*Bats show up with some chocolate for Erin's cake decorating deliciousness. Always keep some chocolate on hand, it helps rid my little acid reflux flare-ups.
Orange and pineapple juice, and gingerale too... You know, I have a punch recipe that's got all of that and cranberry juice as one last liquid addition.
Too bad I can't just tap my ? nagging stick and mutter Repairo to get my Chamber of Secrets cassette fixed. Oh well...
Scooter: Hey, thanks, guys! (takes chocolate into the kitchen)
Erin: Great - this saves me a trip to the shop tomorrow.
Nora: What did Ed say about cranberry juice?
Scooter: Oh - he said that he had a punch recipe that contained what we're using, plus cranberry juice.
Storyteller: Oh, do let's give it a try. (oven timer goes off)
Erin: Pot holders on, people!
Beige: Oh, man...that smells incredible.
(oven opens to reveal three 9-inch round chocolate cake layers)
(some time later, the cake is being assembled)
Storyteller: (spreading a thick layer of orange-pineapple butter cream icing on one cake layer, which itself sits on a crystal cake serving plate) All right, lower away, boys!
(Scooter and Beige lower the second cake layer on top of the first, and the process repeats to create a three-layer cake)
Nora: (dipping last orange slice into melted chocolate) Oranges are ready.
Storyteller spreads more icing on the top and sides of the cake. Erin fills a pastry bag with tempered chocolate, and inscribes a message in big swirly letters on the top of the cake:
Happy birthday, Richard!
P.S.: Your face!
Nora then moves in to arrange the chocolate-dipped orange slices on the top and bottom edges of the cake.
Beige: Mmm...
Nora: Let's do the punch next.
(gang gets to work on pouring various juices and ginger ale, chopping fruit and preparing the fruit ring)