make trifle!
It was to be my crowing achievement but getting ahead was my downfall. We were having friends over and I was making a cake from scratch (and getting it right the first time...maybe that was the beginning of the end for me). I made the cake two days ahead. The frosting the day before. The day of I went to frost the cake...uh oh. Butter does harden in the fridge Melissa. Duh!
It was to be my crowing achievement but getting ahead was my downfall. We were having friends over and I was making a cake from scratch (and getting it right the first time...maybe that was the beginning of the end for me). I made the cake two days ahead. The frosting the day before. The day of I went to frost the cake...uh oh. Butter does harden in the fridge Melissa. Duh!Ok, 3 hours until people arrive. Please be enough time for it soften and come to room temp. Fast forward 3 depressing hours...As I hand Steve my car keys and say, "Fine, go get a frozen key lime pie", I had a moment of clarity. Cut up the worlds' ugliest cake and make a trifle (yes Lindsey, this cake totally blew our former "world's ugliest cake" out of the water. Maybe it will feel pretty now. My it rest in peace).
It was much easier to let Shannon help me out and not cringe since it was already the world's ugliest cake. We didn't have anywhere to go but up. Plus, when you smother anything in whipped cream, you cover all blemishes.
Shannon had to "sample" to ensure quality control. In the end it tasted great but was still considered an overall disaster.
It was much easier to let Shannon help me out and not cringe since it was already the world's ugliest cake. We didn't have anywhere to go but up. Plus, when you smother anything in whipped cream, you cover all blemishes.Shannon had to "sample" to ensure quality control. In the end it tasted great but was still considered an overall disaster.If at first you don't succeed, bake and bake again.
Round 2, chocolate pound cake from scratch. No frosting this time, just gotta get the stinkin' cake right.Whew, the cake turned out perfect. Where did things go wrong?
Transportation! The perfect cake went kamikaze off the cake plate and broke into a thousand tiny pieces. What have a learned from my previous folly's? Glue it together with frosting and cover it up.
Again, tasted great, but still considered a complete failure.
Again, tasted great, but still considered a complete failure.3rd times' a charm...oh wait, not this time.
Cakelove (the book I'm studying) says that to be a consistent baker you must use a scale to measure everything. I know this it true, but I don't want to buy a scale. I add the recommended amount of mashed bananas, but apparently we buy jumbo bananas because the cake ended up way too dense. On a more positive note, the frosting went wonderful this time.
I had planned on ending this post with a picture of the one that finally made it. The cake that made all my practice perfect. Unfortunately that cake has yet to exist. I hopped onto the scale at my parents house while visiting last weekend and have decided to delay another attempt pending a drop in lbs.
9 comments:
haa, well remember looks don't always matter, the taste does! They all look delicious to me! Can't wait to try one of your cakes sometime. ohh, and whatever, you're stick thin, so bake away my friend!
Doesn't cake come in a box labeled "Betty Crocker"?
Thanks for keeping it real! You get the award for funniest/inspiring blog, and the adorable kiddos are "icing on the cake". All in all, not too shabby for someone so young!
Your right, I do need you to bake my cake for the wedding!! When can you come? (I'm thinking about using box cake) shhhhhhhh...
That looks fabulous Melissa! You have always been great at foods. I bet it was delicious no matter how many tries it took you.
I have to tell everyone that all of these cakes were super yummy! We didn't mind the look at all.
looks don't matter. it's what inside that counts, and i know whatever is inside these pasteles are delectable, delectable! i'm on a sugar high just looking at these pics.
I agree, it's the taste that counts. I have lived in Alabama for 5 years now and I still can't make decent bread. My cinnamon rolls rock though. Just focus on the positive. You are really creative in a pinch. My cakes would have been hidden from the public and eaten by Eric.
Those are definitely not failures. I love your narration. By the way, Target has scales for just a few dollars and they work great for baking. We got one for Gwen's Science experiments and I abscounded it for the kitchen.
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