Birthdays

I’ve never really thought much about them. I do agree it is a special day/date but I never felt that I needed to tell the whole world “Hey! It’s my BIRTHDAY!!” I guess that’s just me. I’m a very quiet, low profile kind of person. I never like to make big celebrations. Only my closest friends and families are important to me. Hence, I’m more comfortable being around the people I love.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a big birthday bash or anything like that. I don’t have any regrets. Sometimes I think birthdays bring a lot of bad memories for me. Maybe because I have high expectations. So, I tend not to hope too much so as not to get disappointed. Birthdays are also a reminder that I’m getting older which is not really a good thing, to me. Despite all that, there were several birthdays that I was very happy and super contented. It would one of the birthdays where I get to have dinner with all my friends and be filled with glorious food and surrounded by stupid jokes, gossips and laughter.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

It is quite ironic that I feel the opposite way when making birthday cakes for my customers. Making birthday cakes always make me feel happy and excited. I especially love it when I received orders from husbands who request to put sweet messages on the cakes or that the order is a surprise for the wife. I find it sooo sweet and touching and to be part of something so loving makes me extremely honoured. I'm a sucker for romantic stuffs.

Baking a birthday cake for Yanty has become a yearly tradition. She is a very good friend that I got to know when we were in polytechnic. It was weird how our paths met but it is something I never forget. She was one good friend that I can rely on. Very talented and unassuming and has a very beautiful handwriting. She can write songs and plays the guitar really well. She is also one of the most patient person I know. She's strong amidst all that she went through.

So, every year, Firdaus, her brother will always order a cake from me with a theme or a tidbit that he chooses to be incorporated into the cake. It is like a birthday tradition for me. This year, it was Yan Yan (pic on left). It is a biscuit treat with chocolate dip inside the packaging. I didn’t really have that much idea but I know I’ve been wanting to make this 3 layer cake where one layer is a chocolate cake, another is a cheesecake and a top layer is a cookie dough. So, I incorporated some biscuit bits into the cookie dough and covered the cake with chocolate ganache and chocolate swiss meringue buttercream. I thought it was a pretty cake inside and out. But I would have improved on the cake recipe. You can find the recipe here. 

Do you have a "birthday tradition"? :)