Cakes

Sam is examining the cake cookbook again. He suddenly retrieved it from the shelf, plopped down in the puffy kitchen chair and began studying titles and recipes. He and Jack settled in to discuss the qualities and merit of various ingredients and different cake types and shapes. Cream fillings, ice cream layers, flavored frostings, loaf shapes, round, and tiered.

Nuts received a thumbs down. Jack says with disgust, "Yuck, nuts will ruin the cake!" Sam becomes the serious chef, "You just leave them out and it will be fine." Poppy seeds were analyzed by Jack, "Eeewww! Those look gross." Sam defends, "I love poppy seeds, they're kind of sweet" I didn't interject that the poppy seeds themselves weren't sweet, but they seem to find themselves in sweet things. Really what DOES a poppy seed contribute anyway? Texture and color, I guess. I find them annoying as they crunch between my teeth.

Then, as if they were voting on what to make, the conversation turned to "Who wants the Chocolate Irish Cream Cake?!" Sam raises his hand and yells "Me!" in answer to his own question. "Who wants the Chocolate Mocha Toffee Cake with Truffles on top?!" Again they all respond in unison, "MEEEE!!!" Then, "Mom what are truffles?" I decided to tell them about different flavored fudgey sphere shapes instead of exotic fungus.

I listened to all of this while loading the dishwasher, worried that the next utterance would be a request for baking a spectacular creation....I dreaded it, then felt guilty. Guilty that I don't have the energy or determination to take on something as relatively easy as baking a cake. And guilty that I tend to take the easy way out and offer a Popsicle from the freezer. But, that's what I did. They cheerfully replaced the shiny cookbook back on the shelf and scampered to the deep freeze. I let out a sigh of relief that a master confection was not requested, that my kitchen would stay clean a little longer, and that I wouldn't have to defend the sugar-mound to Jason....his health kick continues and every bite that goes in our mouths is scrutinized :) So, frozen pops on a stick it is (the "all fruit, low-sugar ones," just for the record).

Sweet cravings have been satisfied, but I know the boys would truly love to be presented with a four-tier, frosted, fruited, chocolated beauty. Maybe I will do it....but it requires planning....the type of chore that requires penciling in on the calendar and perhaps a trip to the spa afterwards? The internal struggle I face! Maybe they will be just as happy with a box of brownies? :)