My Ella Pie turned eight years old on November 14th and this is what's left of the cake she requested.
And although right now we are all busy focusing on our Thanksgiving pies for tomorrow, (myself included), sharing this chocolate cake recipe with you RIGHT NOW just could not wait any longer. It's really THAT good. Besides that, I promised everyone on Facebook and Instagram that I'd post the recipe this week...so there! *wink*

If you've been following along my blog for awhile, you know it's a family tradition to allow the person celebrating a birthday to choose their birthday dinner and birthday dessert - usually homemade by mom. Clara typically chooses cheesecake, Ema has chosen a fresh fruit cake for the last five years and Ella has been known to pick ice cream cakes - not homemade.

As you can see...no one ever really chooses a traditional cake - myself included.
So I was really surprised this year when Ella said you wanted a "chocolate cake with blue frosting and a dolphin on top".

The only photo I love of the cake is the mangled cake in the first photo because it was taken 5 days post-party as I was eating the last remaining MOIST bits of it alone in the house one afternoon with gorgeous natural light pouring in from the kitchen window. All of these other cake photos were taken at night because as those of you who saw my Instagram stories know...I finished the cake just barely shy of Ella walking in the door from gymnastics at 6:30 on the night of her birthday.*phew*

Regardless of the funky lighting...I just LOVE how it turned out.
I used Sweetapolita sprinkles , (a mix of New Jersey Shore + A Cherry on Top),  for me to add some fun to the sides and top of the cake. I then used my Cricut Explore Air 2 to create the glittered dolphin and waves cake topper! (also shown on my Instastories)

I'm not a huge fan of cake...even though I love cupcakes.
I've only baked a few "cake" cakes in my life so I'm certainly no expert but I am familiar with lining the pans, greasing the pans, dusting the pans and frosting a layer cake.

As my wheels started turning to figure out which chocolate cake recipe to go with, I remembered my friend, Allison, had recently made a chocolate cake for her daughter's birthday and raved about the recipe she used from someone at church.

I went with it and BAM! It's a winner!!
It's moist for DAYS...and it's oh so chocolatey!!
Which is why I'm sure it's original name is "Too Much Chocolate Cake".
The original recipe called for this to be a bundt cake but I turned it into a 3 layer 6" inch cake with buttercream frosting. I swapped out the regular chocolate chips for miniatures and I've renamed it "The Best Chocolate Birthday Cake EVER"!

I've even created cute recipe cards for you to download and print if you'd like because I love it that much!

DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE CARDS NOW

Do you love it?
Ella loved it...

Told you she'd just got home from gymnastics practice!
She's still in her leotard.

Anyway...the Sweetapolita sprinkles really make it extra adorable.
AND...if you aren't a cake baker or decorator...the sprinkles let you skip all those fancy piping details. BONUS!!

This cake is SO easy...especially if you do the bundt-cake version.
You could totally make this to surprise your family at Thanksgiving.

Hope you'll try it you guys!
You will NOT be disappointed.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!!
I am so grateful for your love and support and the stories you guys share with me.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so genuine and real.
The world could use more YOU in it!!

xoxo,
Jess

KEEPiNG iT REAL
I should clarify that Ella loved the way her birthday cake LOOKED on the night of her birthday because she never even ate any of her birthday cake that night. *gasp* She'd had a fever for three days previously and was okay...but not 100% percent and just didn't want any cake. I was SO disappointed my little birthday girl wasn't even eating her own requested special chocolate cake with blue frosting and dolphins on top birthday cake.

P.S. I still have her American Girl Doll themed birthday party details to share with you too.
But let's kick back and enjoy the Thanksgiving holidays for right now my friends.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little girl named Ella who's home with me today...waiting to do something fun together. *wink*

TWENTY-TWELVE

Happy TWENTY-TWELVE everyone!!

My kids are still out on Winter Break so aside from filling orders from my Etsy shoppe and The Pastry Pedestal™...
I've tried VERY hard not to be on the computer, in order to take advantage of time with them.

I've got so much to share...
and so much to say...
about 2011...
as well as the new year ahead of us...

I don't want to be rushed though.
You know I like for my posts to be heartfelt...
so as much as I want to hurry and post something...
you'll just need to be a little more patient with me until the kids are back in school.

While you are patiently awaiting regularly scheduled programming blogging...*wink*
Feast your eyes on these gorgeous "Pink Champagne" cake pops by the ever-so-talented Rosie from Sweetapolita!!

Source: sweetapolita.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Wishing you all a very Healthy, Prosperous, Fulfilling, Happy, and Meaningful 2012!!


KEEPiNG iT REAL
Our holidays have involved some unexpected turn of events...
My daughter, Clara, volunteered to care for a rabbit over the Holiday Break - for one of her classes.
We're familiar with caring for rabbits since my other daughter, Ema, had one as a pet at one point.
(Not to mention having rescued and nursed back to health a wild baby rabbit several years ago).
After having the floppy-eared rabbit for 4 days...
we awoke one morning to find it had given birth to six babies. What!?
We had NO clue the bunny was pregnant.
The teacher was equally surprised when we called her to give her the news.
One of the babies was deceased. *frown*
So...
for the past two weeks...
We have been doting on the five remaining baby bunnies.
One of the five seemed quite small...
so we have been very concerned about it.
Even after holding the momma bunny on her back so the tiny baby could eat...
We ended up purchasing kitten milk...
and then goat milk to supplement the baby's diet.
We repeatedly used a warmer to elevate the baby's temperature each time we felt it needed it...

We knew nature would take its course...

and that despite every effort made...

there was the potential that it wouldn't work out the way we wanted.

Just before midnight last night...
Through tear-stained faces...
and following a very long night on New Year's Eve as well...
We lost the sweet little bunny.

Clara and I prayed...

hugged one other...

and just continued to cry together.

Heart-broken to lose the sweet little bunny...

and yet relieved to know it was no longer suffering.

I know it's just a bunny.
But our hearts ache for any of God's creations that suffer...
and ultimately pass from this life.

Definitely wasn't expecting THAT for the holidays!!
Not the way I wanted to spend the first day of the New Year.
I REALLY did not need to be riding THAT emotional roller coaster. *huge...huge sigh*