In the birthday cake hall of fame, nestled between sun-kissed yellow cake smeared with chocolate buttercream and classic yolk-less white cake, lies perfection—vanilla cake. Full of enough vanilla bean ...

Just about everyone would agree that a birthday party is not complete without cake. Not only do you need a vessel for the candles, but everyone deserves a decadent sweet treat on their special day.

Strawberry cake, a Southern staple, is full of meaning. By Lisa Donovan Lisa Donovan is a food columnist for The New York Times Magazine. An award-winning writer and pastry chef, she has worked with ...