Chocolate cake...

I can still bake and frost a mean chocolate yellow cake:

Cakes are easier to make than people think (yes, this is coming from the mouth of a former pastry chef). You can get by with store-bought cake mix, but don't settle for store-bought frosting (which tastes like crap and is full of perservatives and other nastiness)! Here's some tips and a quick frosting recipe:

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Cake Tips

• Everyone likes a layered cake more than a sheet cake. Get a couple of cake pans (8 or 9 inches) or get disposable ones if you don't make cake often.

• Building a cake is not that hard... it's like building anything. If you're doing a multi-layer cake, you'll want to flatten the top of each layer by cutting off the rounded top.

• Frosting a cake isn't rocket science. If you've cut off the tops of the layers, you'll have to frost the top before putting a new layer on. Put some frosting aside for each middle frosting layer (because you may get crumbs in it). If you find the cake is still falling apart while you're frosting it, you can one of two things: you can add a bit more milk to the frosting and beat it a while longer to make it smoother or you can put the cake in the fridge for about 45 minutes (cold cake is easier to frost).

• If you have to move layers around (to cut the tops off, etc.), use another cake pan on the top to aid in flipping the cake over and flipping it back for placement.

Simple Chocolate Frosting

• 1 stick (1/2 c.) butter or margerine

• 2/3 c. (10 and 2/3 tbsp.) cocoa powder

• 3 c. powdered sugar

• 1/3 c. milk

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a small pan. Stir in cocoa. Mixture will be dry but like a paste. Scrape this out and put in a mixer bowl or beater bowl.

2. Mix on low and slowly add milk and sugar. If too thick, add milk; too runny, add sugar. It should be on the thick but creamy side.

3. When your cake has cooled down, put the first layer with its top cut off on a serving platter. Frost the top with a butter knife or metal spatula and add the next layer. Frost the top, repeat.

4. Finally, start doing the sides such that they are level. Some people even cut the edges off of a cake so that they don't have to fill in the frosting to make it flat. I tend to fill in because I like both frosting and cake... although, as you can see in the picture above, this tends to cause the sides to droop a bit. Oh well, this is for eating, not plating.