I did it, I made a cake for the first time in years!
By gemini_rose
@gemini_rose (16264)
August 23, 2008 9:09am CST
OK so a lot of you may think "whoopee do so what?" but to me this was a big thing. About 10 years ago or more, if you wanted to find me I would always be in the kitchen baking cakes, I made them for peoples birthdays and would make all sorts of different style cakes.
However life changed, I started work then I had more kids and I just stopped being able to get in the kitchen. So when my son received his GCSE results for his exams and did not do as well as he thought he would I decided to make him a cake to cheer him up, and I did and it came out better than I thought!I am really proud of myself! I had to laugh at my writing though it is a bit skewiff my hand kept shaking, oh and the icing is supposed to be blue but for some reason it came out green? dont know why!
I have posted a picture too so you can have a look and tell me what you think, just remember it is my first attempt in a long time!
What is the last thing that you cooked in your kitchen that you were proud of yourself for? Or what was the first thing you can ever remember cooking that you were really proud of?
14 people like this
35 responses
@snowy22315 (170019)
• United States
23 Aug 08
I just made some chocolate cookies with garbanzo beans or chick peas. I know it sounds weird but they taste delicious. I did it to save money on ingredients and also to add more fiber and make a healthier cookie. You also use eggwhites so there are less calories and cholesterol in this recipie. I thought I was being very clever to make them.
2 people like this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Yes I have to agree, they do sound weird, but oddly enough the are the sort of thing I have been told I should be eating more of. Fibre and oats, so maybe I should be eating something like this. You are very clever to come up with a recipe like that yourself.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85538)
• United States
23 Aug 08
Hey, that is wonderful! My mom used to bake when I was really small, but then reality came crashing through the door and she had to go back to work. She managed to make dinner every night for us, but all baking was kaput unless it was a church function that needed a dessert. Right now she is not working, and she loves baking cookies and things for her neighbors and my dad. And how sweet of you to do something to cheer up your son. I imagine he realizes the significance of you doing that for him! The first thing I remember making was brownies when I was four. My mom supervised, but I did all the work, and I was so proud! I was a tall kid and therefore strong, so I didn't have to have help picking up the sugar or any other ingredients. That made me feel like such a grown up. 
2 people like this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Yes it is hard to bake when time is so limited, I was chuft that I got the time to make this today, it is the first time in a long time and I really enjoyed it. Next challenge is going to be a birthday cake I think!
Ahhh what a lovely memory, I do not have memories of anything like that although I am pretty sure i must have done things like that with my Mum.
1 person likes this
@saivenkaat802003 (4823)
• India
23 Aug 08
Hi Gemini.. now you passed the exam.. got a C-grade ya.
How does your son feel now? By this time i hope that he must have come to normal mood.
Okay.. Kindly share my piece to the my little dear there.. How is she?.. She would have enjoyed a lot..when she saw you making cakes..
1 person likes this
@saivenkaat802003 (4823)
• India
24 Aug 08
May be she might have under estimated your cake making capacity.. 
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Thanx! my son is fine now, he is much more happier. Funnily enough my daughter was not the slightest bit interested in me making the cake, she just went off and watched the tv instead! Maybe she will show more interest when she is older.
@tessah (6617)
• United States
23 Aug 08
i used to make doll cakes for my eldest daughter for her birthdays when she was little. a person can get pretty freakin creative with a tube of frosting i must say the hardest i ever did was my wedding cake... two tier with a crystal circle of three dragons on the top holding a crystal sphere, daisies and vines all over it.. and it came out awesome ..;pats self on back;.. i`ll hafta scrounge up a pic of it to show you. for not having made a cake in forever... youd never know it from the looks of yers. i hope it tasted as good as the pic says it would. grats again to yer son, and to you 
the hardest i ever did was my wedding cake... two tier with a crystal circle of three dragons on the top holding a crystal sphere, daisies and vines all over it.. and it came out awesome ..;pats self on back;.. i`ll hafta scrounge up a pic of it to show you. for not having made a cake in forever... youd never know it from the looks of yers. i hope it tasted as good as the pic says it would. grats again to yer son, and to you 1 person likes this
@heavenschild (4777)
• Canada
23 Aug 08
What a wonderful ambition to make and decorate your own wedding cake! I am glad it turned out so wonderfully for you! I calligraphied all of the place cards and thank yous for my wedding and I thought that was feat! LOL But I wanted the personal touch!
~Heavens~
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Wow tessah you are a woman of many talents, your wedding cake sounds like it was fantastic, I would love to see a pic if you could get one. We have not tasted the cake yet, just waiting on my son to come home from work.
1 person likes this
@tessah (6617)
• United States
23 Aug 08
blah ya cant see it real clear in this.. and i cant find the disc its on.. and i rummaged everywhere LOL but here ya go just the same
heavens... this was my second wedding. my first one was a disaster (so was the marriage!! LOL) because i trusted people to do the job. this time around.. i wanted things OUR way.. and the only way to ensure that, was to do it myself.. so i did. everything. from making the invitations, rsvp cards etc all by hand.. the flowers.. the cake.. all the food.. decorations.. favors right on down to the music. and everything was positively perfect
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
23 Aug 08
Well.. I shoud congratulate you. Because I know that it is hard to bake a cake. I mean, I've been there done that, and it was really an experience. It's like... well... I made my first and the last cake for my GF birthday 2 years ago. It's like th worst brownies in the world...
She said that there is a small piece of egg shell in the cake and some of it was overbaked...
So I know your victorious feeling...
Congratulation!!
2 people like this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Oh you know I would have said it was the nicest thing in the world if my fella had done that for me, even if it was not! It is quite easy to get shell in a cake or mixture, I have done that in the past myself.
1 person likes this
@razor123 (979)
• India
23 Aug 08
Ahhh thts really nice gemini_rose. Something nice you did to cheer up your son. The cake looks really nice and tasty. I wish i could have a piece of it.
I am very fond of cakes. I love Black Forest cake a lottttt.... And yes congrats for making such a nice cake and that too after a long time. I'm sure your son must have cheered up after that and your family must have enjoyed relishing the cake.
I have never cooked anything so far. I just know to make 2 minutes noodles thst all. I don't even know how to make an omlet forget about baking a cake lolzzz
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Well you have one up on me friend, I cannot make an omelette to save my life! I am not much for black forest gateaux, actually I am not a cake lover but I do enjoy baking them.
1 person likes this
@heavenschild (4777)
• Canada
23 Aug 08
Rose that is wonderful it is better than I could do!
I can't do a fancy edge like you did...I have tried to write before and do flowers but my flowers just look like blobs! LOL
Anyhow I think it is great!
~Heavens~
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Thanx that is nice of you, I just used one of those icing bags, they make it really easy.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
23 Aug 08
Great job gemini - wow it turned out more than ok and it looks tasty!!
I'm not much of a baker and even though I do use ready made cookie mixes, it took a few goes before they started turning out right LOL As for baking cakes, let's just say I'm good at helping OTHERS bake a cake haha!
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
23 Aug 08
That looks so yummy. You should send me a piece. Well I think you did a really good job. My mother is also a baker and she left it for a while but now she is starting again. The thing that I have done that I have been most proud of was these cupcakes that I made. I followed the recipe from this recipe I got from this magazine. I collect recipes but I have never done one of them because I was scared. But I did it and they were gone in less than an hour. I was really proud and that has made me want to bake more. I just baked a cake a while ago for my cousin. But she bought the cakes that come in the boxes. I made it for her and it was just tasty. Keep on baking and happy mylotting.
Well I think you did a really good job. My mother is also a baker and she left it for a while but now she is starting again. The thing that I have done that I have been most proud of was these cupcakes that I made. I followed the recipe from this recipe I got from this magazine. I collect recipes but I have never done one of them because I was scared. But I did it and they were gone in less than an hour. I was really proud and that has made me want to bake more. I just baked a cake a while ago for my cousin. But she bought the cakes that come in the boxes. I made it for her and it was just tasty. Keep on baking and happy mylotting.@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
Unfortunately the picture is now all that remains of the cake, so I cannot send you any! I get a magazine from my local supermarket once a month and it is full of recipes, I tear the ones I like out and put them in a file. I always say to my hubby that one day I will make them all, hopefully now I might be able to start!
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
24 Aug 08
LOL. Well I think that's cool. I'm going to take it slowly and do one recipe at a time. Probably like every two weeks or so. But yeah I want to do that and prove to myself that I can do it.
@ellie333 (21016)
•
23 Aug 08
Well done, I am glad you did make it, I would have gone to Tesco's and bought one, my young son makes better cakes than I do. Answering from email so will take a peek in a minute, but more importantly than what it looks or tastes like is the love and thought that went into makeing it and I am sure your son was appreciative. I gues the first Christmas dinner I ever cooked once I got married was the meal I cooked the best as I remembered everything including the bread sauce and it tasted perfect, everything was timed so well and as my ex-husbands mother was such a good cook I felt I had really achieved something. Ellie :D
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
23 Aug 08
Thank you I am so proud!
We have actually just had some and it tasted perfect, as my own worst critic I would say that the buttercream icing was a little bit too runny and needed to be a tad thicker for piping.
He loved it though. I know that feeling of cooking a first big meal, I remember cooking my first sunday dinner for my parents, now my Dad is a good cook and so the pressure was really on, hearing him tell me how much he enjoyed it was just brilliant!
We have actually just had some and it tasted perfect, as my own worst critic I would say that the buttercream icing was a little bit too runny and needed to be a tad thicker for piping.
He loved it though. I know that feeling of cooking a first big meal, I remember cooking my first sunday dinner for my parents, now my Dad is a good cook and so the pressure was really on, hearing him tell me how much he enjoyed it was just brilliant!
@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
NO I swear down, first time in ten years, in fact it could even be longer than that! How strange that we are not friends, I have known you for months and I have just this minute rectified this terrible oversight!
@bombshell (11256)
• Germany
24 Aug 08
wowwwwwww congrats! looking great like prefessional!!!i did try and try baking cake but still the same cooked in the corner but uncooked in the midle so i give up!i am proud of cooking in a different recipe but not by baking!i am good cook in a Bavarian foods and love it.
i did try and try baking cake but still the same cooked in the corner but uncooked in the midle so i give up!i am proud of cooking in a different recipe but not by baking!i am good cook in a Bavarian foods and love it.@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
Thanx, I thought mine would sink in the middle or something but it did not thankfully!
@bombshell (11256)
• Germany
24 Aug 08
really its well done dear.when i went out today for walking with my little girl.i was thinking to try again of learning baking. you convinced me
@msedge (4011)
• United States
29 Aug 08
Wow!Very nice cake.Congratulations!I bake cake sometimes but not as nice as you did.I may have to learn more
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@LouiseKnittel (4764)
• United States
24 Aug 08
What a nice mom! I think that cake should have cheered him up just fine! I did nto catch what flavor it is! But it looks sooo nice! I am so sure that he just loved it!
@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
It is, sorry WAS a sponge cake with a jam filling and covered in vanilla flavour buttercream icing.
1 person likes this
@shana123 (2095)
• India
24 Aug 08
It has come out well seriously and i cant beleive that you dint try it out for the past 10 years.. anyways by seeing the cake you son must have been really comforted.. and i remember once my mom tried to bake a cake in the cooker lol.. it was funny the cakes shape was really funny but my thirst towards tasting it made my mouth water .. lol.. she dint do any toping but anyways pillsburry cake mix helped it to taste ok.. and the last dish which i cooked yesterday was brinji and tomato rice.. both i cooked simultaneouly i cooked brinji well and for the first time i really felt it was really delicious and the tomato rice i tried it in different style but somehow it was also fine..
@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
Thanx I was really impressed with it, finally I got something right!! It even tasted nice too! I do not like rice but the dish you are describing sounds really nice.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
24 Aug 08
I must say, gemini, that your efforts really paid off! Your cake looks absolutely beautiful, and I'm sure it was a real treat for your son. It's the little things we do that mean the most when all is said and done. I used to be very enthusiastic about baking also, but my circumstances changed after all of the kids left home. I no longer had the desire to do so much baking. Now that I've read your discussion, however, I think I will get back into it more. My last baking success had to be sugar cookies -my favorites. I just might make a batch today!
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
24 Aug 08
I felt really good about doing this cake, because I expect it was for someone I loved. I wonder if that is why it came out so nice. I used to be very passionate about cooking but then it just came to where I was working 12 hours a day and it just fizzled out from there. It is nice to think that my discussion has inspired you to get back in the kitchen!
@steeleIC (107)
• United States
24 Aug 08
Aww, that was very sweet of you to do this to cheer your son up. Congrats on making this delicious looking cake! I cook alot because we eat alot! LOL I think the last desert I made was a Butterfinger Cake for my hubby for our anniversary.
@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
Thanx, he was pleased with it too, I do not do much cooking these days, not proper cooking anyway.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
24 Aug 08
I know just what you mean, it's been a very long time since I baked a cake and I would be very unsure of myself. I do try to learn new things but with just two of us to eat it a cake is a little overboard. Yours looks very good, how did it taste? I can imagine it and if you think very hard you can picture me having a piece and a cup of coffee with you. Just smell it. LOL Hint, I'm a Grandma
@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
LOL Oh Grandma, if there were any left you could have a slice with pleasure and a cup of coffee too. It was very nice, although a little too sweet for my tastes!
@jamesnogra (381)
• Philippines
24 Aug 08
well congratulations.... ahehehehehe i love cakes because it removes my stress and hunger... aheheheheheh good luck in your career... a cake makes... im still a homewrecker... ahehehehe
@gemini_rose (16264)
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24 Aug 08
Hmmm well I do not know about a career, but if I make a few more and they turn out well then maybe I could consider making them to sell. That though is a long way away!
