Out in the first cake round

Last year I had made it to the semifinals! So I was all hyped up for the cake competition in the new academic year. And in the second week, it was already my turn. I had given it a lot of thought! I had already used all my favourite recipes for the competition. What should I do now? And then I remembered I had come across a cake recipe that that peanut butter crumble or something like that on top. That sounded good! I didn't remember where I had seen it, so I just googled something along the lines of ‘cake recipe peanut butter’. And came across a recipe for protein raspberry cake with peanut butter frosting. That sounded interesting!

A week before I had actually tried it out, and I quite liked it. I had left the protein out because I don't normally have that. And I also thought I wasn't going to do anything about that; who would actually want extra protein? And would it not make my cake so weird it wouldn't stand a chance? And the experiment showed that you could do it without the protein as well.

I had actually only that week realised that there is such thing as protein cake. One day the traffic lights for the bridge were not in my favour, and I decided to walk over the pavement instead. And I bumped into one of our researchers, who happened to be walking there too, and he was on his way to the gym. And he was having a snack. And when he saw me, he offered me some as well. It was some sort of cake, but I could tell it had extra protein! I thought that was quite amusing. And now I had come across a recipe myself. And I was sticking with it.

The baking did influence my ankle too: on Wednesday I had got the okay from my physiotherapist to run in spite of the issue with my peroneal tendon, even the Thursday runs, but I was a bit hesitant to work it so hard so soon. I didn't have to make the decision, as the Thursday night was now dedicated to cake baking.

When I wanted to start I realised I didn't have enough (vegan) butter so I had to pop to the shop. I felt stupid! But then I was ready. I also tried and failed to make some equivalent of pearl sugar, to give the cake a bit more texture. But otherwise all went well. I made a cake, and made the frosting. 

The next morning I put the frosting on the cake and decorated it with raspberries I had held back. And Susan came to pick it up. Of course she first came in to snuggle the cat. She wouldn't miss an opportunity like that! But then she was on her way.

The components 

Finished product

Normally, the organiser sends out an email in the morning, telling people that there will be cake, and what sort of cake it will be. But nothing came. And nothing came. And nothing came. I didn't think his heart was in the organisation; he had also not emailed me to ask me what I was baking that week! I had volunteered to the information.

When it was time I just went anyway. Susan was there, cutting the cakes. And when she was done with that she figured she needed to step in. She just sent an email out, even though it only said that there was cake, now. 

I was also thinking about a guest researcher we had visiting. I had also met him while walking across the bridge. He was going to give the seminar that day, and I knew it was his last day before he would go back to Potsdam. I figured he really deserved some cake! But I also knew he wouldn't get the email. So I decided to put a piece of each cake on a saucer and go find him. He was pleased with that. And he gave a very interesting seminar later, by the way.

A bit later the message came. The other cake had won! And deservedly so; it had been very good. And the baker was actually a friend. When I saw her over lunch she was very apologetic. But no need to be! 

I did that day have a meeting with some of the teaching staff, which includes our only vegan. I hadn't seen her that day, but she did walk into the meeting room. I told her she should immediately leg it upstairs and get some vegan cake. She doesn't get that opportunity very often! And because there had been no official email, she didn't know that one of the cakes was actually accessible to her. I was glad she was still on time!

In a way it is fun to win, of course. But having been eliminated now means I won't have to bake again. My Thursday evenings are mine again. I hope I can spend all of them running!