Have your cake and eat it too

People ask me all the time, “Did you always want to make cakes? How did you get started?” To be completely honest, I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up. 

After college I began working at the Children’s Aid Society of Brant. While this job was necessary and had a purpose, I couldn’t help but feel like I was incomplete. I wasn’t happy and 10 years of not being happy is a long time. Though the job bought my house, fed and clothed my children; there is nothing compared to the peaceful happiness my life has now.

One day I was shopping with my brother and he saw this sign for cake decorating classes. He said to me, “We should go!!” I had just gone through surgery for Carpal Tunnel and was having some complications. I thought this might be a good way to strengthen my hand again. So we signed up right then and there. Two weeks later we were to start the classes. The day of our first class he calls and tells me he ‘ain’t going’. Having already paid for the class and bought the tools needed, I went by myself.

As it turns out I have a creative knack for cake design. I caught on quick and impressed the instructors. After that there was no turning back. I took all 4 courses, and loved them all. There is so much to learn. Making cakes is trial and error but so much fun. The satisfaction and absolute joy I have when I finish a cake is astounding.

If you wanna give it a try, here is my chocolate cake recipe. I hope you all enjoy.

Chocolate Cake

2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
¾ Cups Cocoa Powder
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Instant Espresso
1 Cup Milk
½ Cup Butter
2 Beaten Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Hot Water

Preheat oven to 350F

  1. In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients and whisk them together.
  2. In another large bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar, then add eggs in 1 at a time.
  3. Add the dry ingredients and milk to the creamed butter, sugar and eggs; alternating as you go. A little of the dry, a little milk, a little of the dry, a little milk, etc…
  4. Slowly mix in 1 cup of Hot Water.
  5. Pour into greased cake pans and bake for 35 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

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