Clown Brownie Cake

As I shared last week, my Dad's birthday was Tuesday but we celebrated this past Monday.  "Papa" as the grandchildren call him, doesn't particularly care for clowns -- he believes that "clowns are creepy".  What better way to celebrate his birthday than to create a Clown Brownie Cake?!?!  I used this recipe from Simply Recipes.  It is one of my favorites and has never failed me.

In addition to this decorated cake, Mom made his favorite dessert -- an eclair cake comprised of layered pudding and graham crackers topped with dream whip.  Refrigerate it for a few hours (or even overnight) to allow the graham crackers to soften.  I must admit it is one of my favorites, too.  We've always made eclair cake with regular honey grahams and chocolate pudding but I think that chocolate grahams with cream cheese pudding or even pistachio pudding would also be wonderful.  If you are not fond of dream whip, feel free to substitute cool whip or real whipped cream.

Anyway, here is a picture of the clown cake.  Not one of my best cakes (I wasn't feeling that day) but not bad for a self-taught baker, I suppose.  Maybe some day I will take one of those Wilton decorating classes and then I'll look back at all my previous attempts and laugh.  There is something charming about homemade cakes, don't you think?