# Birthday cake double dilemma - advice please



## Janet H (Oct 19, 2018)

I am the cake baker in my circle of friends and this means that when a b-day is approaching I am pressed into service to bake a great party cake for the birthday bash.  This year 2 friends are having significant birthdays - the ones with 0s at the end.  Their birthdays are just a few days apart and so there is to be a combined bash. 


Problem:  they each want a cake.  

There will be a bunch of folks at the bash and so 2 cakes is not unreasonable but it seems to me that the two cakes should compliment each other as most folks will try both.

One of person has already specifically requested her favorite cake; an upside down gingerbread pear cake.

The other person has made no specific request but likes lemon and coconut and berry flavors.  She dislikes ginger, coffee, chocolate, raisins, almonds and cherries.


What sort of cake do you suggest?


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## GotGarlic (Oct 19, 2018)

My first thought is carrot cake.


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## GotGarlic (Oct 19, 2018)

Then I googled. There are a bunch of lemon-coconut-berry cakes; I thought this one looked really good. 

https://whatsgabycooking.com/mixed-berry-lemon-drenched-cake/


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## Janet H (Oct 19, 2018)

GotGarlic said:


> My first thought is carrot cake.



She likes carrot cake (although not raisins) and in the past I have made her a carrot cake - just was hoping to mix it up a bit.  The other issue is that I don;t think carrot cake and gingerbread go together well... 

The link you posted looks interesting - thanks.  Coconut, lemon AND berries is a lot of flavors all at once but it's an intriguing idea.


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## Kayelle (Oct 19, 2018)

Janet H said:


> She likes carrot cake (although not raisins) and in the past I have made her a carrot cake - just was hoping to mix it up a bit.  The other issue is that I don;t think carrot cake and gingerbread go together well...
> 
> *The link you posted looks interesting - thanks.  Coconut, lemon AND berries is a lot of flavors all at once but it's an intriguing idea.*




My tastes are exactly like your birthday girl Janet, and that cake looks and sounds dreamy to me! WOW


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## JustJoel (Oct 19, 2018)

Your friend is quite … discerning!

When I saw “pears” I thought “apples.” Instead of ginger, light brown sugar and/or molasses, cardamom, and cinnamon.

I am not a baker of cakes. Somehow, they just dont work out for me. So I’m just suggesting a flavor profile that I think might compliment the gingerbread/pear cake.

I’d love to hear what you decide on! Good luck and keep us posted!


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## caseydog (Oct 19, 2018)

GotGarlic said:


> My first thought is carrot cake.



My mom had terrible eyesight from childhood on, so she force-fed us kids with carrots. I had carrot cake every single birthday!!! 

Honestly, they taste okay, but as an adult, I HATE carrots, in any shape or form. 

Yeah, not helpful in this thread, but now ya' know. 

CD


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## jabbur (Oct 19, 2018)

JustJoel said:


> Your friend is quite … discerning!
> 
> When I saw “pears” I thought “apples.” Instead of ginger, light brown sugar and/or molasses, cardamom, and cinnamon.
> 
> ...



You could do an apple cake. Pumpkin cake might not be bad with the gingerbread/pear cake either.


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## blissful (Oct 19, 2018)

I would go with something different than a glazed cake, a fruit cake, or anything with cinnamon or ginger or cardamom. Something like a cake with frosting, so a lemon-lime type cake with or without lemon or lime curd, and frosting. That won't be so similar to the other cake.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Oct 19, 2018)

Janet H said:


> I am the cake baker in my circle of friends and this means that when a b-day is approaching I am pressed into service to bake a great party cake for the birthday bash.  This year 2 friends are having significant birthdays - the ones with 0s at the end.  Their birthdays are just a few days apart and so there is to be a combined bash.
> 
> 
> Problem:  they each want a cake.
> ...




Janet, does it have to be a cake?
Why not a Lemon Tart?
Berries are out of season already, aren't they? 
Or, ooh, an Ice Cream Cake!!
I make a Cannoli Ice Cream Cake, oops, no chocolate though...
hmmm...
https://mykitcheninthemiddleofthede...eam-we-all-scream-for-cannoli-ice-cream-cake/
... but it's so good and really not that much chocolate in it ...


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## caseydog (Oct 19, 2018)

Janet H said:


> I am the cake baker in my circle of friends and this means that when a b-day is approaching I am pressed into service to bake a great party cake for the birthday bash.  This year 2 friends are having significant birthdays - the ones with 0s at the end.  Their birthdays are just a few days apart and so there is to be a combined bash.
> 
> 
> Problem:  they each want a cake.
> ...



The "other person" sounds like a PITA to cook for. Bake her a vanilla cake with vanilla icing, and call it a day. 

The first friend's cake sounds like a lot of work, but at least you don't have to guess what she likes. And, if you enjoy baking, you can have fun baking that cake. 

I bake killer chocolate-chip-pecan cookies... and that's all I bake.  So, I'm not much help... again. 

CD


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## Kayelle (Oct 19, 2018)

I'm still buying berry baskets here Kgirl. 

 Just imagine Kiwi berries added to the top of that berry cake!


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## Janet H (Oct 19, 2018)

GotGarlic said:


> Then I googled. There are a bunch of lemon-coconut-berry cakes; I thought this one looked really good.
> 
> https://whatsgabycooking.com/mixed-berry-lemon-drenched-cake/



I am intrigued by the edge on this cake.  In the comments she notes that she did this by using parchment crinkled in the pan to make this crazy edge.  Has anyone actually tried this?  Very rustic - interesting.



Recipe itself is a dead ringer for the King Arthur lemon bundt cake that was their best cake in 2017 - it's just halved.


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## Janet H (Oct 19, 2018)

caseydog said:


> The "other person" sounds like a PITA to cook for. Bake her a vanilla cake with vanilla icing, and call it a day.
> 
> The first friend's cake sounds like a lot of work, but at least you don't have to guess what she likes. And, if you enjoy baking, you can have fun baking that cake.
> 
> ...



Chocolate chip cookies are one of my faves but not right for the occasion 

The pear cake is easy to make and I've made it many times - it assembles like a pineapple upside down cake - just a different fruit and flavor in the cake.  It's also delicious.

I rather like the challenge presented by the addition of a second cake - it's a good culinary stretch and frankly these are dear friends... I am privileged to know them and happy to help make their birthdays memorable.


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## caseydog (Oct 19, 2018)

Janet H said:


> I am intrigued by the edge on this cake.  In the comments she notes *that she did this by using parchment crinkled in the pan to make this crazy edge.*  Has anyone actually tried this?  Very rustic - interesting.
> 
> View attachment 31890
> 
> Recipe itself is a dead ringer for the King Arthur lemon bundt cake that was their best cake in 2017 - it's just halved.



What a great idea. Since I don't bake, I obviously haven't tried it, but crumpled parchment paper makes perfect sense. It can take the heat, and shouldn't stick to the cake. You could always do a test-run with a basic cheap cake, first. 

CD


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## Kayelle (Oct 19, 2018)

You are a good friend Janet, and I'm sure both cakes will really be appreciated for being custom to their tastes. I hardly bake at all so I'm in awe. 

They are both so different and that makes them twice as interesting I think.


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## buckytom (Oct 19, 2018)

caseydog said:


> My mom had terrible eyesight from childhood on, so she force-fed us kids with carrots.
> CD



You know that the idea of carrots being especially good for eyesight is a fallacy, right? It was a simple but oddly believable way of explaining how British pilots could quickly locate invading German planes during the blitz in '40 and '41. 
They were actually using rudimentary radar, called the Chain Home Low system.


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## caseydog (Oct 19, 2018)

buckytom said:


> You know that the idea of carrots being especially good for eyesight is a fallacy, right?



Yes, I know that. My mom did not, and she decided what I ate as a child. I couldn't cook then... or drive a car to do the shopping. 

As for the rest of your post, blah, blah, blah in return. 

CD


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## jabbur (Oct 20, 2018)

Janet, I'd say go for something totally different for your friend's cake and make it to her liking. It doesn't have to "match" or even be in the same profile flavor.  My family has 4 birthdays in Feb and 3 in April. We do one get together for the month and each birthday person gets their own dessert. We have cake, pie, cheesecake, pudding, cookies whatever and everyone enjoys a bit of each. Whatever you decide will be wonderful and your friends will enjoy it.


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