Whether you’re celebrating a monumental birthday, inviting a few friends for a BBQ or even just having summer picnic with your kids here are some ideas to keep in mind when organizing your event.

This one bowl chocolate cake recipe by Martha Stewart has seen me through all my kids birthdays. I have baked this cake year after year and we all still love it. The recipe has never let me down. It is moist and just chocolatey enough, just sweet enough and holds up well as cupcakes, rectangular cakes, bundt pan cakes...well anyway you bake it really!