Birthday Cake Blues

I'm not immune to baking disasters; I've had muffin batter explosions and drippy, goopy brownies; I've spilled pumpkin pie filling on the oven heating element and  made flat, tasteless cookies.  It happens to the best of us.

However, I wish my latest baking disaster didn't happen to my greatly anticipated birthday cake.

Instead of moist and delicate, I got crumbly and dense.

Flavor wise, it's fine; buttery and cinnamony.  But texturally?  It's a mess.  My baking ego is inclined to blame the recipe, but perhaps it really was baker error?  I'm mean, I'm not exactly impervious to disasters of the kitchen variety, but honestly, I'm not really sure what happened.  Regardless of the cause,  I now have the birthday cake blues.

I hate putting my name on something subpar, but Craig brought it to work anyway.  He claims no one has thrown it back in his face, which is a good sign.  I also sent along these  Fudgie Salty Peanut Butter Brownies , which are incredibly tasty.  Perhaps their peanut butter deliciousness softened the blow of my disastrous birthday cake.

I'll make it up to them next week with something I'm proud to put my name on.


Boo

Hoo

In other, more cheerful, birthday related news, my Vera Bradley purse collection has a new addition.  Thanks mom!

It's called Hello Dahlia.

After I took pictures of my terrible cake, I took my new purse on an outing to cheer myself up.   We went to TJ Maxx and HomeGoods (my own personal heaven on earth) to look for something to put on this green table I have.  I kind of hate the table, but I'd like it better if I had something new to put on it.  No such luck. Everything was Christmas-y.  I like Christmas stuff plenty, but not when I'm looking for something for every day.

This is so not my day.

I left both stores empty handed, but wound up at Starbucks, hoping a misto in a red cup would cheer me up.

I got cinnamon dolce syrup this time.  I shouldn't have.  I much prefer toffee nut.


Because I was having no luck on the shopping front, I decided to buy some groceries.

More butter and chocolate, to be used to redeem my baking reputation.

pumpkin pie yogurt---Caroline's favorite

blueberries and tortilla chips with flax for Craig. 

Because he's my meal ticket and flaxseed and antioxidant rich blueberries will keep him healthy and alive.

You know, someday I'm going to get in trouble for saying some of the things I say.  It's like I have no filter on this blog.

Eh, it's my birthday and my cake is a dud.  I can dig myself a verbal hole if I want to.

In other fascinating news, I'll be spending my birthday afternoon taking Caroline to the dentist.  For new reader(s), Caroline fractured the roots of her two front (PERMANENT) teeth about a year and a half ago.  One tooth chipped diagonally and has been built up with composite filling; the other remained intact.  By some sort of miracle, the roots survived the trauma and she has not needed root canals.  Every 6 months or so, we go to the endodontist for xrays and a root sensitivity test.  That's where we're headed this afternoon. 

Okay, enough whining.  It's time for lunch.

Happy birthday to me!