The Dropped Birthday Cake
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Anika's homemade birthday cake falls right before the picnic, so she rushes to buy cupcakes instead.
Anika baked a chocolate cake for Chidi's birthday picnic. She decorated it with fresh strawberries on top. It looked perfect sitting on the kitchen counter.
She carried the cake carefully to her car. One shoe slipped on the wet driveway. The cake slid right off the plate.
Anika stared at the mess on the ground. Strawberries rolled in every direction. She checked the time and felt her stomach drop.
The picnic started in twenty minutes. There was no time to bake another cake. She needed a fast plan.
She grabbed her car keys. She drove to the bakery on Main Street. The shop had one tray of cupcakes left. She bought all twelve right away.
Anika arrived at the park a few minutes late. Chidi waved from the picnic blanket. "Where's the famous cake?" he asked with a grin.
"There was a small accident," Anika admitted. She held up the cupcake box. "These are the backup plan."
Chidi opened the box and laughed. "Twelve cupcakes for six people," he said. "This is a great birthday."
Everyone grabbed two cupcakes each. They sat down on the grass. Anika told the story of the sliding cake. The whole group laughed a lot.
The next year, Anika baked two cakes just in case. Chidi laughed at her new backup plan. Nothing fell this time.
