So today I am planning a birthday party for LO. And I had to hold back a very large urge to call the guests we are expecting next week and tell them to pack several boxes of Betty Crocker cake mix and frosting. The reason? Probably that I've just been living in Sweden for too damn long.
When I was a kid baking was synonymous with rocket science. Both my parents worked full time and anytime there was any bake sale, or birthday, or anything – my Mom would whip out Betty Crocker. Why? Because 'BAKING IS REALLY REALLY DIFFICULT.' That and, well, Betty Crocker cakes and frosting are damn good.
Cut to my Swede's first birthday with me. I almost had a breakdown when I couldn't find any cake mix of any sort at the grocery store (this was a bunch of years ago, the times have changed and there are cake mixes now). I told my guy that I was sorry, but I couldn't bake him a birthday cake because I couldn't find a mix and it was just too difficult for me.
He looked at me like I was nuts, pulled out a few ingredients from the pantry and fridge, and boom we had a cake in under an hour. Yay Swedish home ec.
So these days I make my own cake. And it is good. Betty Crocker frosting kind of scares me because I suspect it has a longer half-life than Uranium. But damn it, it is also good. And when LO gets bigger maybe he will get to sample its delights. But for now, it's homemade goodness.
I've been in Sweden too long for Betty Crocker, but not long enough embrace the Swede's idea that we go out and buy Swedish pre-baked cakes. Yup. The idea being you frost and decorate three skinny little cake sections together. The said sections come in a little plastic bag and were baked I don't know where, I don't know when.
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That almost looks like a US cake with the green covering. :) I am always amazed at how strongly colored all cakes are here in the US. And soooo sweet. Way to sweet for me. Probably your cake was a lot better!
ReplyDeleteI guess you just have to grow up with the cakes and the frosting that you guys have in the US. I hate the frosting. Way too sweet. When we were invited cake in the US by our friends me and C always used to try and scrape off as much frosting as possible :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen we baked a traditional Swedish strawberry cake for our friends and neighbors there they did not like it so much because it just was not sweet enough for them.
It is so funny how different it can be when it comes to cakes and preferences. But your cakes are more beautiful.
I agree - I'm definitely more of a Swedish cake fan now. Especially since fondant has become more and more popular on American cakes. But it is a bit sad to realize I've moved on.
ReplyDeleteWhere and when can usually be found on the plastic bag :)
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