Happy Birthday...to Me!

Yup, it's my birthday. And what do I look forward to the most? The cake, of course! Every single February 7th of my life, I've been greeted with a birthday cake that puts a long-lasting grin on my face. The French bakery around the corner from my early childhood home took the honors of baking me delicately feminine white cream frosting pineapple infused confections with strawberries circling the top. Those were the days when I'd get a numbered candle lit in the center of the cake. Then there were fabulous chocolate cakes that varied in richness and shade. Ah, and the brilliant creation that was ice cream cake--that was a show stealer at my birthday parties. As I got older and appreciated my fruits more than I did as a kid, I would get glorious fruit tart-style cakes that were delectable. So as you can see, every birthday I have had has been a sweet treat.

Birthday celebrations just would not be complete without birthday cake. Historians date the first birthday cake back to the ancient Greeks. The Greeks would make a honey cake or bread to celebrate three occasions: festivities among family and friends, the birthday of cities and temples and the birthdays of emperors both past and present. It was however believed to be the moon cake that was the first birthday cake. The Greeks made a circular shaped cake to offer to the goddess Artemis, the goddess of the Moon. They put candles on it to make it glow like the big pie in the sky.

Other scholars believe the first birthday cake was created by the Germans in the Middle Ages. They would make a cake out of sweetened bread and shape it to resemble the baby Jesus to commemorate his birthday. The cake was resurrected later as a Kinderfest or celebration of a child's birthday.

During Medieval times in England, cakes were made with coins and thimbles baked inside. Whoever found a coin in their slice was believed to become wealthy and the unlucky fella or lady who discovered a thimble in their cake was hit with a double whammy. Not only was their a darn thimble in their dessert but that meant they would never get married.

In the spirit of my birthday and many birthdays past and to come I say you whip out the flour, eggs, sugar and milk and get to baking! Here's a fantastic recipe from Eliza over at Notes From My Food Diary for the beautiful cake gracing the top of this entry. It's a triple layer vanilla buttermilk cake with chocolate fudge frosting. Mmm...Eliza, would you like to bake and FedEx me one? Go check out the blog to get the recipe for this fabulous birthday cake. Oh, and hold the thimbles.


Photo Credit: Courtesy of Notes From My Food Diary