In terms of what a fifth birthday celebration requires, we’ve already covered silly games and party favors. But that means the most important element of The Food Section’s survival celebration is still on the table. Or, more accurately, it hasn’t made its table appearance yet.
Readers, our big birthday calls for cake.
Longtime supporters of this newsletter know that we’ve always entrusted cupcake-making to the talented crew at Daddy’s Girls Bakery in North Charleston. Their TFS logo-sporting strawberry cupcakes are a beloved staple of our yearly Spirited Brunch subscribers’ reception. Daddy’s Girls doesn’t work exclusively in personal-sized pastry, either: A few years ago, the bakery made a beautiful disc golf-themed cake for my husband’s birthday.
But if I’ve learned anything about the American South over the past five years of covering this region, it’s that we don’t lack for cake makers. There are countless boutique shops, storied bakeries, and entrepreneurial independent pastry chefs producing gorgeous cakes guaranteed to elevate any occasion.
So, which one of them will make The Food Section’s birthday cake? That’s up to you!
Our birthday cake budget is $200—and we’re counting on you to tell us where to spend it. If there’s a local bakery that’s been making your customized cakes for a decade, a pastry chef who’s the talk of your favorite farmers market, or an inspired cake creator you follow faithfully on Instagram, please consider sending along the cake pro’s contact information (and a sentence or two about why you think your nominee’s ideal for the TFS assignment.) You can email me at raskin@thefoodsection.com, DM me on Instagram at @readtfs, or comment on the online version of this post.
Eligibility for this gig is wide open. All we ask is that the baker—which could very well be you!—works out of a commercial kitchen in The Food Section’s coverage area and is available to make a TFS cake before our birthday year’s up.
In coming weeks, we’ll share the suggested makers with you and ask for help choosing one. Consider it the icing on a birthday cake we’ve earned together.
My pick is the Persian Love Cake at Rose Valley Sweets in Johns Creek, GA. A super delicious
fluffy pistachio, cardamom, rosewater, and citrus frosted layer cake that needs no fondant or Swiss buttercream to be celebratory. Also because it’s from a flowery Persian bakery with afternoon tea service located in a diverse strip mall north of Atlanta with a bookstore,thrift store, butcher shop, and a pretty charming Chinese tea cafe.
Love that suggestion!