The Next Ace of Cakes? Okay, Probably Not.

As I mentioned earlier, I celebrated my birthday this weekend and I asked John to make me a birthday cake. It could be from a box and it could be any flavor he wanted. The only rule was that he had to buy, bake it and decorate it.

So off he went Saturday morning to the Jewel Osco to get his supplies. John hates going to the grocery store, so I fully expected a frantic call from him 20 minutes later mumbling about the 500 slightly different variations of chocolate cake mix they carry while he lay curled in a ball in the baking supplies isle.

But he was back about an hour later with the cake, frosting, decorative icing and candles. And the man did well, people! He got chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (possibly the best cake-frosting combination ever), green and yellow decorating icing (GO DUCKS!!) and enough novelty candles to burn down a small village. Actually, I'm not sure how I feel about that last one.

And here's the best part.......he bought the Reduced Sugar cake mix AND frosting! And if you don't know why this statement isn't even the slightest bit sarcastic, please refer to #5 here. Does he know me or what?!

It took everything in my being not to jump right into the kitchen with him and "help", but I think I showed incredible restraint. Instead I busied myself with taking pictures...

John was wary of the Kitchenaide at first, but was soon asking me if he could turn it up all the way to watch the batter fly out of the bowl.

Man, we keep a lot of junk on our countertops!

Can't you just smell the chocolate now?!?!?

Thumb print. Oops!

Frosting like a pro.

This is the point where I stopped watching because I wanted the finished product to be a surprise. And guys, look what it says!