It goes without saying that if you are living with a gluten intolerant or Celiac person that real birthday cake is kinda rare.  Now it has been known to happen (twice maybe?) that the lady of the Farmlet went to the bakery and purchased a small real birthday cake with real flour and real gluten goodness in it for the man of the Farmlet,  but again, it is rare.

This year she tried to get the man to tell her what he wanted for his birthday and he finally said,

“Really, all the things I want I just go and buy for myself… so I don’t really want or need anything.”

WAIT A MINUTE!

Birthdays are supposed to be all about surprises, friends, family and fun!

(Yeah, I know, but it goes perfectly with the mixer…  OK, I heard that, you’re saying “What mixer?”  Wait for it it’s coming.)  🙂

It’s about getting that one little thing you just really wanted but couldn’t bring yourself to buy… (well ok, mine this year wasn’t so little, but it was what I really wanted and although we could really live without it, we really can use it.)

I digress.

Anyway, I couldn’t find a decent bakery in time for the big day, so I went out and bought a mix and some new cake pans to do the baking.  The new cake pans were necessary so as not to contaminate my bake ware.

I can hear you shouting:  “BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BEATERS ON THE MIXER!!!”

Not to worry.  I had a backup!

Way back in 1945 the man of the Farmlet’s Mother got married and she got a hand mixer which she used at least once a week for making cakes, cookies, custards, mashed potatoes, etc. for her family, and she continued to use it right up until she moved in with the Big Guy Upstairs…

Now as it happens, we moved into her home and inherited most of the stuff she left behind.  Much later, when we packed up to move to the Farmlet,  we took the most important stuff with us.   So how did I know  that a mixer over 65 years old was important, you ask?  The answer is simply that I liked that it still worked, although I have to admit I never imagined I’d actually use it!

And so it was that I put down dish towels, got out the old Pyrex bowls from the 50s, and got to work!

Yeah,  I used a box mix…  OK so I cheated!  What’s a gluten-free woman to do on such short notice…  I ask you?

But the box mix was covered in real, homemade, chocolate buttercream frosting!

No, your eyes do not deceive you.  That cake is most certainly lopsided.  I’m out of practice after all, but I have it on good authority it was a GREAT birthday cake.  Now I am certainly not bragging.  Honestly, if you have not had real cake for years, well then, this one was pretty much going to be well received now wasn’t it?  😉

~*~

Using Mom’s old mixer and bowls somehow made it seem as if she was right there with me, and I could imagine her smiling as I worked.

~*~