Happy National Dessert Day

Today is National Dessert Day and in celebration of this day, I am writing this post. While it is true that desserts include cake, candies, cookies, pies, flan, mouse, ice cream, fruits, pastries, cobblers, and donuts, among the long list, I am going to focus this blog on cake.

Inspired by the Book, the Author/Illustrator and the Recipe Contributor

Before learning that October 14th is National Dessert Day, I had already chosen the book Cake written and illustrated by Maira Kalman with recipes by Barbara Scott-Goodman as an inspiration for a future post. Well, the future is now the present. Not only did I read the book but I also attended Kalman’s gallery exhibit at the High Museum Atlanta where she had an entire room dedicated to the book complete with illustrations, writing on the wall, and cake ottomans that resembled the pink cake in the picture below. The exhibit left Atlanta on September 15, 2019.

Having now read over ten of her books, I have been intrigued by her uniqueness and eclectic nature and way of writing and storytelling as I noted in a video I taped and posted on youtube. I find her style one that depending on the book fits many different types of readers including the reluctant readers and the readers who are diagnosed as ADD and/or ADHD. She also has books for everyone else…something and more for all readers. But, back to cake. This is dessert time, let’s not get pulled back into the appetizer and entree portion of the meal.

As you can see from the promo video above, her style is whimsy, brilliant and yet simple and the illustrations and recipes will inspire you to either stop off at a bakery, order dessert at dinner or even go home and bake. The cake-inspired stories that are included will bring back memories that you have with cake, making that connection to important episodes, events, and happenings in your life. I will share some of mine below. Note: within this post you will also see pictures of cakes from Pasta Bella in Austell, Georgia, Marietta Diner in Marietta, Georgia, Honeymoon Bakery in Rome, GA, and Mike’s Pastry in Boston’s North End in Massachusetts…four of my favorite places to buy cake. Please note that if you pull up the menu, many of the cake offerings will not be listed; the selections in the restaurant are more extensive than the menu indicates. Also, what is my favorite at one may be among my least favorite at another. But rest assure, each has more than one favorite.

Let’s begin with stories about three of my favorite cakes in no particular order of favorites: the 7-layer yellow butter cake with milk chocolate frosting, the Red Velvet Cake and the Italian Rum Cake. Don’t get me wrong I like coconut cake, German Chocolate Cake, Italian Wedding Cake, Angel Food Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Key Lime, Tiramisu Cake and 3 Leches Cake to name a few. Yes, you can say I love cake! Yes, I love cake! There, I’ve said it.

Chocolate Cake Connections

My love of cake, as I remember, began with my maternal grandparents. My grandmother baked some wonderful “sweet breads” and layered cakes. I loved her 7-layers yellow cake with chocolate frosting. To add to my nostalgia, my grandfather, Sam, when taking a break from farming and to provide snacks and treats used to buy packaged 7-layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting. He spoiled me with the cakes. My aunts and uncle with whom I grew up with along with my parents say when they tired to take a piece, I would cry out for him and he would tell them to leave me alone. My mom during my childhood, teen and early childhood years also had made her share of the cakes along with her favorite coconut cakes and my husband’s German Chocolate and Carrot Cakes. She still makes them from scratch. I could never copy one because she doesn’t measure anything, she just makes it. As a matter of fact she doesn’t measure anything when she cooks, no matter what she is cooking.

A few years ago at my uncle’s funeral repass I met a lady in North Carolina who still makes the layered yellow cake with chocolate frosting, except hers is about 20 layers. It was so delicious. I can’t wait until I visit my aunt again so I can order one…maybe for the holidays.

Red Velvet Cake Remembrances

I first had a piece of red velvet cake at a friend’s house in South Carolina when I was a junior high student. I first was intrigued by the color and then the taste. To be truthful, when I bit into my slice, I would not be surprised if I hummed, did a little seat dance AND curled my toes. It was that good. I’ve had several pieces since my first; made by bakeries, family and friends, but none are as scrumptious as the ones made by my favorite red velvet cake makers who are the parents of one of the boys that used to be on my husband and my former track club. Now it is a cake “to die for.” The first time I tried it was at our team’s track & field banquet. They had made one and brought it. As soon as a few people tasted it, the word got around and like that it was gone…before I had a chance to even taste it. At the end of the banquet, my friends who had made the cake, announced it was my birthday and that they had made one just for me. Let me just say their red velvet cakes are so good that each time she has baked one for me, my daughter who didn’t like red velvet couldn’t stay away from it and my husband who doesn’t eat many sweets kept sneaking some. Talking about delicious!!!!! It goes beyond that descriptor; it is SCRUMPDILLYICIOUS! One year when they made one for my family for Christmas, my mom was able to taste it. My mom agrees it is the best she has tasted, replacing the one that had been her favorite for decades. Since my friend moved away for a couple years ago and since we no longer operate the track club, I haven’t been blessed with any in several years. Occasionally I go to a restaurant or bakery that has it on the menu, but usually leave disappointed…sometimes not even finishing it. However, during the last year I have found two that I do like, although still not a Jackson Red Velvet, it does wet the appetite and kills the craving. Although, none have yet to hold a candle to that one recipe of my friends, I do have access to my favorite whenever I crave the tasty treat.

I plan to have one for my first celebration of Juneteenth. I recently learned that it is a traditional treat on that day. It will either be from Jaemor Farms or Nothing Bundt Cake. And if not then, for my husband and my birthday this summer and definitely one for my daughter’s graduation this year after she finishes her doctoral program. Celebrations here we come!

Italian Rum Cake Celebrations

I became with acquainted with my third favorite cake, the Italian Rum Cake during the summer of 1973 when I worked at the U.S. HUD Legal library in downtown Boston in the Kennedy building. I worked there for 3 summers, one in high school and two in college. When it was someone’s birthday on our floor, the go-to-cake was the Italian Rum Cake from Mike’s Pastry located in Boston’s historic North End on Hanover Street. Usually it was my responsibility to go pick up the cakes. What a treat it was to get to walk in the North End smelling all the delicious smells of Italian Cuisine. Mike’s Pastry takes up a block and is full of beautiful pastries including their cannoli and lobster tails. Once I tasted that first bite of the Italian Rum Cake, there was no going back. When I have traveled to Boston by plane or by car, I bring one back. I have been known to request one from anyone traveling to Boston. Unfortunately, I haven’t been home to Boston in years so this delicacy is long awaited.

When it comes to Mike’s cakes I am a little bias, going for the Italian Rum every time. To be clear, Mike’s Pastry has other cakes on his menu including my other favorite, the Red Velvet Cake. I just haven’t tried it yet, but I need to since I tend not to order it when among selections at other bakeries and restaurants. The closest I come is the mini red velvet at Rome’s Honeymoon Bakery. Other favorites at Mike’s are the Tiramisu Cake, Boston Cream Pie, and Strawberry Shortcake to name a few. See pics above for some of the cakes mentioned and some not mentioned. But after tasting that Italian Rum Cake, I must admit it and cannolis are what I order at Mike’s. I do plan on trying the others one day. Hopefully soon.

Another story that comes to mind is when one of my former students traveled to South Carolina with my husband and I. My mom had made a 5-layer Sour Cream Coconut Pineapple cake that I had never had before, nor had he. It was so delicious that he asked to use the phone to call home to tell his mom who was also a talented and skill baker. When we left, my mom sent some home for his family. Unfortunately L.C. passed away over 15 years ago, but the last time I saw him was at a church we attended together. As we talked about his high school days and our memories, he reflected on that cake and asked if my mom still made it. I had to tell him that although she had made it many times since, it was the first and only time that I she had made it when I was there. I promised him that if she ever did I would bring him a piece. Sadly, it is a promise I will never be able to fulfill.

One of my cake memories was actually because of the cake decoration. When I was a cheerleader coach, one of the office administrative assistants made and decorated cakes on the side. She once made a cake and created the cake with the 3D faces of each of my cheerleaders. They each had their own square. The cake was very detailed down to hair color, hair style, eye color, skin tone, eyes, freckles for two and face and nose shapes. It was gorgeous. Other cake memories involve a high school and college graduation where key lime cakes were served. Those cakes were deliciously moist and sweet tart tasting.

Last March my husband and I were in Kendall, Florida and stopped off at a Cuban bakery that serve delicious cakes. Another place that has cakes that my husband likes is the Brazilian Bakery Cafe on Powers Ferry Road in Marietta, GA and La Suprema Bakery and Panaderia, also in Marietta.

Recently I had lunch with some friends at a deli and dessert restaurant. The cakes looked delicious but I didn’t get any. I hope to change that in the near future. Maybe today, after all it is National Desserts Day. Buen Provecho! Bon Appetit!

To learn more about Maira Kalman and her works, check out my YouTube video celebrating this wonderful, eclectic and unique author/illustrator. The video can be found HERE.

Engagement & Connection Ideas

• Brainstorm the names of as many cakes you can think of.
• Solicit the responses of people’s favorite cakes. Create graphs and charts of the responses.
• Bake a cake mentioned in Kalman’s Cake using one of Barbara Scott-Goodman’s recipes
• Organize a cake tasting party
• Organize a Cake Walk where everyone brings in a cake. If done as a fundraiser, donate proceeds to a cause like a shelter, Sickle Cell Association, American Cancer Society, or another one close to your heart.
• Host a Cake Day
• Host a Cake auction, solicit cake donations. Donate proceeds.
• Create a Dessert Bar for an event
• Sign up for a cake decorating class
• Interview a baker or cake chef
• Watch episodes of Cake Boss, a Cake-Off or Cake Wars. Once hearing the challenge, design a cake that you would enter if on the show. Consider hosting your own school/community/neighborhood contest.