Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Bah Humbug


Bah, Humbug.  Oh wait, that’s Christmas.  What’s the “Bah, Humbug” of Birthdays?

I never understood why birthdays were solely for the person born.  I get that you’re celebrating the day they came into this world but, oh my, shouldn’t the cake go to the one who went through hell to make that happen.  Now that I’m a Mom I can tell you that I went through IVF (Lightning Strikes) daily shots, surgeries, morning sickness, exhaustion, swollen feet . . . and when it’s all over, once a year I get to bake a cake for the one who played soccer with my kidneys for 9 months. 


 So really, my aversion to Birthdays at this point in my life isn’t about not wanting to be reminded of my age (yeah, right), it's a selfless nod to my own Mom, who did all the work those 21 years ago (don’t you DARE say what you’re thinking, it’s my birthday and if I say it’s 21, it’s 21).


 To all you little Merry Sunshines who say that age is only a number I say bulls**t (bah, humbug).  I’ll tell you what age is:


 Age is contacts, glasses AND readers.


Age is contacts, glasses and readers AND I can never find the readers.


Age is | www.BakingInATornado.com | #humor #MyGraphics

Age is wearing shorts and a t-shirt and still being hot, in a snowstorm.


Age is two tries and a rocking motion to get off the couch.

Age is waiting for my kid to come home any time I want to do something on the computer.


Age is using a pen and paper for, well, anything.


Age is stopping at a stop sign and using your blinker (apparently).

Age is going from feeling like the cool Mom when you get carded buying alcohol to NEVER getting carded. 

Age is not knowing if you've been complimented or insulted when called "the shizz".


 Age is having seen Aerosmith, in one of their very first concerts, in the school gym for 25 cents.


 Yet there I was, in my kitchen making myself a Day-I’d-Prefer-To-Forget cake.  Because there’s no question, especially in my house, that cake will be expected and neither of the 3 testosterone-fueled members of this family are about to do anything more domestic than throw a steak on the grill.  Personally, I’d much rather have a steak than bake myself a cake, but I’m not sure I’d want to see the look on the kids’ faces when I tell them there’s no cake.  So I headed for the kitchen and resigned myself to the fact that like it or not, I was just gonna have to . . . wait for it . . . wait for it . . . let them eat cake.


Chocolate Bundt Cake | www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe

Chocolate Bundt Cake


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics





Chocolate Bundt Cake
                                ©www.BakingInATornado.com


 Printable Recipe

 NOTE: You can make a yellow cake from scratch or use this, my go-to doctored up cake mix cake:

Ingredients:
Package yellow cake mix
Small box white chocolate instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup chocolate syrup
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk
Multicolored nonpareils

Directions:
*Grease and flour a bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, water, and vegetable oil for 3 minutes.
*Pour 2/3 of the batter into the greased bundt pan.
*Mix the chocolate syrup into the remaining batter and gently pour over the top of the yellow batter, don’t mix them together.
*Bake for approx. 45 minutes or until the top springs back to the touch.  Let cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan.
*When cake is cool, microwave the unsweetened chocolate and butter until melted. Wisk until smooth.  Wisk in the powdered sugar and milk, again until smooth.  Drizzle over cooled cake.  Sprinkle with nonpareils.

34 comments:

  1. Awww well HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYWAY!!! Mine is in 5 days. I am pre-depressed. And now i want cake.

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  2. If I was closer....I would've baked you a cake...or well..had someone else bake it for you. :)

    I'd rather a steak also.

    xo

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    1. Thanks, Bonnie. Got your virtual cake on g+, that counts!

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  3. I totally would have ....unwrapped a Hostess cupcake for you and lit a candle. Haha! Happy Birthday to you, bloggy friend! BTW, I can barely read anymore due to the fact that I had a panic attack at my last eye appointment. What's this crazy talk about bifocals? I refused; because that's what grown-ups do, right?

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    1. Ha, ha only use them when alone and it's absolutely necessary. Don't take them to the grocery store and don't use them to read (OK, so my Kindle print is set so large that I only get one word to a page). Thanks for the birthday wishes and for being such a great bloggy buddy!

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  4. Even though I can relate to a lot of what you said...Come on! Cheer up! HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!! Enjoy it! It's your day! (Things could be worse you know, if you had added, being a Grandma or people offering you their seat in public places and other such worse things....)

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  5. I can't relate because in April I turn 29 (for the 11th time). But I do know that if I don't plan something for my birthday then there shall be no pomp and circumstance. Enjoy your 21st!!!

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    1. They're all so spoiled with Mom planning everything that they think Mom's should plan their own birthdays too. I'm not sure but I think we did something wrong somewhere along the line.

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  6. That made me laugh! I love the one about never being carded. It reminded me of the time, about a year ago, when a young (and probably legally blind) checker carded me at the grocery store. I am sure the customers behind me wondered why I was leaping across the conveyer to lay a big smacker kiss on the poor guy...Now, if I can only find someone to make me that cake!!!

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  7. Happy Birthday Karen! I find my boys will do anything for me for my birthday, but I have to think of it, and usually do the planning. And though I continue to work on their birthdays, it does celebrate two very special events in my life, that unfortunately they don't remember. If you weren't born we wouldn't have an excuse to rant...so Happy Birthday Karen! Enjoy that beautiful cake. (Who else's cake would be as good?)

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    1. Thank you. I could do a poll just on these comments. It seems overwhelmingly clear that once you're a Mom you're expected to do all the birthday planning, including your own.

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  8. I'll have to be happy just viewing your cake. M? I go to AJ's (a high end market here) and order one of their several gorgeous, delicious cake offerings. When it comes to baking (other than Challah) I'm a great plumber! Hail to the Baker! Karen, you do take the cake! Hey, someday we'll figure out how to trade cakes for challah! I did bake cakes for my kids when they were little but, being little, they liked anything I made then. Now they know better!!!!

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    1. Love that line "when it comes to baking, I'm a great plumber". I'm not great at it either, don't do all the intricate, beautiful decorations real bakers make. I just do what I call "family style" baking. My kids like it all, but they both have their favorites.

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  9. A belated happy birthday to you! So sorry that I did not see this post sooner!!

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  10. My baby is due the day after my birthday, and everyone keeps telling me how great it would be if he was born ON my birthday. No, no it wouldn't! Because then any small celebration my birthday MIGHT get after having kids will be completely obliterated if we share one. Will anyone care I'm turning 31 when I'm squeezing a kid out? Probably not. Will anyone care I'm turning 32 when the precious bundle is turning one and smashing his face into a cake? Heck no. I'll keep my birthday to myself, thank you very much ;-)

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    1. I don't know if that comment came from your brain or your hormones but either way I TOTALLY agree with you. In fact if that baby even tries to come on your birthday I say cross those legs and wait till midnight.

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  11. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAy woooohooooo HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE! I know birthdays mean you are older, but look at all you have accomplished.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the wooooohooooo, Karen . . . and for thinking I've accomplished something!

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  12. Happy 21rst Birthday. I already have a hard time getting out of the reclining couch we have. :)

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    1. And I'm already having a hard time with my memory. I can barely remember my 21st birthday, LOL!

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  13. OK Karen - Here's the deal... I LOVE birthdays! My own, my family's, my cat's - I love birthday's! But! I recall a previous conversation in which we decided that my wishing for you what I want to have for myself, is not necessarily what you would like to be wished. Right? So here I am picturing your face as you read all of these incredibly cheerful birthday wishes, and I am hearing teeth grind.
    So - instead, I shall share this quote from one of my all-time favorite books, instead.
    "HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY.
    Pooh looked on admiringly.
    "I'm just saying 'A Happy Birthday'," said Owl carelessly.
    "It's a nice long one," said Pooh, very much impressed by it.
    "Well, actually, of course, I'm saying 'A Very Happy Birthday with love from Pooh.' Naturally it takes a good deal of pencil to say a long thing like that."
    "Oh, I see," said Pooh."
    So whatever the day - I hope you are enjoying a great one! :)
    Kat

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    1. Love your quote, and the thought you put into the sentiment. Thank you, Kat.

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  14. Happy birthday. I have one of those days coming in a few days myself. I share my birthday with my husband. What's the odds of marrying somebody with the same birthday.

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    1. Happy Birthday to you and your husband. That is pretty strange, both of you having the same birthday, hope you both have a fun day.

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  15. LOVE this post, love a post that makes me Laugh Out Loud!!! I know exactly where you're coming from! Hooray for your to make the cake YOU want ;-)

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    1. Thank you, I'd rather you laugh than think my Bah Humbug was cranky!

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  16. Fantastic post. I definitely would not bake my own birthday cake. As the years go on we make less and less fuss about birthdays. So I hope that you had a good "day that shall not be named"! Perhaps you should only celebrate blog birthdays instead! Would reduce the number of candles! Cheers

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    1. That's a great idea. I'd be just a few months old right now.

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