Dazzling Cakes and a Crazy Story

Every year around this time, I have a bit of a dilemma.  Basically, everyone I see winks and says, "Hey, when are you getting some Pesach recipes up on your blog?" And that's when I try to extricate myself from the conversation. Reason being: my Pesach recipes start and end with brownies. And there's not much in between. And I am not embarrassed to share this little fact with you. Ahem. So I thought, a nice fair trade would be that while you are busy cleaning, I will dazzle you with some cakes I've been working on lately.

First up on Dazzling Cakes is this lovely number: 

First, a little background. Every once in a while you meet someone, and you say to yourself, "Wow, this person is really special." And sometimes, but not quite as often, you meet someone extraordinarily special. (Quick poll: Do you say extra-ordinary or ex-troar-dinary? Just wonderin') And that my friends, I am lucky to say, is Big D.'s boss. I know, you heard right. His BOSS. And I think you'll tend to agree with me after reading this story. Eh, you might even be banging down his door for an interview. So hang tight, and read on. (Sorry, I don't think they are hiring now but if you are in the market for a mortgage or refinancing, you better run over there quick, and tell them CantStopBaking sent you. You might even catch some of those amazing cookies I sent them this morning. So hurry, before they eat them all!) You know how when it's smack in the middle of the winter, everyone is coughing and sniffling, and either getting or getting over a cold or the flu? Yeah, so that's basically what Big D.'s office looked like at the end of January. Sadly, no amount of cake can cure midwinter blues...trust me-I've tried. So Big D.'s Boss, Mark, decided that this was ridiculous. We have to cure everyone of their sniffles! So he did what most people would do:
He booked flights for everyone to Florida. 

I kid you not. I could not make this stuff up if I tried. 
And that would be everyone and their spouses! 

So yep, February found Big D. and I en route to Tampa along with a group of the most awesome people on planet Earth. And I do not use that term lightly.

There is nothing a little surf and sunshine can't cure!

Go Magic!!

And that my friends is where the above cake came in. 

Because when CantStopBaking says a BIG FAT THANK YOU she kinda says it with a big fat cake! And awesome people get awesome cake.

So Mark, a gigantic-

Oh, and I was totally serious about the mortgage thing.