Red Velvet Birthday Cake

My sister’s birthday was April 6th and since she was little, her favorite cake has always been red velvet. I’ve been trying to expand my baking skills, and wanted to take on the challenge. I looked up the best recipe online and headed to the supermarket. All of the ingredients are below, and ill link the recipe!

Baking is a science, which is why it has always intimidated me. You need to perfect the exact measurements, so it doesn’t come out too salty, too firm, etc. To me, cooking is easier, you can throw so many things together and somehow it always turns out pretty good. I love to challenge myself so I've been trying to bake things from scratch. So far I’ve tried banana bread, cookies, pie, raspberry/lemon cake and now…. red velvet!!

I was oddly especially intimidated by this dessert but once I got in the kitchen it was so much easier than I anticipated.

Here we go!

I set up my little tv show, made my iced coffee and got to mixing. The recipe I followed was great, super easy to keep track of. I was surprised by the ingredients needed and realized red velvet is technically a chocolate cake- which is funny since Mimi isn’t a big fan of chocolate. I thought the #1 rule of baking was to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. This one called for mixing the sugar with the vegetable oil, combining into the wet ingredients, and then incorporating into the flour, baking soda and baking powder.

The consistency of the batter was on the thinner side. Im used to more of a thick consistency before baking, but the recipe did warn it would be that way. I purchased silicon, heart shaped pans for this cake. There were three sizes for three tiers. The silicone itself was very flimsy and flexible, which wasn’t the best for baking. I doubled the recipe and it was difficult to lift and move them. I would recommend an aluminum pan. Since they each overflowed a bit during the cooking process, I don’t think its necessary to double this recipe, I could have achieved the same product by just making it normally.

There is something so therapeutic about being in the kitchen, cooking, or baking something. I started really appreciating it in college. After a long day of classes, I would put on my favorite playlist and make whatever I had in the fridge. As I get older, I appreciate that time more and more. Now, I’ll watch my favorite show, listen to my favorite podcast, call a friend, or just take some quiet time. Not only does it give me some time to slow down, but the act of making myself a meal, nourishing myself or my loved ones- there’s something special about that. I believe that in a way, it reminds me of my childhood and my roots. It’s a time for me to be present and do something for myself. It’s a time of mindfulness that can otherwise be challenging to achieve.

That’s why I cook and bake for the people I love, because I believe it is a true labor of love. To take the time to crack the eggs and whisk the batter, the patience to wait while it bakes, to wait while it cools, to ice and decorate. It requires time, thoughtfulness, and skillful planning. It requires creativity and imagination to make something new and personal. It’s a love language!!!

Now I know she looks a little busted. But TRUST THE PROCESS. OK!!

Along with the silicone pans, I ordered these flowers and edible pearls- I was so freaking excited. I don’t have much content of the actual decorating, because it did happen at 2:00 am after I got off my serving shift. But I still had a lot of fun doing it.

Now for the REVEAL… and im including different lighting so you can get the full effect.

I love birthdays because I love celebrating my favorite people, and Mimi is my favorite of them all. Watching my little sister grow up into the woman she is becoming is surreal, emotional, frustrating, and so special all at once. It’s like it happened in the blink of an eye, and sometimes I wish time would just slow down!!!

Sisterhood is one of the most beautiful things I’ve experienced. We make each other laugh with tears streaming down our faces and annoy the hell out of each other when we borrow one another’s clothes. It means having your personal cheerleader through every endeavor and someone to lift you up through the hard times. And I have to admit, she knows me better than anyone. A sister pushes you to be the best version of yourself, even when it means telling you something you don’t always want to hear. It’s a companionship and a love that lasts a lifetime.

I love who she is becoming, watching her grow into her own young woman. She is truly an independent, strong and fearless person whom I admire. Every year these moments flash in my memory, all of the things we’ve done together and all of the things we will do.

We spent the whole day together, had a lovely dinner, finishing off with a lil surprise party and a red velvet cake, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate my sister :)