Thursday
Jul312008
A Very Special Cake Poll and Giveaway: It's Cakespy's Birthday!
Thursday, July 31, 2008 
Do you remember the day you were born, Cakespy? After all, it was one year ago--on August 1----that we made our inaugural post. How the time has gone! In some ways we can't believe it's been a year, and yet at the same time, it seems inconceivable that it's only been a year. One sugar-filled, dentist's nightmare of a year.
While we could regale you with the story of Cakespy's birth, we thought it would be much funner to have a poll and give away some sweet stuff! In keeping with the birthday theme, our subject is birthday cake. And since it's a special day, there will be not one but four winners!
- Winner 1 will get the original painting shown at the top;
- Winner 2 will get a Cakespy T-Shirt (Unisex sizes XS-L, winner will be notified and asked for a size; no need to put it in your response);
- Winners 3 and 4 will receive a box of 10 assorted Cakespy Notecards!
The fine print: The poll will be closed at 12 noon PST on Wednesday, August 6th; responses may be posted in the comments section or emailed to jessieoleson@gmail.com. As usual, winners will be chosen at random, and will be assigned prizes in the order mentioned above (sorry, no swapping). Entries from the US and beyond are welcome. Your info will never be shared and these questions are solely motivated by our nosy spy tendencies.
Cake Poll: Birthday Cake!
- What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little?
- What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday?
- Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? (Feel free to explain)
- Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it?
- Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle?
- Ice cream cakes: awesome or awful?
- Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake?
- What's the best thing about birthday cake?
Please note--the poll is CLOSED!
tagged birthday cake, cake poll
birthday cake, cake poll
Reader Comments (277)
First, before I start the poll I just wanted to say great blog!
1. It was a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and homemade raspberry jam on the outside. In addition to the cake, my grandpa always made me a saskatoon berry pie.
2. Not sure, i like the element of surprise.
3. yes. but not if it has gelatin stabilizers.
4. I have done it. I always seem to get wax in my mouth, so I swear it off. and then I do it again anyhow.
5. Depends. If the cake is fresh, its a great surprise. If the cake has been sitting in the fridge for 4 days because someone actually forgot to bring it out (the C. shaped cake of 2004), it turns the middle of the cake into something disappointing.
6. homemade ones are awesome. most store bought ones are awful. I'll eat both without complaint.
7. Nope. see my answer to #1.
8. the best thing is sharing it with your friends and family, and eating it for breakfast the next day.
Oh, this is so fun!
What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little? Always a strawberry jello poke cake
What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday? something with lots of icing! (probably cupcakes)
Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? (Feel free to explain) Not anymore. I used to always have whipped cream, but I love icing!
Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it? Sure, sometimes
Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle? only if it is raspberry
Ice cream cakes: not a big fan
Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake? sure is! LOL
What's the best thing about birthday cake? You can have as much as you like because it's your birthday! LOL
1. My mom usually made cake from a box for birthdays, but we could have whatever flavor we wanted. I usually got chocolate, but one year I asked for a Harvey Wallbanger cake because it was made in a bundt pan, with orange cake mix, and glaze, and was therefore all high-class and unusual.
2. For my next birthday I would love to have one of those cakes shaped like other things, like an owl or something.
3. Yes, because sometimes when you have a ton of buttercream, you hit a wall after a while, it's so heavy.
4. I have never licked the frosting from the candles. There's too much wax flavor that you get along with the frosting.
5. Are we talking like, pieces of fruit? Because that's weird, but if it's like jam filling, then that's delicious.
6. I don't like ice cream cakes because I don't like to chew my ice cream.
7. Hey, if you want a pie, then have a pie. It's your birthday, do whatever you want!
8. The best part about birthday cake is that it's a time you're allowed to indulge, without feeling guilty or worrying that everyone is looking at you eating a giant piece of cake.
1. A cake from Goldilocks bakery! It was like an early Ace of Cakes, and often had dolls and castles on it.
2. Hmm ... I like to be surprised, but I'd love an ice cream cake.
3. I don't know if I've ever had whipped cream frosting. But I like whipped cream, so I wouldn't turn it down.
4. Definitely. I was always yelled at for doing it as a kid, but it never stopped me.
5. Depends on the cake, and the filling.
6. AWESOME.
7. It's your birthday. If you want a birthday pie, then it's never wrong.
8. Knowing that it's your cake. Selfish, I know, but I'm kind of enamored with the idea that this cake was made especially to celebrate you, on your birthday.
1. As a kid I loved marble cake. I was fascinated by the fact that the batter didn't just moosh altogether into one color.
2. Hmmm. Hard to say- I always want one of those big ol' frosted chocolate chip cookie cakes (cookie+frosting=heaven) but no one ever gets me one. I had a cupcake cake this year.
3. NO! Whipped cream is ONLY okay on shortcake and pie. It doesn't help that usually whipped cream frosting is actually waxy "whipped topping".
4. I love frosting, so of course! I actually have to use a lot of will power to not lick the frosting off the candles at OTHER people's birthdays.
5. Eh, it depends on the fruit and the cake. I like jam as a filling for cakes.
6. If it's around, I'll eat it, and I've made them for other people's birthdays, but I'm not big on the ice cream/cake combo.
7. Yes. Pie is always okay.
8. I like baking other people birthday cakes best. It's fun to make cakes for celebrations, because it's so happy and joyful.
1. Duncan Hines' German chocolate cake. Always!
2. Last weekend, I attended a wedding and was served the best wedding cake I've ever eaten. I think it was simply a classic white cake with vanilla buttercream, but it was incredible. I turned to my husband and said, "THIS is what I want for my birthday." In two months, I turn 40. Forty deserves an extra-fantastic cake, don't you think?
3. The last time I was served cake frosted with fresh whipped cream, the whipped cream had turned sour. We didn't have the heart to tell the hostess. So no on the whipped cream.
4. I generally don't lick the frosting off candles, but I will lick it off the inside of the bakery box.
5. Fruit filling is lovely as long as it's all-natural and suits the flavor of the cake.
6. The only problem with ice cream cake is that the ice cream is taking up valuable cake real estate. But I'd never turn down a slab of Baskin Robbins Pralines & Cream cake.
7. Birthday pie is just sad. But what's worse is a birthday "cookie cake," like the ones sold by Great American Cookies at the mall. There are members of my extended family who eat these for every birthday. It's not a cake, people! It's just a big cookie! Oh, the injustice.
8. When it's your birthday cake, you get the biggest slice. And the most frosting. And you get to keep the leftovers so that you can eat another piece before bed and some at breakfast the next day.
1. I think it was Duncan Hines brand Cherry Chip with homemade buttercream icing.
2. I always get cupcakes from a local place - vanilla with...buttercream icing.
3. It can work with cake that would be too rich (dark fudgy chocolate) or overwhelmed (lemon) by a regular icing.
4. Yes!
5. Mostly disappointing.
6. If it's one of those that has a layer of cake and a layer of ice cream - awful. If it's like a Carvel with all ice cream and cookie crunch in the middle - awesome.
7. You should have whatever you like.
8. Every day is *someone's* birthday.
1. I usually had red velvet with boiled icing. But mom would always ask me what I wanted.
2. I want my mom to make me anything, I miss her. Her yellow cake with chocolate icing would be great.
3. Oh yes, delicious.
4. Oh yeah, I like the candle
5. I like fruit filling but not with chocolate cake.
6. Ok
7. Oh, no, it's all about what the birthday person wants.
8. Leftovers!!!!
1. I usually had red velvet with boiled icing. But mom would always ask me what I wanted.
2. I want my mom to make me anything, I miss her. Her yellow cake with chocolate icing would be great.
3. Oh yes, delicious.
4. Oh yeah, I like the candle
5. I like fruit filling but not with chocolate cake.
6. Ok
7. Oh, no, it's all about what the birthday person wants.
8. Leftovers!!!!
Until I was about ten, every year I had a vanilla cake with buttercream frosting, with extra pink flowers and a little ballerina statue, even though I didn't take dance classes.
For my next birthday, I'm still hoping for vanilla cake with buttercream frosting, but I'm also interested in one of the ice cream cakes from Cold Stone Creamery. Really, I just want to try one of those cakes and can't come up with another excuse to get one.
Absolutely no whipped frosing, ever! It's weirdly frothy and leaves a coating on my tongue.
You have to lick the frosting from the bottom of the candles, otherwise you are wasting frosting, which voids birthday wishes.
Fruit filling is fine in some fancy dessert cake, but birthday cake should be just cake and frosting.
Ice cream cakes are fine for other people, but not me. Even if I do have one this year along with my real cake, it will just be the bonus cake.
Birthday pie? That's just silly.
The best thing about birthday cake is that we always get HUGE cakes, then have cake for breakfast for the next few days.
I just wanted to say happy birthday Cakespy! One of my top 5 favorite blogs on the Interweb! I can't wait to eat cake with you in September! Exclamation point!
Happy Birthday to Cakespy! I am just in the process of setting my own blog up today! Its an exciting thing.
To the questions!
1. My mom always made me a 7-up cake. Its light and lemony.
2. I still love the 7-up cake!
3. Ick. Cream cheese frosting is the way to go.
4. Depends on the frosting.
5. Usually there is too high of cake to filling ratio. I find it a disappointment.
6. Terrible.
7. Nope. Birthday treats are all about making the birthday person happy. If its pie you want, you should get it!
8. Getting first dibs on the leftovers.
Thanks! Happy Birthday Cakespy!
#1. Blueberry cheesecake--it was my favorite! W
#2. Yellow cake with chocolate pastry cream and whipped cream frosting.
#3. Yes!
#4. Not anymore.
#5. Commercial-disappointment; home-make: surprise!
#6 Generally awful, but occasionally yummy.
#7 No! No! No!
#8. Sharing it.
1. Funfetti Cake with Betty Crocker Frosting
2. Carrot Cake (with Cream Cheese Frosting)
3. Eew. That isn't frosting in my book.
4. I used to lick the frosting off the candles until I realized we re-used them for every birthday in our family. Grossed me out!! Blech.
5. Jam belongs on toast, not in my cake.
6. Awful.
7. NO. My mom used to do that to mix things up!
8. The best thing about birthday cake is that it's all about YOU!
# What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little? I always liked black forest cake best. I love chocolate, and there's something just that much more special when cherry pie filling and whipped cream was added.
# What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday? Actually, I have found that a package of dried cranberries are divine in the cake batter before baking. I think I'll probably make that and put chocolate whipped cream on it.
# Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? (Feel free to explain) It depends on the cake. Some things, like german chocolate or carrot, absolutely not. Other in general? Certainly, because lighter is better for you!
# Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it? I used to as a kid. I rather stopped using candles in my late 20's.
# Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle? Depends on the quality and the combination. lemon never seems to do well. Rasperry or cherry is absolutely wonderful.
# Ice cream cakes: awesome or awful? My birthday is in May, so it's warm enough then to say they are awesome. As long as it's never ice cream that's mint-flavored. nasty.
# Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake? No! In fact, about 4 years ago, my birthday treat when visiting my parents wasn't cake, it was mom's homemade blackberry cobbler.
# What's the best thing about birthday cake? It's your birthday, so you can have any flavor combo you want! How about milk chocolate cake with raspberry filling and Nutella as frosting!
1. What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little? Heart shaped chocolate cake with chocolate frosting ! Yummy ! A recipe from my mother's motherland : Canada
2. What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday? Same as usual : the heart shaped choco-cake !!! + my stepfather's banoffee pie
3. Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? (Feel free to explain) Yes. The only frosting I don't like is the french one : they fill everything-up with that disgusting buttery thing (I'm French) ........... No icing sugar, JUST BUTTER, kind of ... Yikes !
4. Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it? Yes ! And I always finish the extra frosting from the frosting bowl, as well :D
5. Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle? It can be ok if they are fresh fruits (jam filling is a no-no) : I love eating healthy, but honestly ........... What can be better than a chocolate-y or a caramel-y center, hu ?
6. Ice cream cakes: awesome or awful? I'm not into it ... I love the good ol' cakes mummy used to bake (and still does, actually !)
7. Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake? Nope, if it's a "banoffee pie" : the pie that is actually more a cake than a pie. hehe ;)
8. What's the best thing about birthday cake? I'll say the same thing as Nosey Penguin !!!
>> "When people don't eat a whole lot of it and you have lots of cake to eat instead of other meals for several days" (although I'm not sure it could go longer than "for breakfast", for me ! ;) hehe)
I'm sorry ! I mis-wrote the name : "Noisy Penguin" ... Not "nosey" My mistake !
♠ x x x ♠
Petite Ace of Spades
# What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little? i remember having icecream cake alot. and after my mum did her baking course i loved her black forest cake..so so good.
# What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday? something with chocolate ganache on top
# Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? no...don't really like cream much
# Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it? depends on what the frosting is
# Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle? disappointment.
# Ice cream cakes: awesome or awful?hehe. i used to like them but now not so much
# Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake? nope, its your birthday you should get what you want
# What's the best thing about birthday cake? having leftovers for breakfast the next day...
What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little? Always a three tier cake because my brother's birthday was the day after mine and our great-grandmother's birthday the day after his.
What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday? My favorite: German Chocolate Cake
Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? (Feel free to explain) Most definitely whipped cream frosting - not so sugary.
Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it? That is part of the fun.
Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle? Any filling is always a surprise - then you can lick out the middle.
Ice cream cakes: awesome or awful? Ice cream cakes are OK, but they are just not the same.
Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake? Definitely not- there are pie people just like there are cake people.
What's the best thing about birthday cake? Sharing it with all your friends.
happy happy birthday lovely miss cakespy!~ what an amazing accomplishment this blog has been as attested to by the amount of responses here! wow! we love cakespy!
and without further ado:
1. pink maraschino cherry cake--a white cake with cherries baked into it, with pink icing and cherries covering the whole thing completely. best birthday cake ever, made by my great aunt octavine.
2. my birthday was two days ago, and i had a lavender poppy seed cupcake. delicious.
3. whipped cream, yes!
4. yes, i lick and lick.
5. only if it is fresh fruit.
6. ice cream cakes rock.
7. absolutely not. pie is one of my all time favorite foods and can be eaten for any meal, event, time and place.
8. that it's yours. (unless of course you share a birthday with your younger sister and in that case always share a birthday cake. but i'm not bitter or anything.)
1. What kind of cake did you have for your birthday when you were little?
I often had a split cake since my brother was born on my birthday. His side was always a boy cake (blue, etc) and my half was pink with balloons.
2. What kind of cake do you want for your next birthday?
Is New York Cheese Cake considered cake? If it is, that is what I want. I haven't had the joy of dairy in almost a year and am craving it something fierce. If it must be of the flour variety, Angel Food Cake with fresh berries sounds amazing.
3. Whipped cream frosting: yes or no? (Feel free to explain) Yes. Oh yes.
4. Licking the frosting from the bottom of the candles: do you do it? No question about it. The birthday wouldn't be complete without it!
5. Fruit filling: a sweet surprise, or disappointment in the middle? Sweet surprise!
6. Ice cream cakes: awesome or awful? Horrible and terrible and makes for a very bad day.
7. Is it wrong to have a birthday pie instead of a cake? No, though cobbler would be a better choice.
8. What's the best thing about birthday cake? Getting to share it with friends.
1. My mom's homemade chocolate peanut butter cake!
2. My mom's homemade Angel Food Cake with raspberry sauce and lemon curd!
3. No way!
4. Yes! My birthday wouldn't be complete!
5. Sweet Surprise! Mmmmm... Lemon Curd Filling!
6. Awesome!!! For my 7th B-Day, I had a rainbow sherbet ice cream cake!
7. Yes, for me it is!
8. Sharing it with friends and the delicious flavor of it!
I'm a first-time visitor--love your site! My musings on all things cake:
1. My mother always ALWAYS made everything homemade. No box mixes allowed! That being said, our favorite birthday cake as a child was one my dad's mother used to make, a box mix of devil's food cake mixed with a can of cherry pie filling and a dark chocolate glaze. Needless to say, my mother may not have been too happy about that! Oh, childhood. Luckily, my sisters and I have all come appreciate my mother's hard work, and make all of our baking from scratch just like she did.
2. Mmm I have been craving my mother's recipe, a deliciously moist peanut butter cake with peanut butter icing!
3. Negative on the whipped cream frosting. It's too reminiscent of a grocery store bakery, its useless when it comes to more intricate decorating work. Give me a nice buttercream any day.
4. Haha I don't lick the icing, but I do use candle holders with thin stems, to waste as little icing as possible!
5. Fruit filling can be ok, especially as a summery touch to a nice light cake.
6. Fine, as long as it doesn't come from Baskin Robbins. A homemade ice cream cake could be quite good, I'll have to experiment with that!
7. Never!
8. Watching the birthday boy or girl struggle to cut and serve it without getting cake everywhere :)
Aww - so many participants. My chances of winning just got bleak. ;)
1.http://www.jeannesbakery.com/" REL="nofollow">Jeannie's Cake.
2. Maybe a marble cake, decorated with the new cake decorating skills I've learned.
3. Yes. I don't understand - why wouldn't someone want whipped cream frosting? Crazy people.
4. I take one for the team and save the tablecloth by licking the candle before setting it down.
5. Depends on the filling flavour. I don't like marachino flavoured cakes. Also don't like coffee or alcohol flavours in my cake. Kind of fussy. But fresh fruit, pudding, whipped cream or a compote is fine with me.
6. Often good - if not eaten to excess. It's always a dilemma when I receive a 8 person cake for my birthday when there's only 2 eating.
7. No - it's fine. Whatever makes you happy.
8. Sugar makes people happy. But it's even nicer to receive food that is specifically to commemorate your life.
Wow - a year!? That's it? You've come so far in a year - it's an amazing accomplishment.
So, onto the questions:
1. Birthday Bake when I was little was generally Cherry Chip.
2. I want Cherry Chip for my next birthday.
3. No on the whipped cream frosting.
4. Yes, I lick the candles. Doesn't everyone? =)
5. Fruit Filling is a huge disapointment. Just bring on the straight fat and sugar and I'm a happy girl.
6. Ice cream cakes are more than fine.
7. Birthday pie is a-okay.
8. The best thing about birthday cake is the frosting, preferably the frosting on a corner piece of cake.