My First Cake… I made it!!!

Since childhood, “cake” has always felt special to me. Whenever my mom baked a cake I always felt that she has created something very special. It never failed to make me super excited. And so this reaction remained within me every time I saw someone make a cake. “Cake” was so superbly special for me that I always assumed that to bake a cake required a great deal of expertise. I don’t know why I thought so, but that’s how I felt until very recently when I finally dared to bake my own cake.

It all started with me watching the various cooking shows on the food network. The cooks on the show would bake such delicious looking cakes that I was tempted to bake one myself. But as I had this huge inhibition about cake being a big deal, I thought that I needed to have my very own hand mixer to whisk and whip all the ingredients together. Being a coward, I assumed that if I attempted to bake the cake by my hands and a simple whisk, I would not be able to bake a cake at all (or it would be too tedious and I would just not succeed). So I ordered a hand mixer (thanks to my hubby). The day it arrived, I felt that now my hour of exam is finally here. Now let me see if I can really make a cake. Although I love cooking and love experimenting in the kitchen, I don’t know why baking freaked me so much. So I decided to confront my fears by taking a small baby step into the world of baking. I went to the store and bought a Betty Crocker’s cake mix (French Vanilla flavor). This cake mix required me to add just 3 eggs, 1/3^rd cup vegetable oil and 1 1/4^th cup water and whisk all together into a smooth batter. So it was my first cake and the first time with the hand mixer too. My husband came into the kitchen to share my excitement. He too was excited about the fact that I was finally baking a cake (ya, it was SUCH a huge deal with me and the cake J ). So we both formed a team. While I whisked the batter, my husband poured in the ingredients into the bowl slowly. And whoa, in a matter of mere 5 minutes (wow! Hand mixer works!!!), I had the cake batter ready. All it needed were 40 minutes into the oven. And out came the much awaited yummy cake. My husband and I were so pleased with the outcome that we couldn’t stop gushing about it for a long long time. And the cake was all the more special since we both had baked it together. It was like exploring some new place together. I think baking with family could turn out to be a fantastic means of strengthening bonds.

So friends this is how my first cake was baked. Of course boosted by the first cake, I am ready now to experiment (without inhibitions) into the world of baking. This experience has led me to once again believe that “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are”. If you have not yet tried baking a cake….please try baking one now…involve your family into the process and see the outcome…I am sure you would love it, the cake as well as the experience of baking it with family.

Cheers to unexplored territories and simple new beginnings!!