Grandma's Birthday Cake

This year I was in charge of making my grandmothers 82^nd birthday cake. Nervous, I scoured any cookbook I could find, looking at soufflés or very complicated cakes that would make me look professional.

In the end, I chose a simple chocolate cake right from my grandmother’s cookbook, The Red Cabin Cookbook, printed in 1981.

Here is the recipe:

In a large bowl sift together:

3 c flour

2 c sugar

6 T cocoa

1 t salt

2 t baking soda

Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add:

¾ c oil

2 t vanilla

2 T vinegar

2 c cold water

Stir well and put into a well-greased and floured 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake at 350˙ for 25 minutes.

For the cake I made, I separated the batter into two circle pans and placed them in the oven. As the batter expanded, it began to rise above the edge of the pans, making two domes. It took longer than 25 minutes to bake, but I would just watch to make sure it does not burn.

After taking them out of the oven and letting them cool (I baked at night and finished in the morning), I placed one upside down on the plate. Then, I placed a small layer of frosting on top, then placed the other cake on top; then frosted.

Unfortunately, I did not have enough cream cheese frosting (which I did buy from the store), so I had to improvise. Slicing the strawberries into fours, I used them as decorations to cover all the mistakes I had made.

The cake was a success and it was delicious.

Sometimes a simple cake is the best way to go when it comes to birthday cakes! Good luck with any cake making and decorating!