This has been a busy summer so far. This week marked my one year Blog anniversary. I am overwhelmed by your response to my blog. I just want to thank you so much!

Today is my sister Mary’s birthday. Happy Birthday Mary. I made her, her favorite cake. It is a chocolate pumpkin cake. The recipe is from Country Living Magazine several years ago. it is soooo good I thought I would share the recipe:

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CAKE
1 1/2 cup(s) flour
2/3 cup(s) cocoa
2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 cup(s) buttermilk
1 cup(s) canned pumpkin
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
3/4 cup(s) butter, softened
1 cup(s) dark brown sugar
1 cup(s) granulated sugar
3 large (plus one yolk) eggs

• Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
• Stir the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk mixtures in thirds.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean–about 35 minutes. Cool layers completely before icing.
Frosting:
Beat 6 ounces softened cream cheese using a mixer on medium high until fluffy
Add:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons cocoa
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
(If you want this cake for Halloween add a scant ¼ teaspoon orange food coloring)

In a separate bowl beat 1 ½ cups whipping cream with ¾ cup powdered sugar to soft peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Spread 1 cup frosting between the layers, finish frosting the cake. Chill 30 minutes

Glaze:
Place 4 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons corn syrup I a medium heatproof bowl. Bring ½ cup heavy cream to a boil, pour it over the chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes. Gently stir, using a whisk until smooth. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until the glaze thickens slightly. Pour the glaze unto the center of the frosted cake and smooth out to the edges to drip over the sides.

The Cake is chilling in the fridge. Now I’m making her baked Ziti for dinner. See you in a while Mary!

I usually make Mary a quilt for her birthday. This year she is getting a Civil War Doll Quilt. I hope she likes it.

The back is a panel I had left over from another quilt I made her.

An of course, every quilt needs a label!

I thought I would share a decade quilts I have made for my sister: