a special birthday cake

January 21, 2014

Part of being a great hostess is to know your guests. Today, so many people have dietary restrictions and part of good entertaining is taking the special needs of your guests into consideration.

Recently, I needed to come up with a birthday cake for a special birthday dinner where the guest of honor had some dietary concerns. The solution I came up with was quick, easy, and delicious.

I served an angel food cake with a fresh berry topping and a Nutella filling. All the items were purchased in the grocery store and the dessert took very little time to prepare. I chose not to make my own angel food cake since our local grocery store offered one in the bakery section that cost less than the price of the tube pan I would need to purchase to bake my own.

Made with just sugar, flour, and egg whites; angel food cake is a great alternative to a traditional birthday cake for many special diets. As an optional filling, I sliced the cake horizontally with a serrated knife and spread one side with Nutella. For the strawberry topping, I hulled and halved a pound of strawberries – heated them up slightly in a pan on the stove with a tablespoon of sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Easy, tasty, and all ready for a birthday candle!