I have a very light topic to share with you today, my recently acquired passion for cake making. My hope is to have inspired you by the end to give it try if you’re not already.
The feeling of satisfaction after you have crafted something with your own bare hands is unbeatable. Be it building computers, pottery or flower gardening. When you see those beautiful flowers, or that attractive vase the excitement it whirls up in you tells you it was worth it and it also tells that you should do it again.
When baking a cake, the experience starts with the trip to the local supermarket or grocery, you walk past bakery isle and ignore the carrot cakes and you walk past the shelf with the cake mix boxes because you know that you shall be baking Your Own Cake, with your own ingredients. If you want it ultra-healthy and organic, you decide, if you want it extra sweet with hint of tomato, you decide. As much of your favourite ingredient as you want, You stick to your own rules!
If like me you’re a beginner, it can be very daunting and off-putting when you search for recipes and can only find recipes telling you that the best cake can only be achieved by you sieving the flour under-UV light in the presence of oxygen. Some recipes do turn it into a prescriptive science whereas its not, it is art-form that you can experiment with because it can conform to whatever your standards desire. Do not be too alarmed though because I have discovered that there are also millions recipes available on the internet and some good books as well that cater for the beginner. In fact I have a gem of a book, called ”first time cook” by Sophie Grigson, in this book for each recipe it offers you the choice of different levels of detail and difficulty. A complicated recipe on one side and below something as simple as the All in One Method where you don’t even have to crack eggs. You can make it as simple or as complicated as like.
As you take the cake out of the oven, that excitement I mentioned earlier kicks in, you find yourself swallowing more frequently. The master –piece is done,... but not if you want to decorate it. Icing, with different colours, drawing, writing, sculpting can now all be performed on your cake. Personalize it if you want give to someone as a gift to show you’re thinking of them.
Do you know where baking your own home-made cake beats everything else...? You get to eat it, this adds a whole new dimension to the experience. As that tantalising, taste trickles its way down the back your throat, you will find yourself nodding, ah yes.
However, it does not end there because it is not only nice to see and eat the cake but making it can be very enjoyable too. A few times I have been at home with my girlfriend struggling to think of an activity, and baking turned out to be a saviour. We enjoy trying different recipes meaning that baking cakes has never turned out to be a boring repetitive activity...Not to mention its a free ticket to avoid going shopping(ahhh...)
In fact I had my young niece and nephew over one weekend when made cheese cakes and sponge cakes. I can recommend it to you strongly if you have young kids, as an activity for the day because they enjoyed it and I had a good time. I know the cleaning up can be daunting prospect but it can be made part of the baking process, clean as you go and no one complains.
So you can see the versatility of home baking, I have found a good way to spend time with family and friends, talking, getting to know each other better and having fun at the same time.
In summary,
I think if you’re not already, you should go and try some baking, do it this weekend. Remember that cakes are for every occasion, introducing yourself to the neighbour, a take with you present to a party or just a spoil yourself indulgence at home.
Remember:
Stick to your own rules – peanuts, sugar or cream – your own ingredients
It is not arduous at all – you make it as simple or as complicated as you like.
And picture in your mind the satisfaction of seeing the physical manifest of your imagination and actually tasting it.
The feeling of satisfaction after you have crafted something with your own bare hands is unbeatable. Be it building computers, pottery or flower gardening. When you see those beautiful flowers, or that attractive vase the excitement it whirls up in you tells you it was worth it and it also tells that you should do it again.
When baking a cake, the experience starts with the trip to the local supermarket or grocery, you walk past bakery isle and ignore the carrot cakes and you walk past the shelf with the cake mix boxes because you know that you shall be baking Your Own Cake, with your own ingredients. If you want it ultra-healthy and organic, you decide, if you want it extra sweet with hint of tomato, you decide. As much of your favourite ingredient as you want, You stick to your own rules!
If like me you’re a beginner, it can be very daunting and off-putting when you search for recipes and can only find recipes telling you that the best cake can only be achieved by you sieving the flour under-UV light in the presence of oxygen. Some recipes do turn it into a prescriptive science whereas its not, it is art-form that you can experiment with because it can conform to whatever your standards desire. Do not be too alarmed though because I have discovered that there are also millions recipes available on the internet and some good books as well that cater for the beginner. In fact I have a gem of a book, called ”first time cook” by Sophie Grigson, in this book for each recipe it offers you the choice of different levels of detail and difficulty. A complicated recipe on one side and below something as simple as the All in One Method where you don’t even have to crack eggs. You can make it as simple or as complicated as like.
As you take the cake out of the oven, that excitement I mentioned earlier kicks in, you find yourself swallowing more frequently. The master –piece is done,... but not if you want to decorate it. Icing, with different colours, drawing, writing, sculpting can now all be performed on your cake. Personalize it if you want give to someone as a gift to show you’re thinking of them.
Do you know where baking your own home-made cake beats everything else...? You get to eat it, this adds a whole new dimension to the experience. As that tantalising, taste trickles its way down the back your throat, you will find yourself nodding, ah yes.
However, it does not end there because it is not only nice to see and eat the cake but making it can be very enjoyable too. A few times I have been at home with my girlfriend struggling to think of an activity, and baking turned out to be a saviour. We enjoy trying different recipes meaning that baking cakes has never turned out to be a boring repetitive activity...Not to mention its a free ticket to avoid going shopping(ahhh...)
In fact I had my young niece and nephew over one weekend when made cheese cakes and sponge cakes. I can recommend it to you strongly if you have young kids, as an activity for the day because they enjoyed it and I had a good time. I know the cleaning up can be daunting prospect but it can be made part of the baking process, clean as you go and no one complains.
So you can see the versatility of home baking, I have found a good way to spend time with family and friends, talking, getting to know each other better and having fun at the same time.
In summary,
I think if you’re not already, you should go and try some baking, do it this weekend. Remember that cakes are for every occasion, introducing yourself to the neighbour, a take with you present to a party or just a spoil yourself indulgence at home.
Remember:
Stick to your own rules – peanuts, sugar or cream – your own ingredients
It is not arduous at all – you make it as simple or as complicated as you like.
And picture in your mind the satisfaction of seeing the physical manifest of your imagination and actually tasting it.
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