Birthday cakes - again!

When I made my Blurb cookbook I included an afternoon tea section, with the chocolate cake recipe my mum made. It has been made for family birthdays since.

Even though the daughters have their own children, they would be disappointed if I didn't make them a cake. But today I had to make two - one for #2 daughter who will be 42 tomorrow and is coming for cocktail, canapés AND cake. The other is for Ella - she is 5 next week but is having her party on Saturday.

Marjorie, who died the other day, is being cremated privately, but is having a party too - in her garden on her birthday in April, to drink wine and scatter her ashes round her roses.