Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Self Portrait Challenge {Food and Me}

IMG_4190

Birthday cake. It can be frustrating. Half of the time it doesn't turn out right and I have spent a lot of flour, sugar, time and energy for nothing but a disappointment. I grew up in a grab-a-box-and-add-the-eggs-oil-and-milk kind of cake-making family. Well, to my husband, that just doesn't cut it. There are a lot of Birthdays in a year! That's a lot of home made cakes in order to make the man I love swoon.

One Birthday in particular (I don't remember who's Birthday, but I do remember the stupid cake!), Brooke called right at the peak of my frustrations and I ended up having a full on tantrum about baking cakes and how I can never get it right. For Christmas she gave me The Cake Bible and then I took a couple classes from a friend who is a professional cake maker. Still about half of the cakes turn out crappy, but I'm getting better. Eleven years of home made cakes. That's a lot of cake. (That's why I always am taking pictures of my cakes, because when they actually turn out, I am so pleased!)

This one is the one that gets baked about 50% of the time. Here it is in all it's glory, a couple days after the big day getting the milk treatment:

IMG_4197

19 comments:

Alexa said...

that looks to die for!

Wendy said...

I'm still a grab a box and bake kind of girl. I would sure disappoint Jake wouldn't I. But I'm all about homemade desserts, just not birthday cakes. Except for the Reeses dessert in the box. That one is sooo tasty. Try it!

Paige said...

Brit, that is such a cool picture! Your husband must be some kind of taste genius to be able to tel what isn't Betty Crocker. I've made cakes from scratch before- but I don't like frosted biscuits! Your husband is lucky.

Courtney said...

I know--that IS a good picture. Wow. Wish I lived closer so I could somehow weasel an invite to someone's party sometime!

Courtney said...

Ohhh...that's you in the spoon! So creative! Will you give us picture-taking lessons sometime? That's awesome. Now I want to go try that!

Jeni said...

I am salivating. I LOVE chocolate cake. I have only tried your frosting recipe so far. I need to try the three layer death-by-chocolate recipe, but no one in my family likes chocolate as much as I do - but then again I wouldn't have to share...

Anonymous said...

I can't make a good "by scratch" cake. Although, I want to try to make the cake on the front of Country Living October issue. Your's looks great.

Rebekah said...

Geez, now I'm salivating :)

Have you checked out the Cake Mix Doctor cookbooks? I have the Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor & love it! You use mixes, but add more than just the eggs/oil/water, sometimes also making from-scratch frostings from included recipes, and the results are fabulous!

Anonymous said...

Chocolate cake?! It's chocolate cake!
{swoon, swoon . . . faint) oops, I missed the fainting couch.

Really, it looks delicious and I admire your diligence. I don't know that I have it in me!

Dallas and Krista said...

Wow that looks delicious! I am reading this realizing that I forgot to call Mr Man on his b-day. Wah. Give him lives for me, will ya?

jenica said...

oh yum. i'm a boxed cake madam.

Rebecca said...

yummy looking cake, even tho i don't love chocolate. love the reflection you captured in your spoon. are you familiar with mirror project?

Clair said...

love your reflection in the spoon. so creative!

Abby said...

I love that you make homemade cakes to make your hubby swoon.

eBay said...

I didn't remember giving you that cake book. That was one of my better years. I actually paid attention and found a gift that was personal. I'm inspired anew. I will give you a good personal gift in November on your bday.

Emily said...

Remember me? Seems like forever! I have enjoyed your blog and you are as talented as ever! I visited Brooke not too long ago and I got to catch up on your life.

Anonymous said...

I was all excited to read the recipe only to scroll down and there was just a lousy photo!!

I want / need that recipe pretty please.

Thanks!

LC

Dini said...

This cracked me up because I literally just made a cake for my hubbies bday...from a BOX...and then read this post. It's in the oven right now! I would love to bake from scratch but I pretty much can anticipate the outcome and it isn't a pretty one.

Jason said...

Hey now! Jason Swann here. Remember me? The quiet occasional member of SMH? Got here from the Larson blog. You've got some GREAT stuff here! Where do you guys live? Your barn/studio makes me jealous. I only have an overcrowded garage for my studio. Hope all is well. Chat with you later.