My mom turns 85 this month. That milestone alone is reason enough to celebrate, but this year is extra special — it’s the first time in 30 years I’ve had the privilege of hosting her birthday party.
Last fall, my husband and I moved Mom from her beloved 25-acre homestead in Virginia to live closer to us here in Franklin, Tennessee. Now, for the first time in decades, we’re just around the corner from each other. She’s the last living grandparent to our three children and the proud great-grandmother to eight great-grandchildren, all nearby and ready to celebrate.
Lately I’ve been thinking an awful lot about cake — not just any cake, but the cake that will mark this moment.
I know the talented bakers at the bakery downtown could craft a towering masterpiece worthy of a magazine cover, but my mom has always appreciated simple, homemade touches. So I’ve been strolling down memory lane, recalling the cakes we’ve savored together over the years: Aunt Willie Mae’s tangy Lemon Jello Cake, Lottie’s bright and citrusy Orange Juice Cake, Oui’s dense and decadent Chocolate Pound Cake, Paula’s dreamy Coconut Cake, and Gail’s unforgettable Red Velvet Cake. Each one holds not only flavor but the memory of the hands that baked it.
Before Pinterest boards and the Food Network, there were smudged recipe cards tucked into wooden boxes or slipped between the pages of well-worn cookbooks. The best cakes weren’t just desserts — they were signatures of the women who baked them, lovingly carried to picnics,
potlucks, birthday parties, and even funerals.
Recipes were heirlooms passed down through generations like family jewels — just a little stickier.
As I pondered which cake to bake, I found myself wandering back through history. Birthdays date to the ancient Greeks, while the Germans gave us the tradition of candles — one for each year, plus an extra for good luck. Baking powder in the 1800s brought lighter cakes, and boxed mixes in the 1930s made baking more accessible. Yet, no matter how simple or elaborate, a birthday cake has always been a symbol of celebration.
A childhood photo of my father, born in 1939, recently came to mind. In the picture, he’s beaming beside a cake my Nana baked, a humble creation that seemed monumental to him. And that’s when it hit me why Mom’s cake matters. It’s not about sugar or frosting. It’s about honoring her life, giving her a moment in the spotlight, and watching her light up when we sing and she takes that first sweet bite.
Happy Birthday, Mom. May your year ahead be as full and rich as the cake we’ll share.
Vintage Cake Recipes
Lottie’s Orange Juice Cake
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. all-vegetable shortening
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- 1 Duncan Hines Butter Golden cake mix
- 1 Jell-O instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz.)
- 1 1/2 c. orange juice (divided)
- 1/2 c. oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 stick butter (melted)
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 package Trader Joe’s sweetened dried orange slices (5.3 oz.)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan and set aside. In a large bowl, add the contents of cake mix, vanilla pudding, one cup of orange juice, and the oil. Add the eggs one at a time and blend until well combined. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and place in the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 35–40 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the stick of butter. Add the sugar and a half cup of orange juice. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the mixture over the cake. Allow the cake to absorb the mixture for 30 minutes while it cools, then invert the cake onto a cake platter or pedestal. Decorate with sweetened dried orange slices.
Aunt Willie Mae’s Lemon Cake
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. all-vegetable shortening
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- 1 Duncan Hines Yellow cake mix
- 3/4 c. oil
- 4 eggs
- 5 Tbsp. lemon juice (divided)
- 3 oz. Jell-O lemon gelatin
- 1 c. hot water
- 1 c. confectioners’ sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan and set aside. In a large bowl, add the contents of cake mix, oil, eggs, and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Dissolve the lemon Jell-O in 1 cup of hot water, then add to the cake mixture. With an electric mixer, blend until well combined and pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar with remaining lemon juice. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 30 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cake platter or pedestal and drizzle with the lemon mixture.
Grace’s Snowball Cake
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 10-inch angel food cake (cubed)
- 6 c. Cool Whip (48 oz., divided)
- 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in syrup
- 2 packets of Knox Gelatine (.25 oz. each)
- 4 Tbsp. water (cold)
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 c. water (boiling)
- 8 oz. sweetened coconut (flaked)
Directions
Line a 4-quart mixing bowl with parchment paper. Cube the angel food cake and place in the lined bowl. Drain the pineapple juice, keeping 1 cup of the syrup. In a medium size bowl, dissolve the gelatin in cold water. To the bowl, add the lemon juice, sugar, boiling water, and pineapple syrup. Mix well and put the gelatin mixture in the refrigerator to chill until it thickens, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and add the crushed pineapple. Fold in 4 cups of Cool Whip. To the parchment-lined bowl with cubed angel food cake, fold in the Cool Whip mixture. Press down slightly, making a smooth top, then cover and refrigerate for 10 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, invert the cake onto a platter or pedestal then frost with remaining two cups of Cool Whip and sprinkle with coconut.
These recipes are from the March 2026 issue of HomeLife Magazine. For more tasty recipes, check out other HomeLife recipe collections here!
