birthday baking

Birthday week continues here, last night the kids and I baked fresh apple cake, using an old family recipe. This cake looks very unassuming but really it is heaven in the mouth, melty and gooey and appley. Often I will make this for adults at a kid's party or as a dessert for a pot-luck. People always complement it. It is very easy and a good cake to have in your rotation:

Fresh Apple Cake
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup veg. or canola oil
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
3 cups thinly sliced fresh apples (I like to leave the peel on for flavor, so use organic)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Beat eggs; add sugar, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, soda and salt. Add flour and stir. Add apples and stir. Put into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes

Jasper took the cake to share with his class at Waldorf Playgroup today (even though his birthday is actually tomorrow) where they had a special ceremony to celebrate his birthday. The Waldorf birthday ceremony is so touching, telling the story of the child's soul coming down from heaven and choosing the family that it is born to, then highlights are included from each year of the child's life (I wrote the whole selection of highlights with tears in my eyes).

The group's nature table is so cute I had to include a couple of images. The children bring in little natural treasures and finds to add to the table. I love the moss roofs and feather chimney below!