I'll keep this short and to the point. If I had to sum up why I am no June Clever, no Betty Crocker, it's because I freaking am not cut out for it.
I decided this year I would make my son a homemade birthday cake for his party. How hard could it be? I have made cakes before. I knew I was going for beginner level. No crazy shapes or decorative challenges. I ordered some Batman figures online to place on top of a chocolate layer cake and purchased some multi-colored sprinkles.
We started the project after an unsuccessful nap/quite time. The plan was bake a chocolate layer cake and butter cream frosting from scratch, and due to the large guest list make some back up boxed cupcakes.
Three hours later, I am literally burning up from being in a hot kitchen, my jeans and shirt are covered in flour and my skin feels sticky all over from powdered sugar. I have a sad cake that looks like it is melting because I realized after the fact the frosting was just too runny. I am crabby and don't want to take a step back in that god forsaken kitchen for the rest of the weekend. I am dreading the moment I try and serve that mess of a cake up. I can envision myself trying to slice small pieces and watching the whole thing crumble to pieces under the knife.
The whole experience, so not worth it. Never again. Next year store-bought all the way.
Pictures to come...
Hi! Thanks for coming over to my blog and for following. It's hard to find time to write since I've been working full time, but sometimes you just have to ignore the disaster in the house and write. My twins turned 5 in February and I had decided to make the cakes from scratch. And then realized that with all the parents who were staying I should make another cake. At least it was February so I didn't die from the heat in the kitchen. I hear you...it is difficult. Yours sounds like a much harder experience than mine - you were being a good mommy and doing the baking with your child. I've decided that for things that have to look a certain way (like everything other than muffins) it is mommy's time and the kids are either in bed already or taken out by daddy. One time, in a not so good moment, I remember saying, "just because I'm a mom doesn't mean I want little helpers for everything!" sigh... I'm following you now too!
ReplyDeleteOh boy, and then you go to the inlaws and see the cake sis in law has made from scratch for her little boy who happens to be the same age as my little boy, and it's Thomas the Tank Engine and it's perfect in every way and you are SURE she's done it just to show you up.....
ReplyDeleteThat's why the kitchen goddess invented CAKE MIX!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are a trooper! It never really occurred to me to bake from scratch (I know I am a little stupid) but, honestly, in my family, just BAKING and not BUYING is such a huge big deal, I get enormous brownie points (so to speak) for baking with a box mix. And they're very very good!
ReplyDeleteTry one. Really. Enter your kitchen again when it's safe :) and have a good time. Eggs, water, oil and you're in action. There are so many other things to do anyway, stirring, mixing, pouring, putting the layers together, frosting, that it's enough already!
I had a queen-sized break down before my son's first birthday over homemade cupcakes and red icing. Dear lord. Why do we do this to ourselves? Is it in some sort of playbook that they brainwash us with in the hospital?
ReplyDelete