Room for Improvement

Danny shares his birthday with a little girl in his preschool class named Cindy.  Both Cindy's mother and I wanted to bring in a cake to share with the class.  We had to choose days.  She took Monday and I settled for Wednesday.  My original plan was to bring in the leftover baseball cupcakes that I had made on Danny's birthday, but there weren't enough.  I thought about making more, but I honestly had no more energy.   The previous week, I did a LOT baking for both Matt's and Danny's birthday.   So, late Tuesday night I decided to stick to a simple chocolate sheet cake with dark chocolate ganache (American style frosting is way too sweet for the Europeans). 

The next morning, as I was packing up the cake to take to school, I asked Danny what kind of cake Cindy brought in for her birthday.  His eyes lit up as he described the "huge" and "nawsome" castle cake with tall towers and flowers made out of frosting.  Based on the description, I imagine it to look something like this:

I looked down at my plain, brown, and very non "nawesome" cake that looked something like this:

 

"Ahhh crap!"

The cake tasted good for sure.  Perhaps even better than that darn castle, but let's face it, kids could care less about the taste.   I was feeling slightly inadequate and embarassed.  Normally it doesn't bother me much when I drive into the school parking lot and park my very modest car next to the other mothers in their Porches, BMWs, and yes, even Lamborghinis.  But that day those cars increased my feelings of inadequacy.  Those cars and the drab, colorless block in my hands that resembled an old roof tile more than a birthday cake.

Nonetheless, my boy wanted a cake and I gave him a cake.  I was very pleased when he came home and told me that the cake was "so yummy."   Even so, next year will be different. Danny will have an awesome, tasty, colorful birthday cake to be proud of.  Bring it Cindy's mom!!