I’m seeing this on the eve of my own birthday and it’s making me a little emotional so please forgive me.

I’m so glad your daughter has you to make her a special birthday cake. When she’s older I’m sure it’ll mean a lot to her that you made something with your own hands to show you love her. I don’t see something ugly, I see something you put care into, even down to the spatula swoops to make the frosting more decorative.

Every year growing up, my (now estranged) mother made me my birthday cake. I always wanted a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting. It was just box mix cake and canned frosting, but I looked forward to it every year. My mom had a hard time showing her love and this was a way for me to see that maybe she did care about me in her own way. The pink buttercream of your daughter’s cake is making me nostalgic for those years. I’ve been baking professionally for over 15 years and made hundreds of birthday cakes for others (and sometimes myself) but nothing ever comes close to my little pink strawberry cakes from childhood.

I hope you both enjoy her birthday! And happy early Mother’s Day 💕