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 