Day Sixty-Five: A Cake By Any Other Name

I was just at a birthday party (as I mentioned in my last post) and on my way there, I had a rather selfish thought. I thought, I hope they serve carrot cake! Not because I like it or because I thought it would create any extra birthday merriment, but because it's one of those things I just don't like. But my friends are cool. They served chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with Sesame Street character faces on top (mine was Oscar the Grouch). So no carrot cake for me.

But I've been thinking about carrot cake, so I had to have some. I went to the grocery store today and bought one of those individual slices and brought it home for the husband and me.

Now, I like spice cake. And I'm okay with breads that are made from vegetables (zucchini, pumpkin). But I can't really get on board with veggie-based cake, even if at a basic level it is something I like, but dotted with carrot shards, raisins, and nuts. Even if it resembles another type of food I actually like. It just feels like carrot cake has been miscategorized. If someone handed me a slice of carrot bread and topped it with butter instead of cream cheese frosting, I'd be happy. If they gave me spice cake with the lovely cream cheese frosting carrot cake is known for, I'd be happy. There's just a mental disconnect.

I don't want to be a hypocrite. I get upset with my husband when he says he doesn't like meatloaf, because I can use the exact same recipe and form it into meatballs and he'll love it. I just have to accept carrot cake for what it is, I guess. And today, as I ate it, I found it was fairly enjoyable. Not amazing. Not my first choice in cake, for sure. But the next time one of my aunts serves it at a family function, I will probably eat my piece.