If you loooove baking...

[Anonymous]

The freezer is your answer! For cookies, form the dough into individual balls and freeze them, then you can bake them up when you have a craving. When I make a cake or bread, I freeze individual slices. Then on a random Thursday I get to go "oh there's cake in the freezer!" - like 15 min at room temp and it's good to eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a lot of experience with this, as I chose to bake my way through a published list of 30 cakes as a pandemic project. What you need is a roster of your friends, family, neighbours, coworkers, etc. Seriously, make a spreadsheet if you need to. The number of people in each family (because this determines the size/portion you’ll give them) and what their preferred flavour choices are. I have one couple that gets everything because one of them likes chocolate, the other lemon flavours, and they’ll eat nuts, raisins, you name it. Another family won’t take anything they contains nuts. One person hates citrus in desserts, so he’s out where any of those are concerned. If you have a big enough group, you’ll be able to distribute it all without overwhelming people/giving them things they don’t enjoy.

Since then, I’ve learned that the hospices in my area also accept baking for their staff and volunteer break rooms.

Can I ask what list of 30 cakes you baked through? This sounds like a project I would enjoy.

Sure - I’ve talked about it on here before, in fact a few of the people on this board and I now follow each other on Instagram because that’s where I’ve documented the cake project. It was the Southern Living list of 30 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback, although when I’d finished 28 cakes they added to the list, so now it’s: 48 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback https://www.southernliving.com/food/desserts/cakes/vintage-cakes

DP. What did you think of the cakes? Some of them sound horrible - like the lemon and chocolate Doberge cake. I also didn't like the Texas Sheet Cake recipes. I've got my grandmother's recipe for that - at least, it's the cutting from the newspaper with the recipe and it is completely different! Ain't no soda or oil in Gma's cake!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a lot of experience with this, as I chose to bake my way through a published list of 30 cakes as a pandemic project. What you need is a roster of your friends, family, neighbours, coworkers, etc. Seriously, make a spreadsheet if you need to. The number of people in each family (because this determines the size/portion you’ll give them) and what their preferred flavour choices are. I have one couple that gets everything because one of them likes chocolate, the other lemon flavours, and they’ll eat nuts, raisins, you name it. Another family won’t take anything they contains nuts. One person hates citrus in desserts, so he’s out where any of those are concerned. If you have a big enough group, you’ll be able to distribute it all without overwhelming people/giving them things they don’t enjoy.

Since then, I’ve learned that the hospices in my area also accept baking for their staff and volunteer break rooms.

Can I ask what list of 30 cakes you baked through? This sounds like a project I would enjoy.

Sure - I’ve talked about it on here before, in fact a few of the people on this board and I now follow each other on Instagram because that’s where I’ve documented the cake project. It was the Southern Living list of 30 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback, although when I’d finished 28 cakes they added to the list, so now it’s: 48 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback https://www.southernliving.com/food/desserts/cakes/vintage-cakes

DP. What did you think of the cakes? Some of them sound horrible - like the lemon and chocolate Doberge cake. I also didn't like the Texas Sheet Cake recipes. I've got my grandmother's recipe for that - at least, it's the cutting from the newspaper with the recipe and it is completely different! Ain't no soda or oil in Gma's cake!

I chose this particular list because I've never had a Southern Living recipe fail - and none of these did. There's an element of personal opinion, of course, but some were more effort than they were worth (the Doberge was one of those, as was the Apple Stack) and others were spectacular. None were horrible, all had fans among myself and my tasters. Re: ingredients - yes, several of the cakes use soda, and while I hadn't baked any that did before this list, all of these turned out. Likewise I'm not put off by oil in a cake recipe - as all chiffon cakes contain oil - but YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a lot of experience with this, as I chose to bake my way through a published list of 30 cakes as a pandemic project. What you need is a roster of your friends, family, neighbours, coworkers, etc. Seriously, make a spreadsheet if you need to. The number of people in each family (because this determines the size/portion you’ll give them) and what their preferred flavour choices are. I have one couple that gets everything because one of them likes chocolate, the other lemon flavours, and they’ll eat nuts, raisins, you name it. Another family won’t take anything they contains nuts. One person hates citrus in desserts, so he’s out where any of those are concerned. If you have a big enough group, you’ll be able to distribute it all without overwhelming people/giving them things they don’t enjoy.

Since then, I’ve learned that the hospices in my area also accept baking for their staff and volunteer break rooms.

Can I ask what list of 30 cakes you baked through? This sounds like a project I would enjoy.

Sure - I’ve talked about it on here before, in fact a few of the people on this board and I now follow each other on Instagram because that’s where I’ve documented the cake project. It was the Southern Living list of 30 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback, although when I’d finished 28 cakes they added to the list, so now it’s: 48 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback https://www.southernliving.com/food/desserts/cakes/vintage-cakes

DP. What did you think of the cakes? Some of them sound horrible - like the lemon and chocolate Doberge cake. I also didn't like the Texas Sheet Cake recipes. I've got my grandmother's recipe for that - at least, it's the cutting from the newspaper with the recipe and it is completely different! Ain't no soda or oil in Gma's cake!

I chose this particular list because I've never had a Southern Living recipe fail - and none of these did. There's an element of personal opinion, of course, but some were more effort than they were worth (the Doberge was one of those, as was the Apple Stack) and others were spectacular. None were horrible, all had fans among myself and my tasters. Re: ingredients - yes, several of the cakes use soda, and while I hadn't baked any that did before this list, all of these turned out. Likewise I'm not put off by oil in a cake recipe - as all chiffon cakes contain oil - but YMMV.

Yes thank you for sharing that Southern Living list on another thread. I've made a few from there and agree Southern Living recipes are generally at least okay with some better than others of course.

This may not be a popular opinion but I've just had to get comfortable throwing things out. We are also a family of 3 and just can't eat that many baked goods but DD and I love to bake. I do try to select smaller recipes and sometimes freeze things but its the fun of actually baking and trying new things we enjoy the most. If DD wants to make some elaborate cake we do it and we normally eat around half before we're over it. I feel weird giving away something we have eaten so I just trash it. If its something like cookies I will give them away to anyone and everyone but we seem to make a lot of cakes!

[Anonymous]

Start making quiche. I make the crust myself and change up the filling. Then you can serve it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

[Anonymous]

Do you have any neighbors with teenagers? Offer to bake goods for their sports teams, theater groups, team dinners, etc. They will devour whatever you make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for the suggestions for local charities -- I'm going to look into those and reach out to find out when/what they will take and see if I can arrange that regularly to scratch my baking itch.

I am afraid to do the teacher's lounge donations or do lots of baked goods as gifts because I have heard too many people talk about how much they hate being given these sorts of foods as a gift or having it around their workplace if they are trying to watch their intake of certain foods. I used to work in an office where my officemate would complain about this almost daily Halloween through New Years, and also anytime people brought a treat back from a vacation, because she really struggled with not indulging when it was sitting right there. So I try to be very careful to never give unsolicited baked goods. Our friends know I love to do it and will often request something when they host us and I've even had friends ask me if I would make their kid's birthday cakes if they buy the ingredients and I've done that a bunch of times. But I won't just give baked good to someone unsolicited because I worry they will either resent it or just throw them away.

I think most teachers would be thrilled for high-quality homemade baked goods to show up in the lounge.

I don’t know about real life, but teachers on DCUM often say they throw homemade treats away.

Mainly it’s because it’s not an original idea for Xmas, teacher appreciation, etc when half the class brings you something baked. If OP herself can’t get through her own batch, what is a teacher to do with 15 of them? And no point of gifting to the next teacher because she has 15 batches herself.

Donating to a school to put in the cafeteria or break room would be welcomed. If a teacher wanted done they could help themselves. If they’re on a diet or don’t care for anonymous food donations they can pass. Unless it’s enough to feed 100 people, it will probably get eaten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a lot of experience with this, as I chose to bake my way through a published list of 30 cakes as a pandemic project. What you need is a roster of your friends, family, neighbours, coworkers, etc. Seriously, make a spreadsheet if you need to. The number of people in each family (because this determines the size/portion you’ll give them) and what their preferred flavour choices are. I have one couple that gets everything because one of them likes chocolate, the other lemon flavours, and they’ll eat nuts, raisins, you name it. Another family won’t take anything they contains nuts. One person hates citrus in desserts, so he’s out where any of those are concerned. If you have a big enough group, you’ll be able to distribute it all without overwhelming people/giving them things they don’t enjoy.

Since then, I’ve learned that the hospices in my area also accept baking for their staff and volunteer break rooms.

Can I ask what list of 30 cakes you baked through? This sounds like a project I would enjoy.

Sure - I’ve talked about it on here before, in fact a few of the people on this board and I now follow each other on Instagram because that’s where I’ve documented the cake project. It was the Southern Living list of 30 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback, although when I’d finished 28 cakes they added to the list, so now it’s: 48 Vintage Cakes that Deserve a Comeback https://www.southernliving.com/food/desserts/cakes/vintage-cakes

DP. What did you think of the cakes? Some of them sound horrible - like the lemon and chocolate Doberge cake. I also didn't like the Texas Sheet Cake recipes. I've got my grandmother's recipe for that - at least, it's the cutting from the newspaper with the recipe and it is completely different! Ain't no soda or oil in Gma's cake!

I chose this particular list because I've never had a Southern Living recipe fail - and none of these did. There's an element of personal opinion, of course, but some were more effort than they were worth (the Doberge was one of those, as was the Apple Stack) and others were spectacular. None were horrible, all had fans among myself and my tasters. Re: ingredients - yes, several of the cakes use soda, and while I hadn't baked any that did before this list, all of these turned out. Likewise I'm not put off by oil in a cake recipe - as all chiffon cakes contain oil - but YMMV.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Anonymous]

I love to bake too but have the same issue with too many sweets. I stumbled on a charity called Soldiers’ Angels. They serve deployed soldiers, veterans, and military families. They have a bunch of teams, including a baking team. You pick a soldier once a month and send a goody box along with a note. Satisfies my baking urge and lets me pamper a soldier far from home. Www.soldier angels.org

[Anonymous]

Do you or DH work in person? I send stuff to work. Most offices don’t have the “I don’t eat homemade treats because maybe you have kids or a cat” DCUM people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you or DH work in person? I send stuff to work. Most offices don’t have the “I don’t eat homemade treats because maybe you have kids or a cat” DCUM people.[/quote


I'm the Cake List lady, not OP, so can't speak for her.

I work hybrid now. However, I started the cake list in April 2020 as a pandemic project - and we didn't go back to offices until mid 2022. So, I established my list of tasters when there was no option to take to work, and that's why I found ways to distribute them that didn't involve the office. I can and do take things in occasionally now, but as I wrap up the list (since they added 18 more cakes when I was nearly done) I have my established list of original tasters who want to finish trying all the rest of them - so don't usually have enough left to take to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you or DH work in person? I send stuff to work. Most offices don’t have the “I don’t eat homemade treats because maybe you have kids or a cat” DCUM people.[/quote


I'm the Cake List lady, not OP, so can't speak for her.

I work hybrid now. However, I started the cake list in April 2020 as a pandemic project - and we didn't go back to offices until mid 2022. So, I established my list of tasters when there was no option to take to work, and that's why I found ways to distribute them that didn't involve the office. I can and do take things in occasionally now, but as I wrap up the list (since they added 18 more cakes when I was nearly done) I have my established list of original tasters who want to finish trying all the rest of them - so don't usually have enough left to take to work.

Way back when, I took a cake decorating class at Michaels. Once a week for six weeks. I had to bake the cake at home, then go decorate. I would take the cake to work each week the day after my class. My colleagues looked forward to Tuesdays! It was fun. But back then I drove to work, so could haul a big cake carrier back and forth. And of course went to the office every day. Soon after that I switched jobs, switched to metro, and taking baked goods from home into the office became unrealistic.