wish of the year.

"you have 21 candles in your house?"

...nah, I think I'll just use 8.

Is that cheating the wish fairy?

CHEERS!!

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Yield: 1 cake much too large for 3 people. But really, as much as you want, because this recipe scales well.

For the cake:

1. Make a double batch of this Wacky Cake (my favorite, so easy and actually vegan too), mixing ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Pour it into a greased and floured 9x13-in baking pan or evenly divide between two 8-in round pans.
3. Bake as directed, then let cool and unmold.

For the frosting:

1. Whip 2 sticks salted butter in a stand mixer with whisk attachment until fluffy. 
2. Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, let cool, then add to butter and mix again. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and mix again.
3. Slowly sift in 2 rounded cups of powdered sugar, mixing as you go. Whip until fluffy!

If you used a 9x13 pan, just cut the cake in half and frost like a rectangular layer cake (this is what I did). Swirl the frosting with a butter knife if you like, then cut in and dig in!

P.S. Shout-out to the "It was my birthdaaayyy..." segment of Slumber Party with Alie and Georgia, one of the most entertaining podcasts out there. If you haven't tried it, give a listen!