Upsides to the Down Economy/ Just Go Bake a Cake

We went to a dinner party last night for our friend Luis and his wife asked me to bake a cake. I happily obliged. She was explaining last night to her guests, how she always has taught her daughters to bake something for friend's birthdays, instead of getting them gifts. That way the birthday is about celebrating the day and the person, and not just about the "stuff". If you are short on cash, baking a cake for a friend's birthday is an excellent idea. Everyone can "pick up a cake." Not many people take the time to bake one. I am not at all opposed to using a cake mix, especially if baking is not your strong suit. Betty Crocker is my friend and her yellow cake rocks. When I watched Martha Stewart the other day, she claimed that if you have the ingredients on hand (flour, sugar, baking soda, butter, eggs) it's just as easy to make it from scratch and saves you from a trip to the store. I have to confess, I do both depending on time and circumstance. I made a banana cake for a tennis match the other day to send off a teammate who was leaving Miami to become a flight attendant for Delta. The recipe, made with bananas in the batter, fresh bananas in the center, toasted walnuts on the side and cream cheese frosting, was delicious. It's from the Silver Palate; if you are a banana lover, you should try it. When I was dating Zeke, we had a pool party for Rachel's birthday and I made a yellow cake (from a box) with a really good chocolate frosting (from Joy of Cooking). I decorated it with Reese's pieces and Reese's cups (because that was Rachel's favorite) and it has become a tradition now for her birthday. The recipe is quite simple and the bonus part to the frosting is that it makes enough for leftovers, which keep in the fridge and can be spread on graham crackers, vanilla wafers or spooned hot, over ice cream. Yummy!

Chocolate Satin Frosting

Cut into 2 pieces:

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate (I use Baker)

Bring to a boil in a small saucepan:
1 cup evaporated milk (I use 2%)

Remove from heat and add the chocolate pieces without stirring. Cover and set aside for exactly 10 minutes. Scrape into a food processor or blender and add:

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

Process until the mixture is perfectly smooth, 1 minutes or more. Transfer to a bowl. Freeze up to 6 months. Soften before using.