For those who think that baking cakes is reserved for birthdays, think again. Baking is a wonderful stress reliever as well as a creative outlet, not to mention that sharing a cake can be a great excuse to get together with friends.
Need more reasons to bake? Here are some ideas, as well as suggestions of some cakes to make to fit the mood of the baking situation.
Holidays:
Sure, get your flour, eggs, milk and baking pans out for birthdays, but why not to celebrate every holiday with a cake? Columbus Day, New Year's and Halloween all deserve a little something sweet.
Celebrations:
Celebrate half-birthdays, good weather, the first snow fall, or a successful date. Celebrate the end of a test or paper, a Friday or any other joyful event. Roommate just completed the MCAT or LSAT? Bake a cake! Students have enough stress to deal with - everyone needs a reason to celebrate. My favorite celebration cakes are yellow cake with lots of creamy frosting with chocolate sprinkles.
Anniversaries:
For this more personal celebration - bake a cake for a loved one to show them you care, and don't forget the candles. Try red velvet cake with chocolate mousse icing and serve with a glass of the bubbly stuff.
Peace Cake :
Not getting along with someone? Ready to make up? An 'I'm sorry cake can go a long way' - try cake ?? la mode to further cool the angry tempers.
On-the-phone-with-a-telemarketer cake:
This can also apply to others that you may be speaking with for extended periods of time (sorry, grandma ...) Take the opportunity to do something productive. Unlike brushing your teeth or washing the dishes, mixing cake ingredients is relatively quiet - and if you use an electric mixer, just try to keep the phone an appropriate distance away.
Because you've never done it before:
Cake baking is not complex, and everyone should have the opportunity to try his or her hand at it at least once. So if you haven't - give it a try! Need guidance? Grab a friend, some boxed cake mix (or make it from scratch if you are feeling up to it) and get cracking. You may find yourself a new hobby.
Need-to-do-something-creative-or-will-go-insane cake:
Class work can get monotonous (... only 70 pages of reading left ...) and sometimes you just need a creative outlet. Try making a from-scratch cake and buy icing tubes to decorate it as you wish. So beat out some of that frustration stirring cake mix, then get creative with the icing once the cake has cooled.
Anger and Frustration cake:
Boy/girl frustrations? Parent/Professor pressure too much? Take a breather and reach for your mixing bowl. Make a (**fill in name here**)-annoys-me-so-incredibly-much cake, or turn the occasion into a chance to celebrate (see category one). My favorite for this situation is devil's food cake with raspberry filling.
Have to:
Bake sales? Club meetings? Have to make a cake? It doesn't have to be a chore. A crucial ingredient here is friends. Invite people over, get some batter going and fill pans with some chocolate cake.
Just because:
Want to say "hello?" Try cupcakes and distribute them to friends (or strangers if you'd like) to spread the comfort and joy of a fresh baked snack.
Reading-the-News-Letter Cake:
Reading the News-Letter and trying to think of something to do? I have four letters for you: C-A-K-E. Reading gripping articles can often make you want to reach for something to munch on, and what better treat is there than a cake? (Although I recommend baking the cake BEFORE you begin reading, so that you can give the paper your full attention!)
So whether you crave chocolate, white or yellow, a little devil's food or angel food, whether you want to celebrate, create a masterpiece or find something to pass the time, there is a cake recipe out there waiting for you. So get baking!
