I have several friends in my neighborhood who have lost their homes and I would like to make them an uplifting cake. The problem is that all my ideas are too darn depressing and I want to cheer them up.

Any ideas out there?....

I would do a theme like home is where your heart is.

I would do something cheerful like flowers/garden/natural. A beautiful cake that tastes delicious can brighten their day without having to exactly be in the theme of "I'm sure sorry you lost your home..." ... know what I mean?

If they are Christians, you might put an uplifting scripture on it. This is one of my favorites, Matthew 6:25 - 34, on God providing. A snippet of it might be lovely with some lillies on the cake:

You need to follow your heart. And I think it's really sweet that you want to do something for them. And I hate so much that your neighbors and any of us are loosing our homes.

However, to me, a cake is a food we eat to celebrate something. And the two occurances, the gift of a sweet heartfelt cake and loosing one's home seem to be at odds a bit with each other which might be why you can't think of something?

But this is just my personal opinion. I once made a cake for a funeral and it didn't work out so good for me inside. I did it but it was awkward. This is just my overthinking at it's finest so please don't mind me. And if you think of a great cake by all means do it.

But if I'm loosing my house don't bake me one. I don't mean that to be harsh --I'm just saying that's how I feel about it.

What about cookies? Smilie face cookies? Nice loaf of bread? A pie?

I agree with Kelley about the flower garden, and it being uplifting. Try to stay away from a home theme. After all, they are losing their homes and they won't want to be reminded they are going through that.

Sorry to hear about your friends. There's a lot of that going around nowadays unfortunately.

I had a guy ask me to make a cake for someone who lost their home due to fire. The actual cake was unrelated to the home or fire...was actually a 3D liberty bell, I guess the guy worked in the city or something....and then it had a nice message on it to the family from the neighborhood.

Definitely something neutral is good....simple and classy maybe...or at the very fanciest, something that has to do with their work or something that they enjoy that they did NOT lose.

Thanks everyone for your ideas. Kelleym I think it would be wonderful to add some inspiring words thank you.

K8memphis, I'm totally with you on the cake=celebration thing! But it works for us so that's why i'm making a cake. It seems like my whole neighborhood has had the gastric bypass surgery.... but we can all eat cake depending on what is in it!

I'll have to post a pic of the cake and their response to it. Thanks again everyone for your input.

oooh! Kitagrl thanks! What a great idea. They still have their boat, so I could do something with that!

Hi,
I wouldn't think you would have to mention the houses at all. Sometimes when people are under stress, they just appreciate you being there as a friend. Anything sweet and simple would show that you care about them and their situation.

In our area people use food as comfort and celebration for everything.

Before and after a funeral, all the friends and neighbors will show up at the house with plenty of food for the grieving family. When out-of-town company arrives it helps to feed them. Families visit over their meals without having to cook or clean up. It gives them one less thing to worry about, and lets them know how much they are loved.

We equally celebrate with food. (And lots of it.)

When I bake for someone who is under a lot of stress, I usually bake a Chocolate Fudge cake unless I know they would enjoy another flavor. Chocolate seems to be calming for a lot of people.

I think they will appreciate whatever you are able to provide. They will long remember that you cared about them and their family even without a word being said about the houses.

-Debbie B.

Shannon, I totally agree with Debbie B and you on this one. Whenever something good or bad happens to a friend of mine my first thought is, "I'll bake them a cake" or "I'll make a lasagna for them". It always seems to come back to food where I'm concerned. Probably because it's a comfort thing, I just want to make people comfortable and happy and food, especially homemade food can do that.

I think your friends will really appreciate your gesture. If it brings a smile to their face when there isn't much to smile about in their lives right now, than definitely bake them a cake or two.


BTW..........I really hate that so many people are losing their houses. God please let this economic crisis end soon.......and keep these folks safe.

I would make a "Thinking of you" or "You're a great friend" cake. Something like that would deinately bring a smile and make them feel good.

Any cake that may remind them that they are in trouble doesn't feel right.

I think the chocolate fudge cake is the best suggestion here.

I somewhat agree with K8memphis. It wouldn't occur to me to bake a cake for a friend who just lost her house. Unfortunately, I've had too many friends and neighbors lose their homes. Some I helped move or watched their kids while they moved. If I wanted to bake a cake, I think I'd wait until they were situated in their new home and bake a housewarming or friendship cake. That's just my opinion here in the north.

A house is but sticks and bricks...
Home is memories, family and love.

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Home is a place in the heart

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You always have a home in the heart of a friend (hearts of your friends)

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Anyplace is home when love fills it.

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Home is a place in the heart

Does it have to be decorated?

Just my opinion--
If I lost my home the last thing I would want someone showing up with would be a cake. They are celebration items. Wedding, birthday, showers. not funeral, death, loss of homes
In this case I think a gift of food or a whole meal or a pounding (pantry shower) would be more appreciated, if I can't pay for my home I might not be able to buy groceries.

Jibbies

I was reading the posts and i agree that loosing a home is not an occasion to celebrate with cake. But on the other hand, I can see what your intention is to "bring up their spirits". I just think that being there as a friend and providing as much support as possible is the best thing you can do for your friends during this difficult time. At least that is what I would want from my friends their love and support during that stressful time.

Good Luck!

Food is what we do when we don't know what to do. We take food to their homes when a family member dies because they are too busy/stressed to cook and they will have lots of incoming guests. We take meals in when someone is sick and they don't feel like cooking (and a meal includes dessert! ). we are not celebrating their illness ... we are thinking of them.

I wouldnt' do a home theme either. If you want to decorate it, just do flowers. If you want it to look like just a friendly gesture, put Happy Birthday Bob on it and tell them you had a cancellation, would they take this cake off of your hands for you? While it may be common knowledge about the loss of their home, I would be embarrassed if a neighbor brought a cake to me to "commemorate" the occasion.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. This is such a difficult time for everyone.

I ended up making the WASC cake with gobs and gobs of delicious chocolate buttercream. I wrote "Distance makes the heart grow fonder".

Let me explain!!

Even though my friends lost their house, it still turned out o.k. Funny actually. They moved in across the street with her father!! It looked like he was going to loose his house too but with the three of them they can make it.So even though it isn't the greatest situation, it isn't as bad as it could have been. Except for the fact that they will have to look at "their" house across the street everyday.

You're a sweetheart, Shannon.
God bless your friends.

God bless your friends...this can be vv hard.