Mother- Daughter Celebration

Since we were unable to celebrate my daughter's birthday with family & friends due to other commitments, we are gonna get together this Friday for cake & ice-cream w/my immediate family and some of her friends.  My birthday is on Saturday, so we decided to celebrate my birthday as well.  This is definitely a 2 fer celebration that calls for 2 cakes.

I have been working on the cakes since Monday.  I must bake late at night (11 pm) when the house is comfortable and everyone is in bed.  Our air conditioner broke down 3 weeks ago when the horrible heat wave began, so our home has gotten up to 91 degrees F.  Horrible!  We've been showering multiple times a day to cool down, and putting cool towels on our necks.  We also visited grandma a few times  and enjoyed her air conditioned home.  Our pool wasn't an option to keep cool with over 100 degree weather, because I personally don't think it is safe to be in the sun when it is that hot.  Sun burns are a certainty, even with sunscreen.  No skin cancer for us, thank you.  All that to explain why I'm baking so late.  

I will post pictures of the cakes when I'm done.  My daughter's cake will be carrot with a cream cheese frosting.  Pretty classic.  My cake is chocolate with mandarin orange, butter cream filling.  I haven't decided if I want the cake to be a vanilla or mandarin orange butter cream.  chocolate and oranges are such a great combo and I am looking forward to sharing it.