"By the light of the moon, what to get her?"
Luna paced on the balcony, fretting over tomorrow. Tomorrow was her sister's birthday, but what to get the mare who has literally everything? Luna loved her sister, but getting her a gift was one of the hardest things. She had power, wealth, and the love of all Equestria. What could she possibly get her? That's when it struck her like a meteorite crashing down upon her brain. What if-
"I'll bake her a cake!"
It was a great idea! A truly wondrous plan, there was just one problem; Luna had never baked anything in her life. The idea now in her mind, Luna rushed to the Canterlot Kitchen and quickly set about finding a recipe book to make the perfect cake for her sister. Happening upon one such book she opened it and read off the list of ingredients out loud. "Okay so I need the following."
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"Hmmm, this doesn't seem that complex; just add the powders, flour and salt to a bowl and mix with a whisk. Once smooth mix the milk and oils into it, add the water next...Okay, I think I can do this! Huzzah! Celestia just you wait for I, Luna, Princess of the Night, will make you the best chocolate cake ever!"
Luna carefully read the recipe for a few minutes and then proceeded to gather the ingredients after turning on the oven. "Step one: preheat the oven to 350 degrees. There! Now to gather the ingredients!"
Luna quickly found the eggs in the fridge alongside the milk. Looking through the cupboards, she located and grabbed the salt, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Strangely though she was unable to locate any flour.
"Flour, flour...are we out of flour? This is a travesty!"
Were her dreams of creating the ultimate birthday cake for her sister dashed? Luna thought to herself what does flour even look like anyway? Looking through the book, she found a picture labeled 'flour' it showed a strange powdery almost dusty appearance of a white substance. Hmmm, well, stardust isn't white but it does resemble that powdered form. Perhaps it can be used instead!
Her horn aglow and a smile radiating on her face, Princess Luna created a full two cups worth of the magical substance used in creating constellations. It was a bright glowing yellow, but its texture was indeed the same as the flour, Luna noticed. "It should work just as well. Huzzah! Let the baking commence once more!"
"let's see..."
The Royal Sister of the Night proceeded to combine the first step ingredients together, though causing quite a bit of it to fall down onto the floor, apparently pouring ingredients Earthpony-style was a bit harder than she had anticipated. Still, the cookbook had expressed it was "the best way to make the best cakes." She, Luna, was determined to make the best for her sister, even if it meant destroying the kitchen in the process.
"I still hate these measuring cups, though!"
Luna shouted this to no one in particular as she, for the umpteenth time attempted to pour the vegetable oil bottle with her mouth, as the book instructed. I will do this if it takes all of my beloved night! Thinking this furiously to herself, she tossed the empty bottle from her mouth into the corner with another from a previous attempt. Ignoring the immense amount of oil dripping from the counter top, Luna grabbed another and attempted once more.
The night droned on and the Princess could not believe it. Truly, this was the most horrendous of all the trials she had ever faced. How do the chefs do this for my sister, every day? All night long she had fought with the mixing bowl, wrestled with the sugar and cocoa, and even broke down once shedding tears when the milk was accidentally knocked off the counter, spilling all over the floor. Then finally, as her energy was low, her determination at its peak and her sanity was about to break, the legendary Nightmare of the dreamworld, pulled forth her greatest conquest from the bowels of the oven's fire itself; a perfect chocolate cake.
Looking over it with pride, a smell filled the mare's nostrils and looking about her, she noticed the abysmal state of the royal kitchen. Luckily her time spent among Twilight and her friends had allowed her to learn a spell that would ease the burden of cleaning. It was but the work of a moment, as she cleaned up the mess and placed the piping hot, moist chocolate cake under a domed silver lid upon a serving platter. She carefully made sure to levitate the platter to her room, to hide it from her cake-loving sister. Luna happily waited, knowing the sun would be up in mere minutes.
Sure enough, the sun rose into the sky about ten minutes later. It was almost time for the great celebration being hosted by Princess Twilight down in Ponyville and the staff were already on their way. Quickly, Luna wrapped the special gift up in a star-patterned wrapping paper, making sure to place a multi-colored bow on it that resembled her sister's mane. Taking great care she wrote on the tag: to my sister, Tia. Holding the present via levitation, Luna teleported to the ceremony in Ponyville Town Square.
***
After an hour of festivities, it was time for the gift-giving. Luna proudly trotted up to her sister and presented her gift. "Sister, I made this for you."
Celestia undid the wrapping paper and saw the tray, lifting up the lid using her magic she spoke in surprise. "Luna what is this?"
Luna, who had her eyes closed, spoke with a scoff. "Sister that is a chocolate cake."
Celestia wasn't sure what to say, the thing on the plate was a cake alright, a cake constellation. Strangely enough it did smell like chocolate, though. Though another smell also caught her nose. Looking about, Celestia's eyes went wide. "Dearest sister, WHY is the castle ON FIRE?"
Everypony turned to look at the glorious Canterlot Castle, now smoking and evidently ablaze. The bricks were collapsing as the fire licked at the sky. Luna looked a bit surprised. "Uh-"
"Luna? Did you turn the oven off?"
"Of course not!"
"Why in the name of me, would you not turn the oven off?!"
"But the recipe said nothing about turning the oven OFF!"
Celestia watched for a moment as the castle began to crumble and sighed. Taking a deep breath, she turned her attention back towards the gift her sister had made her. Levitating a nearby fork, she scooped up and took a bite of the constellation. A smile broke out over her face. "Oh Luna this is magnificent! You know, I hate to make light of what you've done, but this cake really is the star attraction of this party."
