Baking cake is NOT much fun

Cake.
I don't know why I keep doing it. 


I have noticed the last 4 or 5 cakes that I baked... I didn't really enjoy it.
It being - the baking. 


It's just a lot of work and I really hate the clean up part of it. I feel like I'm on my feet all day and my cakes don't really turn out all that pretty. I mean, they are okay. Not the ugliest things but I'm much better at baking cinnamon rolls - sweet rolls.


In fact, I'd much rather be baking sweet rolls - because I enjoy them so much more than I enjoy cake. And really, cleaning up after baking sweet rolls is so much faster. For one, I almost always bake my sweet rolls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. So then I just throw that away - and I'm done! The other bowls, rolling pin and few other things get cleaned up along the way - while the dough is rising, etc...  


Cake is just so much work - and in my opinion - not that rewarding for all the work put into it.


I'd much rather make a trifle. Or cookies. Or ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies, juice or fun decorated treats like those chocolate dipped stroopwafels or... anything else that is quick and easy and less messy.


I keep doing it because I have a birthday party to celebrate, but the more kids I have the more I think, I'll just buy a cake and focus on doing the activities or making a special dinner. That's more my cup of tea. 


So, I've been mulling over this in my head, but I think I'm going to sell on my cake-baking gear. And then, I won't bake - then I won't eat this stuff and I'll be that much closer to my weight loss goals (except when I feel like baking cookies or sweet rolls, of course).


Plus, I really don't care for buttercream frosting - especially when it is made with shortening. Yuck. If it's made with cream cheese then it's pretty good. Chocolate frosting - also good... but just plain buttercream I don't really like that. Maybe my tastesbuds are just changing... that could be it.


I'll be baking my last cake on friday - a sugar free, gluten free cake - and I'll top it with a meringue frosting made from honey. I'm hoping that cake will be lots more fun and enjoyable.


I'm not saying it will be my last cake ever - but in the future, I hope to bake cakes that don't need a lot of frosting of layers - frosting in general. Let's just say - I don't want to bake a cake for a while!



Kailea's 2nd Birthday
"strawberry" cake made with starburst candy for the leaves and skittles for the "seeds"
Kailea's 3rd Birthday
Cookie Monster made with Oreo's for the eyes -
this cake was actually fun to make and not too much work.

Kailea's 4th Birthday
Barbie princess cake - made with marshmallow fondant -
which is a whole lotta work - don't wanna make that again.
Tomorrow we celebrate her 5th birthday - I've made another "barbie" cake - in the style of a mermaid... it turned out okay... I bet it will taste okay - I used a box mix - first time I did that. I topped it with melted white chocolate and sprinkles. Then I did the mermaid tail with buttercream -colored it turquoise/green - flavored it mint. And I have a lot of leftover frosting... but with St. Patty's day coming up - I think I'll make these with the leftover frosting:


Photo credit: Lisa Pearson
Simply... This. That. And The Other
aka ThePearsonFamilee.blogspot.com
Then, I'll take the cookies to church and share them with everyone - because although it's minty-flavored buttercream - it's made with shortening so it's kinda yucky - imo. Hopefully not to everyone else though. Ha ha.

Comments

Tine said…
Cleaning up after baking is not fun. That's the part I don't like about baking and cooking.
I never make cakes, or not the beautiful decorated cakes you make. I would rather make cakes like these: http://www.anjasfood4thought.com/2011/01/apple-quinoa-cake.html.
Easy and quick.
4:45 AM
MelissaDaams said…
Hi Tine, that's a healthy looking cake! no frosting to fatten it up. yup, easy clean up there! I love parchment paper!
12:51 PM
BumbleVee said…
probably the reason I do muffins..... very easy... only one bowl..the mixing bowl... so not much cleanup. Do you use a scale and have to measure ingredients into many bowls? or do you use the cups method? I use cups for measuring and it is so much simpler I think. Every so often I get a recipe that is in grams...and I have to weigh it all out...thinking how do those British gals do it? I would never bake if it was that messy all the time. Give me my cups!

Yesterday I did add some streusel topping to my usual muffins...only one little extra bowl to mix the topping...and yum... it was tasty.
2:44 PM
Lisa said…
I'm so impressed with your talent. I so wish I could do what you do when it comes to decorating. Ah, maybe one day.
3:36 PM
Thepearsonfamilee said…
WOW. Beautiful. What a great idea for the waffle cookies...I might just have to copy you for St. Patty's day! Have a great day. Thank you for all of your kind comments!
3:55 PM
Sonya said…
I can't stand shortening! yuck is right. When I made frosting I use a butter version or the 7 minute frosting. We aren't big frosting eaters either I must say..but I do love to bake cakes. I've got a lemon one with blueberries that I need to try : )
5:41 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The cook book for your toddler - Het kookboek voor je peuter

Image
So, I've been going through this little cook book I got from the baby clinic - the book is made by Kinderen - it's a monthly magazine for mothers and expecting mothers - and it's a great little book. see bol.com Here are just a few of the recipes I've tried: Pippi's pannenkoekentaart That was good - I gave it a 4 star **** - easy to make and everyone enjoyed it. Dessert for dinner is good anytime :) I put sliced apples in almost every pancake - which is why it leans so much. It was very filling - and very yummy. Up next: Een echt indiaantje Good 4 stars **** - another easy meal, presented in such a way that the kids got excited... Kailea, my 5 year old, is normally very picky about green food - she ate it up :) We served it with simple gravy. Ella - liked the patty, but tossed the sugar snaps aside - oh well, can't please everyone - but I try. Kailea poses for me. Dad's angry man... even big kids play with their food ! And.....
Read more

Double Dipped Stroopwafels (Syrup Waffles)

Image
  I couldn't think of a better way to use an old egg carton then to have it hold yummy delicious double dipped stroopwafels. The idea is not really so new. Just a few months ago I saw Kristan from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen do the same thing with graham crackers for a quick holiday treat. The stroopwafel is not really equavalent to a graham cracker though... it is so much better. It's really one of the best cookies to come out of the Netherlands. You can find them everywhere here. Every grocery store carries them in many different price ranges. And there is a difference. That "E" brand that is really cheap - really sucks . The brand from the Lidl is a great price and one of the best tasting ones I've found. They have them made with real butter or with glucose-syrup. I personally like the real butter caramel flavored ones. Yum-yum. A stroopwafel is simply translated as syrup waffle. It's a thin waffle like cookie with syrup in the middle... much be...
Read more

Belgian Day - Speculoos Hagel and Stoemp!

Image
You know what? Normally when I think of Belgium - I think of those cute little sea shell chocolates - those are so dang good. I always bring a few boxes of those when I go home to America. Everyone likes those a lot! You are instantly popular and everyone's best friend if you are carrying a box of those. But Belgium is also known for other things - like waffles and Brussels sprouts. And if they aren't known for Speculaas - they should be. Speculaas is a small spice cookie. It's very yummy and often served with coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Lotus is all over it; it's a name brand and they got it made with the Speculaas. Not only do they know how to make a great little cookie. They've turned it into a creamy sandwich spread... and now into a crunchy sandwich sprinkle. I love it. It's brilliant. And you know what - it would work great as any cake or cupcake topper. Forget those disco sprinkles - Lotus Speculoos Hagel is it!   Luckily for living here, I don...
Read more