That's the Way the Muffin Crumbles...

"Gonna bring this tonight," I texted.
Bridge and I don't need NINE servings."

Baking is something I do when I feel happy and energetic.  I'm sorry to say I haven't done much of anything in the kitchen lately.  Yesterday was a turning point for me, though, and I wanted to celebrate by baking for my boy and my friends.  

I pulled a Pillsbury mix from the cupboard, and snapped a picture of it to text to my friend.  I wasn't up for any "made from scratch" baking, but I could certainly handle a mix, and who wouldn't want to have something that looked so scrumptious! We were having our book club meeting, and I told my friend I'd be bringing THIS to our meeting. 

I got busy baking, and right away, something didn't look right. For one thing, the batter was so runny.  I double-checked the box.  OH, this was a nine-serving cake, not twelve, like I normally do.  Maybe that's why it seemed to be such a small amount. I poured it into the cake pans, and hoped for the best.

The smell of autumn spices wafted through the kitchen when I opened the oven door to take a peek, but my heart sank.  There was no magic taking place inside those cake pans; the batter was as flat as when I put them in the oven. And then it hit me.  I hadn't added any eggs.

As soon as I pulled the pathetic looking wafers of cake from the oven, I got busy whipping up another mix.  My good mood was dissipating.  I wasn't feeling like baking TWO snacks, but I'd offered to bring something,  so I threw 24 mini pumpkin muffins into the oven, fingers crossed.

They were darling, and smelled so good.  And the little buggers wouldn't come out of the pan without a fight. I did not come off conqueror; the pan won.  I now had the remains of two dozen muffins all over the cooling rack, and two very thin cake layers.  Here's how my mind works:  if you add two mediocre desserts, you might get one decent result.

So I crumbled several of the muffins even more, and topped one of the cakes.  I drizzled a packet of cream cheese frosting over that, and then plopped the other sad looking cake layer on top of it all.  I spread the other frosting packet on top, drizzled the caramel provided, and sprinkled the almonds for the piéce de resistance.  Hmmm...not bad.

I know; it looks NOTHING like my promised text message picture, but it was better than nothing. There are foodies who believe presentation is everything.  I am of the opinion that if it tastes good, that's all that really matters. And the pumpkin cake TASTED good.  What's not to like?  Pumpkin, cinnamon, cream cheese frosting, drizzled caramel sauce, and almonds?Autumnal perfection!

When we gathered for our book club meeting,  Erin told them I brought a homemade cake for our dessert.  "Home-BAKED," I corrected her.  The girls oohed and ahed politely. 

"There's such a thing as home-baked?" Sharon asked.  We all laughed.  Sharon likes ready-made desserts from the store.

We laughed and laughed last night, over anything and everything, the way women do when things get giddy.  Erin always likes to start our meeting with a centering exercise, setting the mood for a productive learning experience.  I couldn't help it. I couldn't stop giggling.  We finally dispensed with a formal centering, agreeing that the positive energy in the room was conducive enough for us to begin.

I was starting to feel like my old self.  Laughter and good food is so good for the soul.  Surrounding myself with these wise, funny women, and eating pumpkin cake was such a great way to end a very good day.