Creating a Birthday Delight

            Mmmm! The smell of chocolate floated from my kitchen.  Baking a cake can create that heavenly smell.  To make one, gather two eight inch round baking pans, Pam spray, a large mixing bowl, a spatula or flat scraping tool, wire racks, a cake plate, a spoon of sugar, a box of chocolate cake mix, two eggs, ½ cup of water, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, a can of chocolate icing, and two colored tubes of decorating icing.

            To begin, preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  Open a box of chocolate cake mix and pour into a mixing bowl.  Next, crack two eggs into the mix.  Then add the water and oil.  Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients for two minutes at the “beat” speed.  Beating it too little or too long will make the cake lumpy or tough.  Next, spray the bottom and sides of the pans with Pam.  After that, use a spatula to equally divide the batter into the pans, scraping the sides of the bowl well.  You may want to lick the bowl to get a preview of the taste! To get the batter even on top, move the pans side to side. Finally, place the pans of batter in the oven for about thirty minutes. A good hint is to insert a toothpick; if it comes out clean, the cake is done. 

            Once the cake is baked, it is important to let the layers cool for about five minutes in the pans.  Then use your spatula to pass around the sides of the pan.  Next invert the pans and remove the layers carefully onto wire racks to finish cooling for about thirty minutes to an hour.  Cool layers will ensure the icing does not melt when applied, and the layers are less likely to crack.  Your dessert is ready to ice and decorate!

            The final stage of your treat is the creative part.  To start sprinkle a little sugar on the cake plate. Then lay the first layer on top.  Using a spatula, spread icing evenly on the first layer. Next put on the second layer.  Now spread the icing around the sides evenly and then the top.  Here’s where the fun begins! To decorate write “Happy Birthday” with one squeeze tube color of decorating icing.  Next using the other squeeze tube color of icing to make designs like squiggly lines around the bottom and top edges of the cake.  Another extra decoration could be adding candy decorations from the store such as roses or stars.  Let your imagine be your guide!

            In conclusion, baking a cake can be helpful in many ways.  To measure ingredients, you can improve your math skills.  If you are invited to a potluck supper, you can bring your special cake along. In addition, cakes make great desserts for any meal. Finally, you never know when a birthday cake you created would be the hit of a surprise party!