Cake Mess = Cake Success

This past Sunday was my mom’s birthday.  My sister and I decided to have a family dinner for her and we also decided to divide and conquer.  I was in charge of making the sauce for the baked ziti (I don’t allow jarred sauce) as well as the cake.  The sauce was easy – no problems there.  The cake was another story…

It was Saturday night before I got around to making the cake.  My little one decided she wanted to help me.  Probably as a way to stay up later but I let her.  There are times I don’t mind baking with kids but there are others (like this time) where I would rather do it myself  A 10 minute project somehow turns into at least a half an hour.

I wanted to make a coconut cake from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook.  I’ve made it before so I knew it was doable.  We get started and my daughter is immediately immersed in flour.  Then as I turn away I see she keeps adding in more flour!  NO!!  I barely have enough baking powder and lastly, completely forget to spray the pans.  This is what happened…

A big ol’ cake mess!!

I knew I wasn’t going to have time to bake another cake or even buy one so I had to come up with something quickly.  A trifle!!  I’ve been wanting to get a trifle bowl so maybe it was on my mind.  As I said, I’ve been WANTING to get one which means I didn’t actually have one!  Neither did my sis – I checked.  I don’t even think she knew what it was.

OK, think again.  I do have martini glasses!  I decided to make individual trifles.  I cut up the cake into small chunks and placed them in the glass.  I made a quick batch of homemade whipped cream by mixing together heavy cream, some confectioners sugar and vanilla.  I think I whipped a little too far.  A few more minutes and it would have been butter!

I also toasted up some shredded coconut. Again, left it in the oven too long and had to pick out the “not to burnt” pieces.

Then I saw that I had a Hershey bar so I grated up some chocolate and put it on as well.

So, my total bomb of a cake turned into a surprisingly elegant creation that tasted great!  Best part is they all thought I did it on purpose!

Shhhh!  No telling!