Okay, so I might be trying to eat less dessert this week.  I’ve gotten in a bad habit of treating myself to a sweet snack at work, and it has to stop.  Which made me think about cake.  Any cake in particular?  This cake:

Is that not the most beautiful cake you’ve seen in years?  Maybe ever.  It’s chocolate with Nutella spread (hazelnut chocolate goodness), plus whipped cream and strawberries.  Yes, please.  I’ve seen that episode of The Pioneer Woman’s show a few times, and I find myself mesmerized by the cake every second it’s on the screen.

I was seriously considering whipping this up this weekend.  To reward myself for being so healthy today, right?  (Terrible plan, I know.)  But I knew that the internet wouldn’t let me down if I needed a dose of reality/discouragement.  Enter reality:

What I love most about this picture and the corresponding blog post is that the baker in question considers it a total success.  It might be slightly less perky than PW’s picture, but it’s a delicious cake and that’s all that matters.  Although I completely agree with that logic, it does make me smile.  I’d say that 89% of the cakes I’ve made have had a “quirky” look to them.  I understand. 

And then there’s this one from The Pioneer Woman herself:

It would be perfect for a Pisa-themed event, right?  I appreciate that PW is willing to show the moment when the cake falls over in addition to the other absolutely perfect cake moments.  Good show.

So how did those pictures discourage me?  Well, not that much.  But they did remind me that cake baking can be time-consuming and sometimes ego-destroying.  Maybe I’ll just work on folding the laundry this weekend instead.