MY WIFE AND I GET ALONG GREAT IN THE KITCHEN BECAUSE SHE IS RARELY IN IT.  ON THOSE RARE OCCASIONS WHEN SHE IS PREPARING ONE OF HER WORLD-FAMOUS DESSERTS, I STAY OUT OF HER WAY.  THIS DIVISION OF LABOR HAS WORKED WELL FOR 49 YEARS.  LYNN IS THE UNDISPUTED DESSERT QUEEN AND, AS IN CHESS, EVEN THE KING DOES NOT CHALLENGE THE QUEEN.   BUT ON HER BIRTHDAY, THIS TASK FALLS TO ME.  AND WE DON’T SHARE THE SAME TASTES.  SHE HAS A SWEET TOOTH AND A STRONG PREFERENCE FOR CHOCOLATE.  I’M A LEMON GUY, A FRUIT GUY, A COFFEE GUY, A SORBET GUY, WHICH HAS EARNED ME HER PERPETUAL CONTEMPT.  SO BE IT.  THIS HOT JULY 5th, I SATISFIED MOST OF HER DESIRES:  GAZPACHO WITH PESTO, HANGER STEAK WITH TWO SAUCES AND THE WORLD’S CRISPIEST POTATOES.  BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE BIRTHDAY CAKE, I PREPARED AN ORIGINAL CREATION, INSPIRED BY A CAKE WITH A SOUR APRICOT FILLING, WHICH I ATE AT JOËL ROBUCHON’S FIRST RESTAURANT JAMIN, SOME 40 YEARS AGO.  FOR THE CAKE ITSELF I USED MELISSA CLARK’S RECIPE FOR VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE.  TO OFFSET THE SOUR APRICOTS, I SHOWERED THE CAKE WITH POWDERED SUGAR AND SERVED EACH SLICE WITH A RASPBERRY COULIS AND SLIGHTLY SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM.  EVERYONE LOVED IT.  EXCEPT LYNN.  YOU BE THE JUDGE.

https://johnpleshettemealoftheweek.com/recipes/birthday-cake/