Cake Baking Mess

Cake baking drama and a splash of trauma (!!)

I decided to bake the cake layers last on my list yesterday -- probably a mistake. I made humus, German cheese spread, gardened, ran errands and THEN started the cake. I was tired before I even started.

It's a strange recipe. Not hard, but different. I messed up the batter twice and had to dump it. WTH! 

When I was getting vanilla bean paste from the pantry, I pulled out a liner and knocked tons of glass jars over which dropped on the floor, smashed. Liquid everywhere. Broke part of the molding off the wall. Broke a dish I had sitting on the floor. Flooded a bowl with tea bags in it. All trashed. Fun cleanup.

I finally got the batter correct and then messed up filling the cake pans. I ended up doing 3 small layers instead of 2 (which you cut to make 4 layers). They baked fine though -- thank the lord.

Then I made the recipe all over again using GF flour -- cupcakes and one layered cake. 

It was a crazy bake. 3 more elements to make -- filling, icing and a ganache. Layers are in the freezer. I'll make the rest and assemble on Saturday.

Uses black cocoa -- tastes like
an Oreo cookie.

I got another thing off of my 24 for 2024 list. LADYBUGS. I'm releasing them in the garden this morning. I have no idea if I even needed them, but I want to try it. 

Flowers are for my DIL

I planted a few more things from the grow room and I'll plant the rest on Saturday. I love gardening and I'm now worried about leaving the plants for 2 weeks. I hope I get the watering schedule well enough to keep things alive. 

I woke up to these garden worries. Seriously?!?! I'm back to the "I have too much to do" anxiety. My volunteer work just amped up significantly too. I'm still questioning is this a full life or am I overextended. I think most will settle down enough, soon. I did overextend the end of April. I'm in the middle of that now and that's probably why the anxiety is here again. 

Today is one of those days. Fulled to the brim from wakeup to bedtime. All good things so I need to remember to enjoy today. When it's full like this, I get in task mode instead of enjoyment mode. 

I hope you have a nice Friday and are set for a fun weekend. Later gators and bots (very active again).