Friday, August 30, 2013

Exhibition Flops

It is almost inevitable when one is trying to bake large quantities as quickly, as accurately, and as professionally as possible for a special competition that something, or several things, will go wrong. Usually I experience a few small pitfalls, despite all my prior planning and organization, not everything can run smoothly. But I had a quite funny experience my fist year entering this competition.

I was making my signature chocolate cake. I had made this cake recipe many times before, and it had always turned out perfectly. This time I decided to halve the recipe because I only needed three pieces, and not two whole cakes. I am not sure if I did not halve the recipe correctly, or what exactly happened, but it did not work out. I had put the cake in the oven to bake, and things seemed to be going smoothly, but then I began to smell toasted marshmallow. It didn't smell bad or burnt, so I figured someone was having a campfire. Then, when it came time to check on my cake, I came across quite the surprise! The cake had overflowed from the pan, and spilled onto the oven rack and floor. That's what was burning, though I am not sure why it smelled like marshmallow. The rest of the cake seemed to have survived ok. I was much more concerned about the mess I had left in my parent's oven than with the condition of my chocolate cake. Surprisingly, they weren't upset and it wasn't too difficult to clean once it cooled down. My brother was also happy to eat the cake. He said it tasted fine, and I could have probably entered that cake in the exhibition no problem, but I whipped up another (full) batch the next day. Then we ended up with a lot more cake then we had bargained for. 

These things happen. That is why I plan ahead, and begin baking crucial or time-consuming items the day before. That way I can re-do them the next day, if needed. Even tried and true recipes do not always turn out perfectly. 

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