The Best Birthday Cake is Made with Love

  Growing up I had two birthday cakes that I LOVED. They were completely different but both had to do with my grandma's. When I was seven I moved to Vancouver Island and we lived close to my granny for the first time. My granny would make me a birthday cake that I loved. Each year I'd ask her to make it not giving a thought to my request and she faithfully would oblige. I had no idea until years later how much work went into this cake...and to me...how much love!
I am writing out this recipe so that it can be preserved :)

Orange Chiffon Cake
 pre heat oven to 325 degrees

13/4 cups of white flour
11/2 cups of sugar
3 teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 tsp salt
The grated rind of one orange
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of cold water
1/2 tsp of cream of tarter
6 egg whites

Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange rind together. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients and add in this order
vegetable oil
egg yolks
orange juice and water
Beat until smooth.
Add cream of tarter to egg whites in a large bowl and beat until egg whites form very stiff peaks. Gradually pour batter over beaten egg whites gently folding in until just blended. DO NOT STIR! Pour batter into ungreased 10 inch tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes increase to 350 and bake 10 minutes longer
Invert pan letting cake hung until cool

Orange Frosting
Grated rind of one orange
3 Tablespoons of orange juice
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of butter
3Tablespoons of light cream
3 to 4 cups of sifted icing sugar

Mix first five ingredients together. Gradually add icing sugar until good spreading consistency.

   The other cake came from the small town my grandma lived in on the mainland. It was a German bakery and it made an incredible Black Forest Cake. When we moved off the island and back to the mainland when I was thirteen I asked for that cake every year. The bakery closed eventually and I had my last Black Forest Cake when I was about twenty. I still remember how each cake tastes and I miss them every year. I have not found a replacement cake. Usually I ask my dad to make me apple pie. It is funny how things like this are so special and create such fond memories. I miss both my grandma and granny so much. They both poured a lot of themselves into me. I hope I will get the chance to do the same for my grandchildren.