A little more lemony sweetness for Skye

There were two cakes for Skye's birthday, and they could hardly be less alike.

The lemonade cake is all stripes and tiers and a sculpted lemon on top. This one is a plain white cake with little lemons all over it — and it might be my favorite of the two.

Forty small decisions

There's nothing to hide behind on a cake like this. Smooth white buttercream, and then roughly forty tiny lemons piped straight onto it: a dot of yellow, then two green leaves at the top of each one.

They're spaced in a grid that runs over the top and down the sides, which sounds simple until you're doing it. Every lemon has to sit the same distance from its neighbours, and the ones on the side have to line up with the ones on the top. Get one out of step early and you'll see it from across the room.

No border at the base, no writing, no topper. Just the pattern.

What's inside

Lemon cake with lemon cream cheese frosting.

This one actually is lemon, all the way through — and lemon cream cheese is a combination worth asking about if you've only ever had it with vanilla.

Sweet, simple, and oh-so-cute

Happy birthday again, Skye.