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Friday, July 31, 2009

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter!


Today, we celebrate the birthday of one of our favorite book character! Harry Potter did not have many happy birthdays growing up, so we like to celebrate in his honor to make up for that lack...
"Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday -- and you could count on Dudley to know the days of the week, because of television -- then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun -- last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. Still, you weren't eleven every day."
--Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 3: "The Letters from No One"

"The Dursleys hadn't even remembered that today happened to be Harry's twelfth birthday. Of course, his hopes hadn't been high; they'd never given him a real present, let alone a cake -- but to ignore it completely...
At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said, "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day."
Harry looked up, hardly daring to believe it.
"This could very well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," said Uncle Vernon.
Harry went back to his toast."
--Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 1: "The Worst Birthday"

"...Harry got back into bed and reached up to cross off another day on the chart he'd made himself, counting down the days left until his return to Hogwarts. Then he took off his glasses and lay down, eyes open, facing his three birthday cards.
Extremely unusual though he was, at that moment Harry Potter felt just like everyone else -- glad, for the first time in his life, that it was his birthday."
--Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 1: "Owl Post"
Harry Potter fans love a reason to party! There is no shortage of fabulous HP party ideas online. A new book released? Let's celebrate! A new movie coming out? Get out your robes and wands! Squeeze some pumpkin juice! Drink some butterbeer!

We're celebrating simply today. First, we read all the birthday parts in the first three books. And then we made chocolate cauldron cakes!


Chocolate Cauldron Cakes

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa, sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp vinegar
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients, and add to dry. Don't overmix. Grease your cupcake pan well -- don't use liners! -- and fill the cups 2/3 full. Bake for 14 minutes.

Gently slide a butter knife around the sides of each cupcake. Let them cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Turn each cake round side down onto a cooling rack, and press them level. Let cool completely before frosting.

Cauldron Glaze Potion


1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1Tbs milk (more if necessary)
2 tsp corn syrup

When the cauldrons are cool, drizzle a teaspoon of potion onto the flat part of the cauldron, leaving a small amount of cake edge for the rim.

Let set -- and sing "Happy Birthday" to Harry!

13 comments:

  1. LOVE Harry Potter! You had a great Idea with the cakes. Cant wait to try them. Keep up this great blog.

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  2. Thats cute! Its funny when I opened this I laughed we just went and saw the Half Blood Prince in the theater yesterday. It was very good.... Erika

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  3. Those look amazing! What devoted fans you are!

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  4. Chocolate Cauldron Cakes! I could dive right in and celebrate Harry's birthday, too!

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  5. Anonymous9:42 PM

    I just found your blog and am in love!! Your ideas are fabulous and I am intrigued with homeschooling mom (as I am taking notes if that is the route I go down).....
    I will be back!

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  6. Oh no, the oldest saw your post and said we must make these for a tea party and she asked why we didn't do a party for Harry Potter. I reminded her that she went to the new movie 2x. So when is the next batch of Chocolate Cauldron Cakes going to be made? (:

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  7. Oh, we will DEFINITELY have them again for our Back to Hogwarts tea party! :)

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  8. what yummy looking cakes, Harry would love them:-)

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  9. Harry has hogwarts to make up for The dreaded summers of of the dursleys!

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  10. The cauldren cakes are so creative! I am putting them aside for Halloween. We recently had moon pies to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landing of the moon. These are the memories--celebrations of love. Thanks for sharing!

    www.basilandbutterflies.com

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  11. These are cute. I want to make them for the premiere on the 15th!

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  12. Mine stuck to the pan. What did you grease it with?

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  13. Oh, dear! I believe I just sprayed with canola oil.

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