How to talk yourself out of chocolate cake.

Yesterday since it was Easter, I wanted to do something to make the day feel special. 

Since I didn't color Easter eggs, set out my bunny candy bowl, or go to church, (oops) I figured I would make a cake. Dessert is something hard to come by here...if we do have dessert we normally go out or make it specifically to take somewhere and give it away so it doesn't end up sitting at our house with me eating it. I can't be left alone with dessert. I have a problem, and I have no intention of fixing it. I cannot be left to my own devices when it comes to dessert, especially any form of chocolate dessert. Evan is usually my sponsor of sorts, reminding me when I get that obsessive look in my eye to "Step away from the sweets!" 

I made a Chocolate Mayo Cake from my cookbook: The Joy of Cooking. It sounds absolutely disgusting, but I knew the mayo would be like putting scour cream into a cake; all it does is make is super moist and delicious. I was completely out of milk, and this recipe didn't call for it which was a bonus. The cake itself turned out great! The texture is like a cake mix, very soft and fluffy. The chocolate flavor is excellent. I like the melted chocolate instead of a cocoa, it makes for a better chocolate flavor. Note to inexperienced bakers like myself: Do not add anything when you're melting chocolate chips in the microwave (like butter). All it does is turn the chocolate into a clumpy, chalk mess. Try #2 on melting chocolate worked much better. Next time I will add some salt, the recipe doesn't call for it, but it think it would make it perfect. 

As the cakes were cooling on the counter, my phone rang in the living room. It was Evan calling to wish me a Happy Easter. I walked out of the kitchen for .2145 seconds to get it. When I returned someone sampled my cake. I'm sure you can figure out who.

I know I shouldn't get mad, but I did. This week Scout has been asking to be grounded. Exasperated I started wailing "Scout! Come on!" He just stood there and looked completely baffled. He is kind of the Houdini of playing dumb. Annoyed, but determined I continued on.

Things were a slippery slope from here. 

My icing was a complete failure. If you can't tell from the picture it looks like Little Foot and his dinosoar friends walked through my icing. There were puddles of liquid in the bottom...I still can't figure out what I did wrong. The thing that makes me mad about it is the recipe called to 2 whole sticks of butter...2 sticks of organic butter ruined. I hate things being wasted, not to mention the cost of organic butter...ugh I'll get over it, it just makes my wallet let out a slow whine when it opens. It tasted ok, but the texture was awful and ruined any form of good flavor it had. I couldn't make more icing because I was out of powered sugar. 

So I ended up with a half eaten, dog slobbered cake, with no icing. Its almost impossible for me to cook anything without using every bowl, spoon, and pan in my whole house, so by the time I cleaned up the severe mess, I didn't even want to look at the stupid chocolate cake. I took one bite; That ladies and gentleman is how you talk yourself out of chocolate cake.