1974

...that's the year I was born...on February 18th! If you do the math you'll quickly figure out that I turned 35. I was pretty emotional about it...I don't know...I guess it's just the reality of things sinking in.
When I was a little girl, I never understood why the grown-ups complained about another birthday and all the birthday card jokes about hating birthdays! Who wouldn't want to have a birthday? ...Well, I finally "get it".


As it turns out it wasn't such a bad day after all, thanks to my wonderful family.
My in-laws made me my favorite Asian dish, Twice Cooked Pork and we all celebrated together (two days before my birthday). My birthday cake was a brownie from the Cafe with a candle. Thanks for the great night and all the special gifts, Mom and Dad Marty!







Then, on the morning of my birthday...with the help of my sister-in-law...the kids brought me "breakfast in bed" and birthday cards that they had made for me! It was sooo sweet!



Q knew it was difficult for me to accept turning 35 so he was very sweet and encouraging to me...He came home from work with a dozen hot pink roses for me.
Then he took me out on a date...his sister took the kids for us overnight!!!...we went out for American Food at a restaurant here in Krakow called Jeff's. We had such a great evening together just the two of us. I had made myself a birthday cake --my favorite-- Fresh Orange Cake with Walnut Buttercream Frosting, so we came home for dessert. Thank you, Honey, for making my birthday so special. I love you! And, special thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes all the way to Krakow! I received many birthday cards and gifts. Thanks to my bff Dawnie for the sweet card, new slippers, and the rings...I wore one of them on my birthday!

me and my birthday cake!

Fresh Orange Cake

Cake:
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1 tablespoon or more of grated rind of 1 orange
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup juice of the orange
2 eggs

Filling and Frosting:
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 to 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans. Set aside.
• To make the cake: Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and the grated orange rind.
• Add the milk and the orange juice to the dry ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add the eggs; beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the 350 oven about 25 minutes or until the cake tests done with a wooden toothpick.
• Cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the pans (may stick on bottom). Cool the layers on racks.
• To make the filling and frosting: Blend the milk and cake flour in a saucepan. Cook over meduum-low heat to a very thick paste, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm about 40 minutes (tip: if I'm in a hurry I scrape it out onto a plate and spread it out a bit so it cools faster).
• Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, cream the shortening and butter with the 1 cup granulated sugar and salt.
  Add the lukewarm paste to the shortening mixture and beat with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy.
• Stir in vanilla. *Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture. Fold the nuts into the remaining mixture. **Spread 1 1/2 cups of the mixture between the cake layers.
  Add the powdered sugar to the remaining mixture and beat vigorously with a spoon to desired consistency. Frost top and sides of cake.
  

* Use the reserved 3/4 cup of frosting to seal in the crumbs. First, brush off as many crumbs as you can by hand. Then, spread the sides of the cake with a thin smooth coat of frosting. This layer will help seal in any stray crumbs. Finally, spread a thicker layer of frosting over the thin layer, swirling the frosting decoratively.

** If the filling and frosting is a little soft, add some sifted powdered sugar until it is just the right spreading consistency.