Making a Cake

I didn't know it could take so long to make a cake! I began making it 4 hours ago and finally just put the finishing touches on it. There was time to allow it to cool, but the stress of making this cake consumed most of my day.

I had offered to bring a Valentine's dessert to a dinner party - imagining that I could make one of my old-trusty desserts which are so easy I could make them in my sleep. But, no sooner had I offered than the hostess of the dinner told me that I should make something with chocolate and strawberries. I don't really like chocolate desserts, and so I rarely make anything other than packages brownies. This was going to be a challenge.

Adding to the challenge was the fact that my husband and I have completely used our February food budget so I had to make this dessert using only items I already had in the house. A white cake mix, chocolate chips and frozen raspberries, and powder sugar.

To make a long story short I completed the project. But I feel annoyed that it took me so long and such a strain on my sanity and my body! For me the grief of being in chronic pain hits hard during times like these. I want to have energy, I want to be able to impress others with what I make or do ... I want it to not take me so long to do a "simple" cake! I had to keep stopping through the whole afternoon to lay down - a job that could have been done so quickly!

BUT - I am happy that I have a chocolate cake with chocolate filling, with little powdered sugar hearts on each piece and a raspberry sauce to pour over them when they are served. Rather than focus on the grief of how frustrating the day was I need to make myself focus on the product that I have created and go to the dinner and enjoy watching others eat the cake!