Brownie birthday cake. It is a bus party!!!

Gabriel was born two years ago in a day like yesterday, but with a happy atmosphere in Philippines. Yes, it was the Pacific typhoon season in which tropical cyclones form in Philippines. This season ran through the months between May until November but in 2011 the monsoon wasn't as horrible as this year.

I was 7 months pregnant of  Gab when we arrived in September of 2011to Manila to start our diplomatic posting. I keep a diary of our first year in Philippines and it starts saying: "It feels so hot here, maybe also because I am very pregnant, The filipinos are friendly and polite as they greet me all the time with "morning ma'am" when I do my groceries in a fancy supermarket called Rustans. It is similar to David Jones, but cheaper. Ah! I have found a fantastic place to get copies of movies and second hand clothes…hooray!"

Well, 10 weeks after I wrote those lines in my red diary, I was in that grotty place I mentioned called Makati Cinema Square. I was looking for DVD's to watch after the birth of my second child, whose gender I totally ignored at that time. It was 10.15am and my driver Frank was next to me when I suddenly felt "the pain" in my lower back, like an electric shock. I arched and waited. I kept looking at the movies and deciding which ones to get and which ones I already saw. "Arrrgggg!!"the pain came back…and again…my driver was getting "white" and asked me if I was all right. I looked at him and said "take me to Saint Lukes hospital please".  He pressed the accelerator this time (he usually drives quite slow; too slow according to Nick).

I left the Cinema Square, without any purchase made, and two hours later my beautiful boy Gabriel Dominic was in my arms, born by c-sec, 37 and a half weeks.

How did Gabriel spend his first year of life? Well, quite happily, I assure you, and that's also because the filipinos are very warm and kind with children:

• Had a daily bath in the sink of our kitchen, 
• Played with the cooking bowls on the floor, 
• Had and still has, breakfast at 6am at the park while feeding the cats.
• Had lunch with our yaya and driver every day (and still does): rice with vegetables and fish (even the eyes of the fish! yuck). 

When Gab turned 1 year last November, we just came back from a short holiday in Boracay. My yaya Brenda was upset with me because I din't organize a party for him..she has adopted Gab like if he was her child, literally.

I just started my strict culinary course in the Enderun college and was a bit stressed at the beginning until I had a routine and a balance between family responsibilities and the hours of study. So I couldn't think of children parties. Nick and I agreed it wasn't a big deal to turn 1 (but it was with Aurelia!!).

I promised my yaya to have a little party for him this year, and this was the bus party! Gab invited a few friends to play and eat sausage rolls, biscuits and the birthday cake. After the party, our house seems like a disco,  full of cars that make noise and have colorful lights, which Nick dislike because they woke him up at 6am today but baby Juanan loves!

PS: Gab started to go to a little pre-school called LIFE when he turned one, at the same time I began the culinary course. I stopped my course when I found out I was having a risky pregnancy. I am so glad I took care of this third pregnancy because baby Juanan is now in our family.

Gab still goes to LIFE and loves being there, playing and being stimulated by lovely teachers and a warm environment. 

Excited to see the bus on his birthday

 with his lovely yaya Brenda

 Nari butter biscuits

Aurelia's banana cake for Gabriel

I took this cake to his pre-school

Chocolate brownie bus cake

Recipe from Donna Hay

1. 250g butter, room temperature
2. 235g brown sugar
3. 3 eggs
4. 300g plain flour
5. 1 1/2 tspn baking powder
6. 35g cocoa
7. 1 cup sour cream (I used plain yogurt)
8. 250g dark chocolate, melted

• Preheat oven 160C. Place butter and sugar in the bowl and beat until light and creamy (this will create air into the cake). I personally add 3/4 cup mayonnaise. I know it sounds strange (even Nick stop eating the cake when I told him), but if you think about the ingredients of a good mayo, there are eggs and oil and a bit of salt after all. This gives the cake a lovely moisture! But skip this last addition if you are not sure...
• Add the eggs (remember, at room temperature!) and beat well.
• In a bowl, instead of sifting as DH says in her recipe, just whisk the flour, baking powder and cocoa to incorporate more air and add it to the batter.
• Add the sour cream (or yogurt) and chocolate (it should be cooled) and mix until just combined
• Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 22cm round cake and bake for 60 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool in tin

Note: 

• I doubled the quantities for the cake of the photo.
• It is dense, brownie like, so it is easy to cut and give the shape you wish.
• I made up the cream frosting using 250g softened butter, a cup of icing sugar and some drops of orange essence. Because it is a rich dark chocolate cake, the orange flavor makes a good pair and people loved it in the party!
• Place 250g butter in a bow and beat until light and creamy (about 7-9 minutes).
• Add 1 cup of icing sugar, sifted and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a couple of drops of orange oil.
• Separate a couple of bowls: one for the yellow food coloring and another just for the plain frosting

Buen provecho!!! and happy birthday my darling boy