an ombre cake for Lizzy's 15th birthday

A girl about to turn 15. A grandma keen to help out. Put them together. What do you get?

Ombre cake!

There are two words I never thought I'd see in one sentence. I didn't know such a thing existed until a few weeks ago. In fact, I'd never heard of the word "ombre" until my much-more-fashionable-than-me girl brought the word to my attention in relation to hair styles.

Doesn't it look glorious?

Each layer is a different flavour: vanilla, caramel, choc-caramel, chocolate. They're sandwiched together with caramel, and topped with chocolate cream icing.

My mum used the recipe here and substituted dark brown sugar for brown sugar in the caramel layer, which tasted just like sticky date pudding. That layer alone will inspire a caramel cake soon, it was so yummy.

And here's my girl, 15 years old!! I can hardly believe it. Seems like only yesterday that a plump baby with dark hair and midnight-blue eyes was lying in my arms for the first time.

We sit on the couch together every morning, read our Bibles, and pray. We cook together and talk about life and occasionally *cough* even argue. We're the only two girls in a house full of boys, and we're good mates, and did I mention we're going away for a mother-daughter weekend soon?

So glad God answered my prayers for a daughter - Please? Just one?? - all those years ago.