Interlude: Happy Birthday to Me (Again)

 

I made this cake a bit early, but it was my birthday, so it didn't matter! 

This is the strawberry cake from Nora Cooks. I cut the recipe in half and made one mini two-layer cake and baked the rest in a small rectangular dish to freeze for later, and I shared my little cake because even though this is a tiny cake, it still makes 6-8 slices, depending on your appetite. (Frosting is very filling, which is one reason I rarely make it.)

It was beautiful and delicious! I think I succeeded well in my endeavors here. The strawberry flavor came through well, though that's likely also because I added some strawberry extract. And I added food coloring to the batter, too, because I wanted this cake to be pink, and I do not regret that, even if it made me feel silly. Sometimes, it's worth being silly.

If you're considering this recipe, just know that it is a tiny bit tedious, given that you have to boil down fresh strawberry puree and let it cool, and the frosting involves freeze dried strawberries, which may not be the easiest thing to find. The frosting is not the sort that will look beautiful when piped, because of the little chunks of strawberry, but the experience of eating it is lovely, so I still think that's worth it.

Back to normal life tomorrow.