I’m excited to be 28.  Mostly because it’s an even number.  I don’t know why, but I just prefer the years when my age is an even number rather than an odd one.  It’s a weird quirk of mine.  Don’t judge me.

Last year I started a tradition for myself of having friends over for dessert and wine, and I like where it’s going.  I love baking, and never really have a good reason to make the crazy elaborate desserts that call to me when I see them on Foodgawker.  But these overly tempting chocolate fabrications make excellent birthday desserts, particularly when you are sharing the calories among twenty of your finest friends.

For my 27th birthday I made the enormous and fantastic Cappucino Fudge Cheesecake.  (Still drooling over how good that one was.)  This year I decided to blend elements of this recipe with this recipe for a towering Chocolate Hazlenut Cake.  Two layers of hazelnut mousse sandwiched between three layers of chocolate cake covered in Nutella buttercream frosting and topped with Nutella ganache.  It isn’t the most beautiful cake ever made, but we all know that slightly lopsided and imperfectly decorated means it tastes better.  Plus, it includes an absurd amount of Nutella.  Awesome.

Last night I sent 27 out in style with cake, wine, and blueberry pie.  Today I’ll welcome 28 with a relaxing afternoon outside and a delicious dinner at my favorite restaurant.  Happy Birthday to me :)