Why?
Because I love cake.
Because on my other blog I made a New Year's Resolution to write 300 blog posts in 2009 and I am woefully behind. (Hey, I never said on what blog I would write 300 posts in 2009...)
Because I was struck with inspiration reading this article in the LA Times by Charles Perry:
A cookbook can change your life. Two years ago I reviewed one called "Southern Cakes," which did just that.
Like most people, I'd always thought making a cake from scratch was only for the heroic. In fact, Nancie McDermott's book showed me that all you have to do is beat butter and sugar to a cream, beat in some eggs and add flour and milk in alternating batches, and there's your batter.
Wow, really have to lie down and recover after all that.
I'm a different person now. People see me and say, "Hey, Cake Guy!" Because I'm usually carrying a cake around with a goofy grin on my face.
Yes, I too would like to grasp the basics of cake baking. And what better way to do that than practice. I'm also quite ready for a cookbook to change my life. Taking Mr. Perry's ringing endorsement of Southern Cakes as a cue seemed obvious.
And, of course, because I was very inspired by the recent Julie and Julia movie as well. (I thoroughly enjoyed Annie in Austin's recent term paper on the subject.)
As it stands now, I've got five cakes down, and 60 to go.
I still have a lot to learn, especially about frosting. My presentation skills could use some work too. And I probably ought to try mixing more cake batter by hand instead of always relying on my Kitchen Aid to do the mixing for me. I've hardly even broached the subject of chocolate yet.
Feel free to chime in with helpful (or unhelpful) comments, and let me know if you'll be around for a tasting. Guy and I can't eat all this cake by ourselves.