We're Running So Fast to Keep from Falling Behind...

Holy production, Batman. I've been so busy baking that I haven't been able to do any blogging. What is this world coming to? It's coming down to me trying to get a job, which has seriously curtailed my free time. Whose bright idea is it to have a job market that whose process is over 8 months long? Do they not understand that I have cakes to make and a life to have? I mean really -- job or devil's food cake? Job or peanut butter cake? Did someone say cake? I'm sorry, the cake wins every single time. Anyone want to back me for a new bakery? "M.'s Morsels." or "Morsels with M." I like them both -- any other suggestions? I'm giving serious consideration to this alternate employment future.

Anywho, as you can see from the pictures, my photography skills have also been lacking -- no action shots, Ophelia is being ignored, general havoc and mayhem have overtaken the kitchen. Ophelia is pissed. She's become a faceless workhorse. I will have to remedy that, and soon. No need to have her angry with me, too.

So, starting in order of the photos, first came my friend M.'s birthday cake. It was also my first foray into decorating with color. Cake = awesome. Frosting = divine. Decorating = D+ for effort. It looks distinctly like I first had a lobotomy and then attempted to to decorate the cake. Apparently writing with colored frosting now looks remarkably similar to learning to write in cursive in third grade, completely with the mis-matched scallops that I was convinced would make the stupid thing look better. Poor M. At least the cake tasted good. I cut the cake to transport so M. didn't have to see the completely monstrosity that was her birthday cake.

Next, we had the peanut butter cup cake. Literally, it was an inverted peanut butter cup. Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. I love peanut butter frosting. I love peanut butter. No, I do not have all kinds of peanut butter frosting my fridge that I have been eating on and off for the last couple of days. No, I have not gained 20 pounds since Ophelia came into my life. Please stop spreading those nasty rumors. I could sue for defamation, you know. If Brit can do it, so can I. Moving on -- the peanut butter cake was a hit. A. and S. came over for dinner last night, and this was the treat. We had a great time, although I learned that I don't get nearly the sports channels that I thought I did. With a little help from A. and S. and K. and P., the cake is already gone and out of my house, which is how I like things.:)

Next came a peach galette. This came about this afternoon because I had peaches that had to be used up, like, whoa, yesterday. Not wanting to make a pie, I made the galette instead. It looks great, but I made a huge mess with it. It leaked (well, because I shoved too many peaches in it because I wanted to get them all used up) and while I realized that this would likely make a mess, somewhere in my head I didn't think that the sugary sauce would burn. My logic defies all, well, common sense. No, M., sugary sauces don't burn when you stick them in a hot, hot oven, not at all, and when they don't burn, they don't set off your smoke alarm and won't make your house smell like you set your hair on fire. Not that I would have any idea what that smelled like, either. Anyway, it was a mess. But, the galette itself didn't burn, so I sent that off home with my celebrity taste testers (well, with K. -- poor P. was at class). It looked good, but I just wasn't that interested in it.

Finally, the apple tartlets. Now, what would possess me to try to make these little buggers tonight? Well, in trying to patch the galette before it went wicked out of control, I had to hack into another pastry to do so. Rather than waste it, I decided to make these. For no recipe, and just winging it, I think I did pretty good. I actually ate one of these tonight, and it was quite yummy.

Up next for Ophelia and I -- a spice cake and a maple cake!:) Stay tuned!