What? No Cake Mix?

I happen to love cake.  Birthday cake specifically... not that I would refuse other types of cake, its just that birthday cakes are my favorite.  They have to be the round ones, two layers, that you cut into wedges.  Those are the best.  And none of those store-made ones, they have to be homemade.  But not really homemade, homemade from a box.  Like Pillsbury, or Duncan Hines, or Betty Crocker.  With that frosting that comes in the little round canisters.  Those types of cake are the best.

Early this week, I was commissioned to make a birthday cake for one of our friends.

hopefully it will be a cute alligator cake.
This alligator is a little scary.

"No problem!"  I thought.  "I'll just take out my handy-dandy cake mix and some oil and a couple eggs, mix it up, throw it in the oven, and smack some frosting on there."
Oh- says Bob- and can you make it in the shape of an alligator?
"Okay, a little trickier, but I'm an artist, sure!"



I knew that one of the grocery stores here had American products so I went to check it out.  For a mere 12 Euros, ($16.20) I could buy the only type of cake mix they had (carrot) and a canister of frosting (which would totally NOT cover an entire alligator- make that 3 canisters of frosting for a total of $31).  I don't think so.

So yesterday I spent hours slaving over the hot... um... oven... and made two batches of strawberry cake from scratch.  Not perfect, but I think I did alright for my first attempt at cake from scratch.  Stupid German oven didn't cook very evenly, but the important thing is that they taste good- which they do (I had to test to make sure it wasn't poisonous.

So today... frost cake to look like an alligator with homemade lime-creamcheese frosting... pictures coming soon!