My Commonplace Blog

We’ve all endured them: The weeks that start with so much promise and fall apart. Nothing horrific, just the water torture of small events insistently eroding time and energy.

Then Thursday rolls around and I’m scratching my head, wondering what I can get done.

At least I made a cake, but even that started with little promise. It’s King Arthur Flour’s Golden Vanilla Cake. The recipe begins with mixing the butter and dry ingredients. Initially the consistency didn’t look right so I upped the mixer speed – not thinking that there’s no liquid yet.

After cleaning up the cloud of flour that precipitated on the counter, then baking the cake, I  wasn’t satisfied. Again, the consistency: edges drier than I thought they should be, center on the brink of too moist.

The frosting was fine, but by now I was obsessed with consistency and didn’t like the way it spread.

Even the first piece of cake elicited a ‘whatever’ response. Too soon after baking, I think. At this point, I was pretty much Lucy in Peanuts.

For some reason, the hubs was mad for it. Had a second piece late in the day.

By the next day, I was pleased with the outcome. And as the week goes on, the cake tastes better. Could even make it again.

There might be just enough cake to get me through the week. Thank goodness.