I would like anything from a good bakery. My birthday sometimes falls on Thanksgiving and mostly just before or after. I have had my share of supermarket turkey shaped cakes and cakes with pilgrims. I used to ask for ice cream cakes as a kid because they at least had ice cream and usually weren't awful.....The worst was when I was 16. I wanted something grown up and beautiful. My sister talked my boyfriend and my parents into going to a amusement/arcade park for a surprise. The place was a castle themed park called Camelot. All the kids at my school called it "scam-a-lot" I was horrified. When the girl brought out the cake badly frosted and with day glow icing clowns and balloons I asked them to get it boxed and we went home to have ice cream instead. At least none of my friends saw it all. No I am not stealing this from the show Golden Girls. This actually happened to me! I had another cake disaster for my graduation. My sis and I got the freshest ingredients and made a cake from a cake bible cookbook from the library. I had spent a week prior making frosting roses for this masterpiece had saving them in the freezer. We made the cake and tasted the trimmed off parts it was fantastic! The next day we frosted it and that evening when the family tried it it was so dry no one wanted to eat it. After that I always ordered a cake from the European bakery I love in Pasadena. The other cake fail I was involved in was my cousin's wedding. She knew I could do frosting flowers well so she asked me to come over and decorate her wedding cake. She wanted me to use this lavender icing she made. I decorated the whole thing and we set it by the window. After an hour into the reception, the purple icing in the sunlight faded to blue and was melting a little. My part of the family was out drinking and laughing on the grass. My cousin's husband's family was inside being shocked at the drinking going on outside. The cake suddenly started to lean and lucky her husband's brother was sitting close by and grabbed for it. The top 2 tiers were saved but the lower ones crashed. She didn't put in any supports inside. But, great sport that she is, she just laughed and served her husband's family the upper layers and our family the toppled ones. We didn't mind a bit. She's a great gal and can laugh through anything. One of the weddings I can say I really enjoyed. Sliding color changing cake and all. Please no one get a bright colored cake for a birthday. At my granddad's 90th, my aunt ordered a NASA themed cake with dark blue icing. My Grandad worked in the space program after being in the air force during WWII. Everybody had a dark blue tongue and blue teeth. All these old people with blue lips and teeth! I love a simple cake with almond extract and some fresh ripe strawberries or peaches and whipped cream. I had a fantastic cake once made with 4 different pastel fruit flavored layers and also a very good Black Forest cake by a Belgian pastry chef who used to have a bakery in my city but has now retired. I'm too wary to try a special cake again but I love to make pies and decorate cupcakes with fresh flowers.

There are may versions of the Better Than Sex Cake.This recipe was given to me by an aunt. I made it once many years ago to take to work. It was a hit. 1 (18.5 oz) yellow cake mix 1 (1 lb 4 oz) can crushed pineapple 1 C sugar 1 ( oz) pkg vanilla pudding mix (not instant) 1 C whipping cream, whipped & sweetened flake coconut, lightly toasted Prepare cake mix according to directions on pkg. Pour into 13 x 9 pan and bake as directed. Cool. Combine pineapple & sugar & bring to a boil. Cool slightly. Poke holes into cooled cake with a fork. Pour pineapple mixture over the cake. Prepare pudding mix according to directions. Cool. Spread over pineapple & chill. Just before serving, cover with whipped cream & sprinkle with coconut.

All of these are tried and family approved :-) The banana cake doesn't start with a mix, but I'm sending it anyway since you say he loves bananas. Becky * Exported from MasterCook * Death By Chocolate Recipe By :Tamara Chatham Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 box chocolate cake mix 1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix 12 ounces chocolate chips 4 eggs 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup oil Mix all ingredients, except chocolate chips. Dust chocolate chips with flour. Remove excess flour, and fold into cake mixture. Bake in greased and floured bundt cake pan at temperature indicated on cake mix box. Dust with powdered sugar. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Tamara likes to refrigerate the cake before serving, as the texture becomes denser and the cholcolate chips harden. * Exported from MasterCook * Italian Love Cake Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 box fudge marble cake mix (or chocolate) 2 pounds ricotta cheese 1 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 box instant chocolate pudding -- (3 3/4 oz.) 1 cup milk 8 ounces non-dairy whipped topping -- thawed Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake as directed on box and pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. In separate bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix well. Spoon over unbaked cake. Bake cake for 1 hour. Cool. Mix instant pudding with milk; fold in whipped topping. Spread over cake; refrigerate. Yield: 12 servings. Source: "http://busycooks.about.com" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Chocolate Thunder Cake Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 box German chocolate cake mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk -- (14 ounce) 1 jar fudge ice cream topping -- (8 ounce) 1 container frozen whipped topping -- (16 ounce) thawed 2 8 ounce Heath candy bars -- crushed Bake cake in a 9-by-13-ounce pan as directed on package. Let cool 25 to 30 minutes. Poke holes in cake with wooden spoon handle. Pour on sweetened condensed milk; spread evenly. Wait 5 minutes. Spread fudge topping over cake. Wait 5 minutes. Spread whipped topping over cake and sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Chill thoroughly before serving. Makes 16 servings. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Banana Cake Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3/4 cup butter 2 1/8 cups white sugar 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas Frosting: 1/2 cup butter -- softened 1 package cream cheese (8 ounces) -- softened 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (1 lb box) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. 3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist. 4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Source: "www.allrecipes.com" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : I had to cook this for more than hour to get it cooked through, but it was very moist. Toasted chopped walnuts on top would be a nice addition. Use a metal pan (not glass) to bake it in if you're going to put it in the freezer! * Exported from MasterCook * Grandma's Rum Cake Recipe By :Teri Morrison Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 package Duncan Hines yellow cake mix 1 package vanilla instant pudding (4 serving size) 1/3 cup oil 1 cup water 4 eggs 3/4 chopped pecans Glaze: 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup Bacardi Rum (80 proof) Mix together cake mix, pudding, oil, water and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Spread evenly chopped nuts on the bottom of greased Bundt pan. Pour prepared cake mix into pan and bake as directed on cake mix box in a 350* oven. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center of cake comes clean. While cake is cooling. Melt butter in saucepan, stir in water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly. Then stir in rum. After cake cools for 10 minutes pour glaze over cake letting it run down all the sides and center. Let it soak into the cake for a while. Let cake cool until you can handle cake pan to invert. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : I like to use Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum. This cake really tastes best after it's had a couple of days for the flavors to blend.

Well, the party was today, and Madison was one happy little whirling dervish, and her sister just ate cookies and was happy too. We also had ham sandwiches, salsa and chips, some fruit snacks and white chocolate covered pretzels. The cake was all eaten and the doll was dressed and appropriately welcomed into the "family". Sharon, I can't believe she's three either, and the Littlest Sister is a year old. She learned a new word today. "Olaf". That's the snowman from the movie, LOL, and she loves him. Madison was a good big sister and let Little Sis play with her presents too. Just wait. Before you know it you'll be all snuggled up with a grandchild, eating cookies and watching movies about Princesses or Pirates. You'll be amazing at it too, I know. Annie This post was edited by annie1992 on Sun, Dec 7, 14 at 23:36