Yogi's First Birthday Party!

Today was the big day.  Grandpa, Muzzie, Nana and Pops came into town and this afternoon when Yogi woke up from nap there was a birthday party in full swing.  We decided to do a small grandparents-only party this year and I'm glad we did.  Yogi was excited to see six of his favorite people in one room and Yogi's Mommies didn't feel overwhelmed by a huge party.  A good choice.



This is the smile we got when he realized all the people who had arrived while he was napping.  He seemed really excited and I loved that.

Then it was on to the cake.



We wanted to make a birthday cake that felt like a birthday cake, but was as healthy as we could get it.  After doing a little internet research we found a yummy recipe on the blog Green Parenting.  If you're looking for something along those lines and like spice cakes, you should give this a try.  It was a winner.

Pumpkin Apple Harvest Cake
By Cait Johnson, author of Witch in the Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin puree


• 2 large eggs, beaten


• 3/4 cup organic sugar


• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour


• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 teaspoon ground ginger


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 cup chopped apple


• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (we left these out for anti-choking reasons)


• Whipped cream or confectioners’ sugar for topping (optional) (we made cream cheese frosting - isn't that part of the baby fun?)

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan by greasing and flouring it.
2. Combine pumpkin, eggs, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, and salt, stirring to combine. Add apples and nuts, stirring again. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
4. Cool the cake, still in the pan, on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack, remove pan, and cool cake completely.
5. When ready to serve, turn cake on to a pretty plate and top with whipped cream or confectioners’ sugar, if desired, or serve plain.

**If you make this in a Cupcake pan like we did, you will have to double the recipe and bake for 65 minutes.**

Everyone at the party including this guy:



thought the cake was delicious.  Yogi?  Not so much.  His response was a reprise of the sweet potato incident.  He just stared at the cake and looked up at us as if to ask "What? What do you want me to do with this thing?  Where are the peas?"



We tried to get him in the swing of things, but he wouldn't be moved.  No cake for Yogi.



He was much more enthusiastic about his toys (a tambourine, bongoes, and a Fisher.Price Learning House) and was happy to play while we chowed down on cake and take-out pizza.  We all had a great afternoon and I hope Yogi loved it all as much as I did.

Posted in: Eleven Months