Birthday Season is Over

...thank God, my butt is begging for mercy.

It is hard to lose any weight when you have two birthday cakes each on four birthdays spread through May - June. For The Husband's and my birthday, he had peach cobbler and I had a sacher torte.

Anyway, today was The Princess's 7th birthday. 7 years ago today, my mother, The Husband and my always-will-be-childless-by-choice sister saw her born ... two hours after I arrived at the hospital, had my waters broken by some strange doctor, and then was informed, "Oh, we don't have any anesthesiologists in the hospital right now."

So, I can say that I have had natural childbirth. However, since I had to have it while strapped flat on my back (all the pain, none of the work-arounds, like walking), I can say that epidurals are marvelous things and I enjoyed them mightily on my next two births.

Can I get one now? No? Well, a caipirinha will work.

Made a "from scratch" cake, and it happens to be the same one my mom used to make for my brother, BigShot, every year.

Chocolatetown Special Cake
Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
* 1/2 cup boiling water
* 2/3 cup shortening
* 1-3/4 cups sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1-1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk*
* ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together cocoa and water in small bowl until smooth. Beat shortening, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended. Add cocoa mixture; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. 8 to 10 servings.

* To Sour Milk: Use 4 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 1-1/3 cups.


ONE-BOWL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S Dutch Processed Cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter in small bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

DOUBLE THE RECIPE FOR THE FROSTING. Who are they kidding.