Homemade Birthday Cakes

With my birthday this week, cakes have definitely come to mind. My mom never bought cakes– she always let me pick a delicious and amazing cake from her recipe book, and then she made it for me with her own two hands. They made for some sweet memories!

Plum Cake

1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2½ cups self-rising flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 small jars plum baby food
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Your choice of icing (vanilla or buttercream is recommended)

Mix the oil and sugar. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time. Sift together flour, cinnamon, and cloves and add to mixture. Add baby food, vanilla, and pecans. Mix well. Bake at 300° for 1 hour. Frost with icing when completely cooled.

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Pineapple-Orange Cake

Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 regular can mandarin oranges
½ cup oil
4 eggs

Frosting:

1 large Cool Whip
1 large instant vanilla pudding
1 large can crushed pineapple

For the cake, combine all the ingredients, being sure NOT to drain the oranges. Beat for two minutes and then pour the mixture into a pan. Bake at 350° for twenty-five to thirty-five minutes.

For the frosting, mix the pineapple and pudding. Fold in the Cool Whip and spread over cake.