It’s a cake! I actually made a cake.

It’s my mom’s birthday and she deserves a cake.

Because it’s my mom’s birthday—the person who gave me life—I broke out the big guns.

These are recipes passed down from Mother Lovett that I often turn to for special occasions.

Ignore my messy stove—I was having a bit of a meltdown yesterday. Not cake-related, just life.

When I first started this blog I wrote a post about things my mom was right about. Looking back, many early posts make me cringe, but that one still rings true. Moms are usually right about more than you think, and I keep finding reasons to repeat those lessons.

My mom has been right about so many things.

Breathing deeply is one of the simplest and most effective habits she taught me. I’ve struggled with anxiety for a long time, and taking a few deep breaths has always helped calm me. Sometimes I stand in the kitchen and breathe until the panic eases—desperately needed and always helpful.

She also understood comfort food. Hot turkey or roast beef between soft white bread, drenched in piping hot gravy—absolutely yes.

She was ahead of the curve about phones. I begged for my own phone as a kid, but my mom knew it wasn’t necessary. Years later I don’t even have a landline—she saw what mattered long before I did.

On shaving: my mom didn’t let me start when I wanted to, and I did it anyway. In hindsight she was right—sometimes waiting spares you hassle and regret.

One of the most memorable pieces of advice: save bacon grease. Keep the drippings in the fridge and sauté things in it—she swore it made everything better, and I learned to do the same. It’s where a lot of my cooking instincts came from.

She isn’t into technology and that’s okay. She’d rather be outside planting flowers than glued to a screen. She doesn’t check her email or voicemail, and I kind of respect that digital disconnect.

I’m grateful she didn’t let me fall for half-baked promises as a teen—no co-ed sleepovers for me. She kept boundaries that protected me in ways I appreciate now.

One lasting lesson about food: you don’t have to eat an entire pan of brownies just because it’s there. If you want three, have three. Stop when you feel satisfied. That moderation and mindfulness around food has stuck with me.

She has quirky habits—hoarding old cake mix and instant Jell-O, ordering white bread for a double-decker club, and calling margarine-and-salt corn a vegetable—but she’s also responsible for the practical values that keep my life somewhat steady.

So, a cake it was: a plain yellow cake topped with a chocolate frosting from Mother Lovett’s repertoire. The frosting is fudgy and a little different from standard buttercream because you cook it, let it cool, then whip it until lighter in color. It doesn’t set as firmly as buttercream, but it’s perfect for casually spreading on cakes and cupcakes. It’s forgiving, quick, and perfect for a mom’s birthday—especially when covered in sprinkles.

Yellow Birthday Cake

Makes two 8-inch layer cakes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined, then add vanilla. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients and mix. Add the milk, then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Divide batter between two 8-inch buttered and floured cake pans. Bake 23–25 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden. Cool completely before frosting.

Fudge Frosting

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (about four 1-ounce squares)

1 1/2 cups milk

3 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place milk and chocolate in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted. Add sugar, corn syrup, and salt, and continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and ensuring it doesn’t scorch. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla, and let cool completely—use the fridge or freezer to speed this up if needed. Once cool, beat in an electric mixer until slightly thickened and lighter in color. This frosting is saucy and won’t firm up like buttercream, but it’s excellent for draping over cakes and stores well in the refrigerator.

Yes, I served my mom a cake with two slices missing. In our house, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.