Year of Cake: Memories and Reflections, by Elizabeth

What a great year!! I loved this year's theme --- more than I expected to.

I'll admit that I started slowly, and didn't really get into the spirit of things until August (I had moved over the summer). But then I took off with excitement! I loved it. I made so many cakes from August to December, it'll probably be the subject of legends told to small children all over the world for years to come.

Now for my annual awards:

Most fun thing about Year of Cake:
- Everyone loves cake. A lot of people don't love pie. Or they only like certain, very specific pies. But everyone loves cake. I enjoyed the Year of Cake a little bit more than the Year of Pie for that reason. A cake is easier to surprise someone with, because you don't have the risk of them saying "Oh....I hate custard pies." or "Oh......I hate fruit pies." or "Oh......I just plain hate pie!" And if you volunteer to take a cake to an event, you don't have to clear the type of cake with them beforehand to make sure it's going to be acceptable. I found that freedom to be really satisfying. Also, cakes are generally showier than pies, and that was pretty darn fun. I loved the looks of delight and the cheers that went up several times during the Year of Cake. I'm going to miss that feeling this coming year. ("Here's your slice of bread." "Thanks." Where's the fun in that?????)
.....That was a major clue in the coming year's theme, in case you didn't already know!

Proudest moment in the Year of Cake:
- Adam's baptism and confirmation!

Okay....proudest CAKE moment in the Year of Cake:
- Probably the straight sides and top of Ella's birthday cake. I wish I had taken a proper picture up close. I was really proud! It looked just like a bakery cake. Well......minus the mounds of buttercream decorations (I used multicolored tall candles instead).

Most fun moment with cake:
- Luke eating his first birthday cake.

Tastiest cake:
- Almost Fudge Gateau

One really crazy-great moment in the Year of Cake:
- Kicking off the year with my sister, Printer (Ann), while we made our January cakes. Wonderful!

The cake that delighted and surprised me (In much the same way that my apple pie delighted and surprised me) :
- Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Cake of Ann's that I most wished I could have tasted:
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake

Best cake to share with a friend, any day of the week:
- Swedish Visiting Cake

Things I wish I had done during the Year of Cake:
- I wish I had done more with the piping requirement. I fulfilled it, but just barely. I really thought this would be the year I'd finally do some fancy cakes for my kids' birthdays, and I didn't. I still made cakes for them, but I didn't pipe the cakes. I also wish I had found and made my holy grail of cakes: the layered fudge cake, or layered mousse cake, or whatever it is that I am craving and wasn't able to produce! It is what I think of when someone says the word "cake," and I'd like to be able to make it. I'm talking fudgy, deep chocolate cake layers, sliced thin, with mousse or ganache in between. Or maybe mousse in between and ganache on top. A true chocolate lover's dream. If you have a link to a recipe like that, post it in the comments!

Of course there are dozens and dozens of cakes that I think about and wish I had made this year, but I had an awesome Year of Cakes! Besides, I will continue to make cakes. Because who doesn't love a good cake?