SCVNews.com | Opinion/Commentary: A Recipe for Love Cake

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1997 - Five bodies found during grading of Northlake development in Castaic; determined to be Jenkins graveyard [story]

A Recipe for Love Cake

The Good Long Road | Commentary by Jennifer Fischer

SCVNews.com | Saturday, Nov 9, 2013

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I am writing on a very special day – my first son’s birthday. It’s official. We now have a 4-year-old at our house.

The morning started in a lovely way. He cuddled up next to me, full of smiles and hugs and excitement about his birthday. Then, he started talking about cakes: chocolate cakes, apple cakes, candy cakes. He eventually decided, though, that a love cake would be the best type of cake.

The idea got embedded in my mind. I began to think about this love cake and what ingredients are essential to making one.

I even put the question to Facebook and loved the responses: sweetness, empathy, kindness (three spoonfuls, to be exact), mommy smiles, dog licks (this one would definitely make my 4-year-old giggle), and hugs (of course) – a lovely list.

What would I add to my love cake if I already had sweetness, empathy, kindness, mommy smiles, hugs and (possibly) dog licks? I’d add compassion, kisses, squeezes and a teaspoon of tickles matched by equal parts giggles sprinkled with little pieces of my heart on top.

Another friend shared her more literally and quite lovely vision of a love cake: small, chewy, edible hearts inside the cake and all over the outside. Sugar kisses from mom on the cake (actual kiss shapes on the cake), and dad’s arms around the cake’s embossed heart in the middle.

Wow! I’m not talented enough to pull that off, but I love the way it sounds.

I think if I shared these cake “recipes” with my 4-year-old, he would be happy and probably only ask that we add lots and lots (and LOTS) of chocolate.

What would be in your love cake? I’d also love to hear what birthday traditions you have.

You can share your traditions or ultimate cake recipes with me on Twitter (@IndieJenFischer) hashtags: #lovecake and #birthday or at The Good Long Road on Facebook. We’ll be celebrating throughout the three day weekend as a family, so I share your best birthday recipes and ideas.

Jennifer Fischer is co-founder of the SCV Film Festival, a mom of two, an independent filmmaker and owner of Think Ten Media Group, whose Generation Arts division offers programs for SCV youth. She writes about her parenting journey on her blog, The Good Long Road. Her commentary is published Saturdays on SCVNews.com.

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