Favorite Things Friday - Birthday Cake

It's Favourite Things Friday once again!  The post title should really be "Birthdays AND Cake," especially when the birthday is my daughter's.

We celebrated this evening, which is a couple days early, but that is what worked out for us getting together.  I asked M. what she wanted for her birthday and she said, "CAKE!"

"How about mint bars?" I asked. 
 
"MMMMMMMMMMM," was the reply.  I took that to be a yes. 

I haven't baked in so long, people.  Something cake-ish, I mean.  I think it's been almost six months of no refined sugar for me, blah-blah-blah, I know that's boring and who cares.  Long story short:  I was going to get my sugar buzz on!

I made a family favorite, which is technically a bar, not a cake, but close enough.  Here is the original recipe:

However, since M. and I are dairy-free, and I am also gluten-free, I modified it somewhat.

I used a Pamela's gluten-free chocolate cake mix as the base, and as the second layer, a can of Pillsbury vanilla frosting with 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and 2 drops of green food coloring stirred in.

The third layer is dairy-free chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of a dairy-free butter substitute melted together.

Folks, these bars are the crack.  Highly, deliciously addictive.  I sent much of the remaining pan home with others after I ate my share, because they leadeth me into temptation, and I am back on the wagon tomorrow.  

By the way, Dad asked M.'s boyfriend what the hand signs meant, and he said, "I have no idea," because he's cool that way.  I think it stands for the minimum number of bars you will be compelled to eat in one sitting.

Instead of putting the entire box of 24 candles on the cake, I asked M.'s boyfriend what that was in binary (because he's cool that way too).  So the white candles represent zeroes and the pink candles ones.

I sure love my kiddo and spending time with her.  She is smart and funny and talented, and I wish her all the best every single day of every year!