I love baking for myself, sure. What’s not to like about sugar and sweet? But baking for other people is probably my favorite part of getting in the kitchen.
You might swear over the mixer as powdered sugar flies up and coats your face. Maybe half of the frosting somehow, inexplicably, ended up in your hair.
But the reward – when those you bake for are amazed and excited by what you’ve made them – that’s worth even the most stubborn stain on your jeans. (Really, the dishtowels are there to wipe your hands and I still find myself absentmindedly using my pants.)
Birthday cakes are fun. They’re a little messy and a lot of work. Still, watching people eat the cake you made as they celebrate a special day is pretty cool.
Have a basketball fan on your hands? Jersey cakes are surprisingly easy and definitely a crowd-pleaser. First, just make a sheet cakes – I used my favorite Martha yellow cake recipe.
Then, when it’s cooled, flip the cake onto a cookie sheet. Cut curves along the top two sides of the cake and a gentle dent out of the very top. Discard (or snack on) the pieces.
Frost the cake to look like a jersey of choice. This one was Celtics-themed:
Chicken Baby 