Let me just say this loud and proud: I cannot bake a cake to save my life. Nope. Not even a little. Since I was a young girl, cake baking has been my culinary kryptonite. I’ve tried—oh, how I’ve tried—but it always ends in disaster.
It all started with egg shells. For some reason, when I crack eggs for anything else, they behave. But when I’m baking a cake? Crunch. Eggshells in the batter like they’re invited to the party. And that’s just the beginning.
My biggest issue? The cake is never done. I follow the instructions. I preheat the oven. I set the timer. I even poke it with a toothpick like the pros say. But somehow, I’ll frost it, slice it open, and boom—raw in the middle. Every. Single. Time.
People ask me, “What temperature do you set your oven to?” “How long do you bake it?” “Are you watching the time?” Yes, yes, and yes. Still, it never works. I’ve officially waved the white flag.
Now, I leave the cake baking to the experts. My favorite cakes come from Meijer, my niece Nell, and I’ve got my cupcake lady and my cake lady—two queens who’ve been baking for me for over 20 years. Their numbers are sacred. I’m never letting them go.
I’ve made peace with my cake-baking curse. Every now and then, I’ll whip up some cupcakes (because they’re a little more forgiving), but when it comes to full-on cakes? I’m out.
So here’s to knowing your strengths—and outsourcing your weaknesses to women who know how to work magic with flour and sugar.
Inside the mind of cree 
One time I tried to bake a chocolate cake for my cousin’s birthday. I forgot to add sugar, but added double the salt by mistake. The cake looked perfect on the outside, but when everyone took the first bite, the whole room went silent. My cousin thought it was a prank cake. We ended up ordering pizza instead, and the salty chocolate brick became a running joke in my family!”
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OMG. I would be laughing too because I sooooo get it and understand. I wish I could see their faces, because my family looks at me like the TRUST IS GONE LOL LOL Thanks for sharing
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My Mother was and excellent baker. She made pound cakes, zucchini bread, to die for peach cobblers and incredible sweet potato pies. A few years after she passed away, I decided to make some sweet potato pies. Before I got started, I prayed asking God to let me honor her memory. I baked 4 pies. I took one of them to a family Christmas gathering. When my brothers tasted the pie a look of amazement came over their faces. I knew that my prayer had been answered. I don’t bake often but when I do, I usually make apple pies. They continue to be a work in progress.
A week ago I bought some pumpkins. I love pumpkin pie so this week I plan to bake a few pies and hopefully I’ll have enough left-over pumpkin to make some muffins from scratch. Wish me luck.
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I’m so Happy that you made the deserts!!!! Can you imagine how your brothers felt thinking; these deserts reminds me of mom. You should feel happy for yourself. I would cry feeling good about it.
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I guess its a skill like cooking gravy, or frying a pork, or an omelette. You got it or you don’t! But you are ahead of the adventure because you know what you can and what you can’t which says a lot for culinary interest, smile! That’s why you have chosen the best for a “flour and sugar expert.
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