Birthday Cake

I am given the task of writing about a birthday cake.  I try to avoid them these days.  I could stick my age appropriate number of lit candles in a pan of cake batter and the cake would bake itself.

Cakes were made with butter and eggs and a hand beaten batter.  Now cakes are cloudy ghosts of their former glory.  Icing was buttery vanilla or chocolate confectionery but now it comes out of a tub from the market.   A handmade cake is better than gold.  A handmade cake with almond paste or hazel nut butter is a work of gastronomy.  

The best birthday cake was one that had been done as the big "skirt" surrounding a doll.