Book & Baking Blog Entry 40

As I sit here at the computer hardly able to type, certainly not doing a good job of typing and wishing that I were wearing my reading glasses (that I am too tired and lazy to go get), I have realized that sometimes some things are just not meant to be. 

In fairness, I am SURE that I will accomplish my goal (princess and castle b-day cakes for my daughters 4th b-day) by Saturday morning.  2 princess cakes.  1 castle.  It's enough.  It was my choice, and one I freely made.  The cakes are done.  They sit in Tupperware right now; except for the one that is in plastic wrap.  That one I forgot while mopping the floor and WHOOPS!  Left it out over-night.  I'm sure it will taste fine.  Small children.  Cake.  Does it really matter?

That question actually came up the other day.  Another mother said to me that I should just buy a Costco cake (thus freeing my time.)  After all, kids don't care.  And I have to agree, it's true.  I'm the one who wants a homemade cake, homemade pizza, and a party.  Well, OK, as Miss Thing gets older she wants the party too.  But as long as there's a bounce house and some kind of cake, does the rest really matter?  Probably not.

So why do it?  What do I have to show for it?  I'm tired.  In pain (a lot of standing.)  I have a lot of work ahead of me.  And the small child will not even realize all of the work that went into it (unless I remind her 85 times a day until she leaves for college--and maybe not even then.)  All of the parents will say what a great cake it is, but as my friend noted, they would say that if it were from Costco.  Slightly different compliments, but compliments none-the-less.

Let's get back to why do I do it?  Well,  it's for me.  It's an accomplishment.  I hope that long term it shows my child how much I love her that I want her to have a crappy homemade cake vs something store bought.  I hope to instill in her the fact that I love her enough to want to put in the time and effort even though I'm tired and could easily buy her something.  I want her to know that it's special.  And really I want her to know this when she's 30. 

Right now.  It probably doesn't matter (although she did say she wanted me to make the cake when given a choice.)  But maybe some day she think, "wow, making a castle and two princess cakes is NOT as easy as my mama made it look."

So, what is NOT meant to be.  Frosting.  I have baked 3 cakes.  They are in the correct shapes to make 2 princesses and one castle.  I just haven't had time to make the frosting.  Every time I start someone calls from work.  I'm lucky that I get to work from home in the summers, but GEEZE people.  I didn't think you'd actually call me THIS week.  Nothing should need to be done...except, of course it did.

So, frosting tonight?  I hope so,  but I'm awfully tired...

Book & Baking Blog Entry 34

I love to bake cookies.  Really.  And I prefer baking for others to eat.  Mostly because I put on weight easily and couldn't possibly eat all the cookies that I really would like to eat.


I just had to share the experience of making the rare, almost never seen out of its natural midwestern habitat, Orange Cookie.  Orange Cookies were almost never found at my house even  at Christmas.  Nope.  Why not?  They are delicious.  They are cakey and sweet.  They actually taste like orange.  They have lovely icing--AHA!  There's the kicker.  As a kid I had no idea that there were people out there regularly icing  their cookies.


I can't speak for my mother, but I suspect that she did not like to frost cookies.  For example, I thought that sugar cookies were called sugar cookies because you sprinkled sugar on them.  I didn't realize that it was because they are sugary goodness and most people put even more sugary icing on them.  Who knew?! 


So, of course, we all like to think that we don't have the hang-ups of our mothers.  So why don't I make the sugary, sweet, orange, frosted cookies?  Well, I don't keep orange juice in the house.  I should find out if there is such a think as powdered orange juice, not Tang, but real stuff.  There has got to be.  Seriously, you can get powdered milk...


I don't mind frosting the cookies and the best part about these is that the frosting gets nice and stiff.  You're supposed to use wax paper to separate the layers of cookies, but I don't.  Honey-badger just don't care....


So, rethinking the cookie line up.  What was really fun was that I know mom would always use orange food color so that the cookies were "orange." I made the frosting, well, mauve? even towards a lilac.  I used pink, but the cream color of the frosting clearly influenced the end color more than I figured.  Too cute.  My daughter LOVES it.


Happy Baking.

Book & Baking Blog Entry 7

Birthday Cake: another year another bear



Birthday Cake is the best. While my reading lately has not been inspired, well except for the latest Alex Delaware novel by Kellerman, my baking has truly been over the top.



My daughter turned 3 on Thursday and we invited 20-some kids and their parents to a little get together. Bouncehouse, goody bags, the works. And cake. The cake, to me, is important. It is important that I make the cake myself. It's a vanity and I hardly had the time for it this week BUT I was not to be denied.



For the sake of background let it be known that I live in an area where bakery cakes are the norm. Grocery store cakes are generally not used, but real bakery cakes.



I took a cake decorating class earlier this year, but I wasn't good and there wasn't a lot that it could help me with making my teddy bear cake. The teddy bear cake is easy. I found the idea online (or course) and modified it to my own desires (of course.)



So, the fun. I had to bake the cakes at night because at work, where it's usually pretty low-key, this week, ONLY this week out of the entire year, I have to work longer hours. Yep. The week that I need to bake 2 cakes and throw 2 parties. Did I mention 2 parties? Yeah, one for family after the bachanal for toddlers.



For those interested I baked 2 cakes. 1 yellow cake-8"round, 2 layers (Better Homes & Gardens) and 1 devil's food cake-9" round 2 layers (same book.) those who bake regularly will see the flaw in the cake, especially if you read the recipe. Yep. The yellow cake recipe actually makes more in volume. If I had been thinking I would have made it the 9". Oh well. There is a drastic chin on my bear. Luckily, children don't care and adults are too polite to notice.



Ears and paws are made of cupcakes. For those keeping track, I've now baked 3 batches of cake. I cheat on the frosting. I used canned. Yes, I know for purists it's like I spat on the cake, but I've really never made frosting any better than the can. Send your recipe I'll give it a try.



I'm at work right now (it's Saturday and I'm installing software), and tonight I go home to make another batch of cupcakes (count is up to 4) and get ready to prepare 1 more bear for eating.



The last bear was a pink panda. My daughter likes pink. While not original, I don't care. It's what she likes. Maybe I'll just do a brown bear for this one...



AND just so that you know, it was yummy. The kids loved the cake and thought it was spectacular. The adults pretended that they wished they were so talented. It's very nice of them.

Maybe, just maybe next year I won't manipulate my daughter into asking for a teddy bear cake...or not.