September 13, 2010

The Cake

I feel persecuted.

Last night, I made a sheet cake for the local elementary school's bake sale. After frosting the cake, I made the fatal error of leaving it overnight uncovered on the kitchen counter. This morning, I woke up to find our cat stretched out on top of the cake.

When I saw her, I did a little dance. It wasn't a happy one.

My daughter decided right away that the cake was ruined and demanded that I throw it out. Cortlen's take on the situation was a little more generous. "A little cat hair never hurt anyone," he pointed out.

Kellen suggested that we just add another layer of frosting. "No one will ever know," he smiled.

I was entertaining my sons' good ideas when my husband brought me back to reality.

"It's the thought that counts," he told me as he tossed all of my hard work into the trash can.

After he left for work, I scooped a handful of cake out of the trash and put it in the cat's breakfast bowl.

I am bound to disappoint my kids. At least I can please the cat!

32 comments

Heather said...

My mom made a meringue pie for a church potluck once, only to have the cat eat all the meringue off the top. Instead of wasting the filling, she just made more topping. Not like anyone ever knew...it's just kitty kisses!

Donda said...

Your cat is probably bouncing off the walls!

Christi said...

One Thanksgiving my mom loaded 7 made-from-scratch pies in the back of the suburban to go to my aunt's house. She went back inside to get the green beans, and when she came out, the dog had gotten into every single one of those pies. It's a good memory now!

Confessions of a Mother, Lawyer & Crazy Woman said...

HAHAA! The (one) time I baked this year, the cat decided that taking a nap in a pan of warm cinnamon buns was WAY better than his cat bed. It took an hour to deglaze him.

Kellee the Caffeinated said...

Oh yes, I have come downstairs to find that the cat had taken off pretty much the whole layer of frosting... Niiiice!

~The Mama Monster

Kara Lynn said...

I decorate cakes part time. I did a little personal star cake for a one year old's first birthday for him to make a mess in. The mom left it sitting on the counter while she decorated. Halfway through the party she went to get the cake and as soon as she opened the door a frosting covered dog ran out!!

Trisha B said...

A friend of mine made a huge turkey for Thanksgiving. She had finished cooking it, and left it on the counter for a few minutes. When she came back, the dog had eaten the whole turkey. They had to go out to dinner for Thanksgiving

Christine said...

I was hosting a baby shower and 1/2way through the guests pointed out that our dog was on the table eating the cake.

The pregant mom brought the rest of the cake home for her husband to eat, dog bites and all. She said he wouldn't mind.

Audra said...

My mom tells the story that she made a cake for my blessing and my brother's birthday party and she left it on her bed covered in plastic wrap during church. When she came back she discovered that the cat had walked on it. She took the plastic wrap off and served it with kitty prints in it!

Anonymous said...

My mom once made four full sheet cakes with the pieces marked off and a rosebud on every single piece. She left them on the table while she went upstairs to get dressed and when she came back down the dog had jumped up and walked through two and eaten out of a third.

It was such a special time in our family's life. :)

Amy said...

Just one more reason why I don't have pets. ALthough I can always count on one of the six kids in my house to accomplish the very same thing.

I don't know if I've brought out a birthday cake yet that doesn't have finger swipes in it!

Jenny said...

Is anyone besides me thinking of the Bumpus' dogs? Good thing our dog is short, or he'd probably do some of this same stuff. He just sits and stares at the food, sometimes barking at it. I will tell you, however, if wishing could make food jump off the counter, or if he had telekinesis, he'd be in "hog heaven!"

Editor said...

I remember once a squirrel ate the freshly baked pizza pie that was outside cooling off. We thought about cutting off the nibbled bits, but really that's just the moment that your brain needs to accept the loss. I think that stage is called "denial?"

Connie said...

I hope the cat enjoyed the cake!

My mom made pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving dinner one year and left them on the table covered with a piece of waxed paper. You guessed it, the cat got on the table and walked through every pie! At least the pies were covered but the cat prints were visible.

Anonymous said...

And this is why my husband never eats homemade food from other people.

KB said...

I did a cake for my son's 5th birthday recently. After icing it, I threw a dish towel over it while I went to get something. My 19lb "kitten" who shares a birthday with my son (the kitten just turned 1) apparently could not wait for cake and had walked part way across the cake before plopping himself onto it, completely squashing one side.

At least there was no hair on it. ;)

Heather said...

Last Thanksgiving I made a pumpkin pie for my daughters school program. Granted she was only 1 I wanted to try and be that mom that made something :) well I left it covered on the counter and my Naughty cat jumped up and ate a section of the pie. Is it bad that I still brought the pie in? It was just a small section and I spent a while making!

happyfamily said...

Wow! I'm not a pet person, but reading all of these comments makes me realize that having pets would be a great weightloss technique! And, I think that I will never ever be able to eat other people's food again. Maybe people that are pet free.

Ber said...

I so wish you had gotten a pic of that scene!

Susan said...

I work with a lady who won't eat homemade food from anyone who has a cat. I always thought that was dumb but after reading these comments I guess I understand!

Cathryn said...

My MIL put a stick of butter with cat lick marks on the dinner table one Thanksgiving. When I pointed it out to her she offhandedly said, "Just use the side that isn't licked!"
I don't eat at her house anymore!
Kitty kisses-whatever-kitties LICK THEIR BUTTS!
Regularly and thoroughly!

I agree with Anonymous' husband and am NOT Anonymous about it!

Annie (Lady M) x said...

My mutt, Naughty George, ate my daughter's birthday cake and then threw up. Nice.

Nicole said...

Annie, I guess thats why you call him Naughty George:)

AlsoMean said...

I made a plate of brownies for a cookout on Saturday night, and covered them with plastic wrap during dinner, left them in the kitchen.
No cat.
No dog.
My two kids (not the other people's kids) ate about half the brownies while we were on the porch. I had to make another batch. Way less hilarious than the cat or dog eating them....

Mal said...

Man, I like your boys. They sound like stable young men who will make very charming fathers of many daughters.

merchant cash advance said...

Janna: I love your postings. you are very funny the way you describe it.

Susan said...

AAAAHH!!!
As someone who is allergic to cats (their saliva is the allergen, so it's all over their hair), this is completely grossing me out. I am going to have to totally rethink my policy on eating food at potlucks, bake-sales and the like. I can understand the frustration (I once dropped a cake made from scratch as I took it out of the oven--grr), but thank you for not serving it!!!

Jen said...

I am SO sorry. That cat would have been extracted from our house. Or at least returned to the basement on a more permanent basis.

Jenny said...

Regarding homebaked versus store-bought: Who REALLY knows what goes on in commercial kitchens? We might think twice if we knew the entire truth.

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of throwing more icing on and serving it up!

Susan said...

So funny. My mother is a anti-germ freak, she never eats at a pot-luck or buys anything at a bake sale...yet she thinks nothing of eating at a restaurant or getting fast food. "they have rules about cleanliness". Yeah, right.

Erica said...

This is so disgusting! I am confused why so many people find this humorous. One more reason why I do not buy items from bake sales.