Every year, I bake my own birthday fantasy treat. When you’re the resident cake baker, nobody bakes them for you. It falls to me to make the festive sugar. But that’s okay, because I get to let my imagination run wild.

This cake is like a giant Reese’s peanut butter cup. A peanut butter core is sandwiched between my favorite chocolate cake (it’s gluten-free but superior to any chocolate cake I’ve ever baked, and that’s a LOT of cakes) and then frosted with peanut butter frosting. And of course, the whole cake is topped off with more Reese’s peanut butter cups. It’s the best candy in the world, my friends!

Today I got my welcome back letter in the mail from the high school where I work. Don’t get me wrong: I love teaching and it’s exciting to go back every year. But could everyone just not bother me until I have to go back? I don’t want to see ads for back to school items, and I definitely don’t want a mailing from my work full of meeting agendas. Thinking about meetings when I’m at the beach soaking up the rays is just so not cool.

Before you start thinking that I’m a spoiled you-know-what who gets two whole months off to while away, I have to explain the argument that I have with Kenny on a regular basis. From my point of view, a teacher’s summer vacation is pretty much a furlough. In other words, we’re not paid for those two months, and it’s not voluntary. Granted, I know very few teaching jobs that span an entire school year. Kenny argues that if teachers were to work those extra two months and be paid the same amount, our salaries would still be good. I think that we would have to make an extra two months’ worth of money, because then we’d be 12-month employees, not 10-month. And it’s not like teachers aren’t underpaid anyway.

So what this comes down to is that when you think you’re seeing a lot of teachers on vacation, several are working extra jobs or cutting back on expenses to compensate for the absent paychecks. It’s just something to consider. I know very few teachers who don’t have summer gigs to help everyone stay afloat.

Back when I was a rookie teacher with no money, I actually kept my expenses outside of basic needs to $40 a week. I still don’t know how I did that, but I remember budgeting out a movie, or a candy bar, or if I saved up a bit more, a cool vest. It was easier to do that than to teach summer school. But back then, I was young and energetic. Now, I got nothin’.

Except THIS CAKE. I had to put that in caps because, well, it’s a crazy awesome sugar bomb punch. I have a pretty high tolerance for desserts that other people consider rich, but this one packs a lot of intensity. Half a slice got me through a few hours.

You can bet that on my birthday I’ll be pulling this cake out of the freezer for partying galore. After all, I still have some summer vacation left, even if it’s dwindling fast. While the sun shines and the seagulls caw (is that what seagulls do?), let the celebrations begin!

Despite her smallness, my daughter can really eat. Every day when I get home from work, she looks at me and says, full of hope, “Want chocolate.” And you know what? I give it to her. Because I totally understand her, and because she’s cute. And because she’ll throw a mean tantrum if I don’t. That’s good parenting in action, people.

So for her birthday, I took one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes and made cupcakes out of it. Minnie Mouse cupcakes, to be exact. Because the only thing my daughter loves as much as chocolate is Minnie Mouse! And who can blame her?

While some may call this recipe a cheat because it uses a cake mix, it’s pretty well doctored. With the sour cream and pudding mix, it’s practically a scratch cake. And it sure tastes better than most fancy-schmancy chocolate cakes I’ve eaten in overpriced restaurants. It’s dense, moist, and oh so chocolatey. I wouldn’t want it any other way!

This cake base is my go-to for birthdays. It also makes amazing cake pops. But that’s another recipe for another day!

I wanted to make these super girly, so I went crazy with the sprinkles and edible spray paint. Nothing but the best for my baby! Mind you, I think she just wanted to sink her teeth into these. I’m not sure the decorations were really a factor. That didn’t stop me from buying and assembling this adorable cake stand.

There’s no better way to bring in a little one’s birthday, and any kid will make a beeline for these with her mouth hanging open. I used vanilla frosting, but you can always use the flavor of your choice. I didn’t include a frosting recipe this time because frosting is a very personal taste, especially for a birthday. Some people like lighter frostings. I’m a big fan of the heavy, sugary, Crisco-y bakery frostings. It really depends. But you always want to use people’s favorite frosting for their birthdays!

So go crazy with your cupcakes! And to my little one: happy birthday, sweetie!

Ingredients:

• 1 box devil’s food cake mix
• 1 box chocolate pudding mix (5 oz.)
• 1 cup sour cream (you can use light)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• frosting of your choice

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Line two muffin tins (each holding 12 muffins) with festive liners.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the chocolate chips until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes until firm (see note below), but do not overbake or they will become dry. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Using a decorating tip (I used a star tip), pipe the frosting generously on each cupcake and then use sprinkles or whatever else you like to enhance the top. I’m a big fan of edible airbrushing!

Note: If you are baking this recipe as a cake rather than as cupcakes, increase the baking time to about 30 minutes.