Two October Cakes

For Michael and I, October is a month full of memories and birthdays.  We were married in a simple ceremony in late October.  My parents were married in October as well.  Our mothers were both born in October.  I love to make these wonderful ladies a special cake--a tradition I started last year and which I hope to continue for many many years to come.

First, my mother's birthday on the 10th.

(Sorry about the bad lighting.)  She requested a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and I gladly obliged with a 3 layer carrot cake.  I used Paula Deen's grandmother's cake recipe--which turned out moist and just as carrot cake should taste. I however omitted the walnuts and raisins because that's what mom wanted.  I piped giant rosettes of cream cheese frosting onto the top for a little visual interest.  Cream cheese frosted cakes with those little carrots on top bore me, and I saw these rosettes somewhere (though I can't find the site anymore).

Next came Michael's mother's cake on the 16th.  She loves dense fruity cakes and requested a blackberry walnut Bundt cake.  And of course, I obliged.

This cake was absolutely loaded--blackberry jam, walnuts, raisins, butter, buttermilk, brown sugar, and way more cinnamon and nutmeg than I would have thought prudent.  I can't say that this type of cake is my cup of tea, but it was exactly what she wanted and I like to please my birthday girls.