All I want to know is...

Just in case you missed it, there was a wedding today. I never planned on watching the wedding "live". I thought I could get caught up by watching it fast forward on the DVR,the evening news or right here on the www...
I had my alarm set for the usual time 4:45 am. Wide awake at 4. Decided to get up and do a couple "quiet" chores since the Bubba was still sleeping. I turned on the tv and was instantly attracted to the bright and shiny spectacle. Every channel. Every fact. Every tidbit of trivia. Almost. There was one thing I wanted to know, but never heard.
In the end, it was nothing short of Royalty at their finest.
Whether you watched it on your tv or computer. Whether you slept right through it or just didn't watch all, there is one thing that this wedding did for some of us in the free world. It's like that bit of sunshine on a gloomy day,it makes us feel so good. So, for a few hours today, it wasn't about the horrible losses of life in the war or because of weather, the price of gas or the recession. It was about two people getting married. A breath of fresh air.
Today, I remembered the moment I was married almost 27 years ago, oh how happy I was. I wish the Royal Couple the same for the next 27 years AND beyond.
I almost forgot...All I want to know is, who BAKED the cake?

My Wedding Dress had lace sleeves too!

I BAKE for taste.

When I BAKE, I BAKE for taste. I don't BAKE for the spectacular showmanship.The fancy artistry of frosting flowers or fondant rolled and cut to look like animals or people is beyond me. I BAKE for the cake part of any cupcake or cake. Heck's Bells...I would eat just the pie crust if it was BAKED all flaky and yummy!
I am not a frosting kind of gal. I believe that is one of the reasons why I have failed Cake Decorating 101,102,3,4...I've never gotten the hang of it. I have tried. Too many times and too many $'s to count. Maybe it's because I am left-handed and all the instructions seem backwards to me. Who knows.
Don't get me wrong...I love to make frosting. My people say I make amazing frosting. But, to finally be honest, for many years I have been "putting one over" on my people. My BAKED goods are the product of a psycho manic perfectionist, not an artist. If the frosting doesn't look right I take it off and do it again. The secret to my moist cakes? Lots of frosting layers.
In less than 3 weeks, I am BAKING cupcakes for a wedding. 150 cupcakes. The mom of the bride and I talked today about the cupcakes and she said to me "too bad we can't have these frosted like hydrangeas." Without even a thought or one bit of research I said, "sure we can ". What the heck was I thinking? What had I just done? This is on the level of Cake Decorating 102. I must be half-BAKED.
Well, can we say You Tube?  I found videos of people make hydrangea frosted cupcakes!
I studied.
I BAKED some chocolate cupcakes.

And I frosted them and they actually look like hydrangeas...

                     And I think that they are pretty...

                      and I think they are fancy...

                    and I think that they are spectacularly awesome...

                                                          and I think I will go eat one. Frosting and all!

I always wanted to be a writer...instead, I BAKE.

BAKE \ˈbāk\  v: to cook (as food) by dry heat especially in an oven or to dry or harden by subjecting to heat. 
BAKE is both a noun and a verb. I love the verb. BAKE.BAKED.BAKING.  

I grew up around BAKERS. My mom Vernamae. My grandma Loretta. My aunt Lori. My Mom BAKED the most wonderful cookies. She took great pride in her Raisin cookies and Peanut Butter cookies. Her Raisin cookies (sigh) were a soft and oh so moist cake-like cookie with nutmeg and cinnamon, PACKED with raisins. The Peanut Butter cookies ALWAYS had the perfect fork criss crosses. The best cookies and milk combo ever! 

I still have both recipes. They are tucked away safely in my recipe box...I have not BAKED either of them since 1972. I was 11 years old and my Mom died of ovarian cancer.
My Grandma was the best cake BAKER ever. Any flavor. Any shape...Butterflies,bunnies,trains,merry go rounds, dolls and even a beautyshop. She was amazing! A week or so before your birthday, you would get THE CALL. Grandma would ask what flavor of cake you wanted and if you wanted anything "special". She would and could BAKE anything. She had 5 children and 13 grandchilden, so she was always BAKING.

My Grandma died on December 29th, 1978, one month before my 18th birthday. All these years later, I still remember...I was gonna ask for a Lemon Angelfood. A "grown up" cake.
My Aunt Lori was my Mom's only sister and also my Godmother. The two of them, along with my Grandma, would always BAKE Christmas cookies together. It would take a whole weekend. They would drink beer and BAKE. I remember they would laugh and laugh. My Aunt Lori taught me how to make Date Balls. They had chopped dates, sugar and Rice Krispies and were rolled in Coconut. I still love them. My Aunt Lori was the last of the 3 BAKERS. I never got to say 'Good bye'. I hope she knew I loved her dearly.
So, these women were BAKERS.

I BAKE with the hope that some day I will be a BAKER. I remember these 3 women and the joy they shared when ever it came time for them to BAKE.