Andrew: Chocolate roll cake.
When he first told me this, I thought it was a weird choice because it's both so specific and seemingly random, but as it turned out his mother used to make this cake for him and his brother on their birthdays. I had it last year when we celebrated his birthday on Block Island with his family. I immediately realized why it's his favorite--it's delicious. Light, airy, just a touch of sweetness.
Since Andrew was turning 30, I thought I'd honor him and his mother by baking one myself. I found a recipe online for a flourless version. I left out the orange zest and the Grand Marnier, using vanilla extract instead. Despite this ugly picture, it actually looked pretty good. And it tasted really good!
I'll admit it makes a strange looking birthday cake, but sentiment trumped all. Hope you had a good birthday, you big jerk.
