This cake was served at the JASNA Eastern Pennsylvania Region’s birthday party for Jane earlier this month. It was beautiful and delicious (and, according to the regional coordinator, fascinated the bakery employees).

“You know how interesting the purchase of a sponge-cake is to me.” – Letter to Cassandra Austen, June 15, 1808

Once again, we take pen in hand–er, place fingers to keyboard to wish Jane Austen a very happy 240th birthday. She doesn’t look a day over 35, does she? We’ve got a cake, and no doubt Dorothy will bring around a beverage to everyone’s taste, whether tea or lemonade or maybe a nice mulled wine (heavy on the cinnamon, light on the cloves). It’s a day for Jane Austen fans to celebrate: the birth of our favorite author.

It’s our habit on this day to think of birthday gifts we would give Jane were she here. As the temperatures both at AustenBlog World Headquarters and, we are told, in the UK right now are on the temperate side (seriously, we were out in short sleeves and no coat this past weekend), we don’t think Jane needs anything warm, but we’d love to crochet a light, ethereal shawl using laceweight yarn, perhaps LilyGo’s “Remember Me” shawl; something light, just enough to keep off the evening chill. Needlework as a hobby is something we share with Jane Austen, and, oh yeah, that writing thing as well–though of course we can only aspire to her genius.

Please take up your beverage of choice and join us in a toast to the immortal Jane Austen.

(Also, scroll down for three, count ’em, three giveaway posts in honor of the day!)