As I poured batter into the cake pan, I had to chuckle. When did I become someone who baked shit? It wasn’t planned. I was dog tired from a long week at work. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up dazed and confused. The clock said a quarter to eight and my Friday night sweet tooth began tugging at me.
I stuck my head in the pantry. Nothing sweet in there. I knew I should have picked up the donuts or cookies I was eyeballing when grocery shopping the other day. I didn’t because I was trying to be good. Fuck being good, I said aloud.
As I stood in the pantry, I saw a few Trader Joe’s boxes. Brownies, banana bread and a birthday cake mix. What I love about these, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a gourmet pastry chef to make them. I’m the perfect demographic: a baking simpleton. Just add a few ingredients, mix, pour into a pan and throw it in the oven. And wallah! I’m good to go. Thanks TJ for making life easy for us baking challenged folk.
Banana bread won out. Too bad our bananas were still yellow. Throwing in a ripe one would’ve added a little something something to the mix.
At 10 pm it was almost ready. I was tempted to brew a fresh cup of coffee because everything needs a dance partner. Not a bad way to start my weekend.
I have a Cake CD, but never really listened to it after I got it. I’ve always been a lukewarm fan. I never turned the dial when they came on the radio, but I had to be in the mood to really enjoy their music. While looking for a song, I thought about a few of theirs. But I wasn’t feeling it and put the kabosh on all of them.
It’s now Saturday morning and I just finished a slice of banana bread with my morning coffee and gave Cake a second chance. Like I said, I have to be in the mood for their music. Maybe that sugar pick me up did the trick. I bobbed my head to Never There twice. Hope you enjoy it, too.
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For a complete playlist, please click here.
For the Spotify playlist, please click here.
I need your arms around me,
I need to feel your touch,
I need your understanding, I need your love,
So much,
You tell me that you love me so,
You tell me that you care,
But when I need you, (BABY)
Baby, (You're never there),
On the phone,
Long long distance,
Always through such,
Strong resistance,
When first you say,
You're too busy,
I wonder if you,
Even miss me,
Never there,
You're never there,
You're never, ever,
Ever ever there,
A golden bird that flies away,
A candle's fickle flame,
To think I held you yesterday,
Your love was just a game,
A golden bird that flies away,
A candle's fickle flame,
To think I held you yesterday,
Your love was just a game,
You tell me that you love me so,
You tell me that you care,
But when I need you, (BABY)
Baby,
Take the time,
To get to know me,
If you want me,
Why can't you just show me,
We're always on,
This roller coaster,
If you want me,
Why can't you get closer,
Never there,
You're never there,
You're never, ever,
Ever ever there,
Never there,
You're never there,
You're never, ever,
Ever ever there
Okay so wait, banana but it’s a cake mix?! What did you have to add? I never use cake mixes but i’d be tempted to try although there’s no Trader Joes stuff where I am.
I actually didn’t mind the song!
There’s something about sitting down with coffee and a slice of cake isn’t there?!
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I should be embarrassed how easy it is to make it, but fortunately there is very little expectation that I can bake at all! There are very few ingredients. Here is a description from TJ.
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/banana-bread-mix-085218
I’d much prefer eating stuff baked from scratch, like yours. But for us challenged folk, it does the trick!
And yes, with coffee it’s heaven…
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Cool!
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I love Cake–both edible and audible. The band’s music is filled with so much (perhaps unintentional–not sure) joy, that I dare anyone to listen while in a bad mood and insist on hanging onto the bad mood. Short Skirt/Long Jacket and Sheep Go To Heaven are classic mood lifters…looks like I’ll be indulging in some Cake. The audible kind. 😊
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I just listened to this two songs and see what you mean. I’m not sure why I never dug deeper with them. I like how you framed them. I may have to give them a second try.
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Then my work here is done. 🙂
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LOVE TJs mixes. Have you ever tried the Meyer Lemon Cake Mix. So good. You need to buy like 3 of those whenever you see them, because they’re “seasonal” but I can never figure out which season. (Summer? Christmas?)
Fuck being good – YEEEEES!
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Oooh… that sounds good. I’ll have to look for them.
I remember you posted a microwave blueberry cake recipe awhile back that looked manageable for me to give a try. I may have to search your blog to find it. It’s my newfound confidence speaking btw. Lol
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Haha! I’m sure you can manage a microwave blueberry mug cake. It’s nice to make a single serving cake sometimes—so the leftovers aren’t sitting there tempting you later: https://50happens.blog/?s=Blueberry+mug&submit=Search
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Thank you! I just happen to have all of the ingredients handy!
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This is such a great post, very entertaining. I can just picture you rifling the cupboards to find something that might approach the allure of the sweet stuff you saw at the store. Great segue to the song, too. I’ve heard it before but maybe just once or twice and couldn’t name anything else by Cake, though maybe I’ve heard others.
Enjoy your cake weekend and pace yourself!
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Thanks, Steve! I went about 2/3s of my life w/o a sweet tooth. Now I get these cravings… lol
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Making up for lost time! Pace yerself, man….
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Every Sunday when I make my weekly grocery list, I am determined to eat healthy this week. So, I purposely do not buy any carb-loaded or sweet snacks. Only fruit and veggies for me. I make it to Tuesday, usually, before the urge overwhelms me to make something sweet! Cinnamon toast, peanut-butter cookies, caramel corn…whatever ingredients I find in the pantry. UGH! It’s Sunday morning again…same battle. I need some motivation to be good.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who battles a sweet tooth!
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Funny you should mention it… cinnamon toast crossed my mind that evening. I haven’t had that since I was a kid but it was something easy to get my fix. Lol
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I like TJ’s pumpkin bread. enjoyed the Cake too! happy weekend.
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I’ll have to look out out for that one!
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I am sure you put a lot of love into that banana bread to taste delicious. Good job! Banana bread and coffee…what a wonderful Saturday evening. 👌🏼
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