My husband shares his birthday with one of his close friend (and with one of my close friends as well). They all decided to come out of their mothers’ tummy just two days before new year. Another interesting thing is that their wedding days are a day apart. My husband’s friend was in the same neighborhood in India before he moved to US. And after ten long years, the two of them are in the same neighborhood again. Little surprises of life :-).

Same neighborhood means they could cut their birthday cake together after over a decade! And I jumped in at the opportunity of baking the birthday cake.

I wanted a ‘surprise inside’ cake which reveals their age when they cut into it. I wanted a gingerbread house cake for my son for his birthday. So I decided a trial cake would be a good idea for both the events. I am glad I did!! The surprise inside cake surprised me totally when the numbers just floated up!! It just wasn’t as elegant as I thought it would be. And the less I said about the gingerbread house cake, the better! Words are not needed to describe that.

Yet, I wanted a surprise element for their birthday. So I baked this pound cake again (I loved the taste when I baked for the surprise inside cake) and didn’t decorate it. When everyone was up and looking for the birthday cake, I told them this was the one.

It was pin drop silence and a collective relief when they knew I was kidding :D. Happily they cut into their decorated cake and were happier when their age didn’t pop out of the cake.

Recipe source: Martha Stewart’s book – Cakes

Makes : 2 9 X 5 inch loaves

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (~450 gms) butter, softened
• 3 cups (~450 gms) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups (~450 gms) sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 9 eggs (Yes, 9!!)

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C. Grease two 9X5″ loaf pans.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a hand or stand mixer, until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and beat it in.
5. Add the flour in 4 batches, beating until just incorporated.
6. Divide the batter between the pans. Smooth out the top.
7. Bake for about an hour or until a skewer comes free of crumbs when inserted in the middle.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least  5-10 minutes before taking it off and letting it cool completely.