"The cake is a lie."

Last year, Miss M-mv(ii) baked Miss M-mv(i) the most wonderful cake for her birthday. When she offered to do so again, I fervently hoped the birthday girl would ask for the same (an Andes Mints cake; recipe here).

But she did not.

As early as September, she was talking about a Portal cake. Fortunately, Miss M-mv(ii) was easily persuaded to bake the Andes Mints cake for the holidays.

One word: Yum.

Well, a Portal cake is also quite nice. Devil's food cake. Chocolate icing. Whipped cream. A handful of M&Ms.

The first Portal cake met an unfortunate end, however.

It was all my fault.

Trip. Splat.

These are easygoing, good-natured people we've raised, though. "No problem," they said. "Let's make another one."

So we did.