Making my own birthday cake

Is it pathetic to make your own birthday cake?

Not at all.

C has bought me many cakes, but we both agree mine are better. Besides, it's days before my birthday. I have a habit of celebrating the entire month of November -- with the ultimate goal of celebrating all year long when I get really smart. Thus, today's dessert (Dinner was leftovers), inspired by Smitten Kitchen and my mother. The SKithchen blog suggests a cake topped with bittersweet chocolate and pears chopped small. Instead of her recipe, I made Mom's sponge cake and topped it with 3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips and three Bartlett pears chopped smaller than bite-size. It took 45 minutes to bake, more than Mom's recipe. The pears are still a little hard. Next time (and there WILL be a next time!) I will let the pears ripen well, or soften them in the microwave before adding them to the cake. I considered using Kallebut chocolate, but Ghirardelli bittersweet  chips are perfect. It's festive and delicious. Don't wait for a birthday!

Mom's sponge cake with pears and chocolate

1 C. sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

dash salt

1/2 C. milk

1 T. butter

2 eggs

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips 

3 soft pears, chopped

1. Sift dry ingredients together.
2. Scald milk with the butter. Let butter melt. (I use a glass measuring cup & put it in the microwave until little bubbles form on the sides, but it doesn't boil. Takes less than a minute.)
3. Beat the eggs a lot, until they lose that eggy look & become light.
4. Gradually beat in the sugar.
5. Then add the dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.
6. Add hot milk with butter & vanilla.
7. Pour into buttered & floured 9" cake pan (I used a skillet.)  Bake 30 min. at 350° (45 minutes for pear and chocolate cake).
8. Top with 3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips and 3 soft pears, chopped. These will sink into the cake. 
9. Cool & then remove cake from the pan. (Don't use a skillet if you plan to remove the cake from the pan.),
10. For Boston Cream Pie split the cooled cake carefully with a long serrated knife & spread bottom layer with cream. Put second layer on top of the cream. Decorate with powdered sugar or a thin chocolate glaze.