Let there be cake

It was a dark and stormy night. No, really, it was. The storm Saturday that moved across the country and walloped the eastern seaboard started promptly at noon in town as scheduled, and grew rapidly, thus confirming the decision of many to cancel a myriad of events, ranging from concerts to fundraisers, including one I had been working on since the new year.

But not before I had already made a giant cherry cake, one of the many items on our extensive raffle list. It was a thing of beauty: a gorgeous, cherry filled, almond scented, butter-rich pound cake just waiting for its whipped frosting dress to highlight its many attributes.

The winds may have howled outside, but in my kitchen, the fragrant steam from the cooling cake wafted gently about, taunting us in the face of our disappointment that our hard work had to be deferred.

Freeze it, said my practical husband, until we know the new date.

Eat it, said my child, until he learned it was cherry cake.

But I couldn’t freeze it. At least, not for raffle purposes. Previous raffle winners like being able to freeze the cake themselves, I argued. Besides I could always make another.

At the same time, I couldn’t really face the prospect of eating my way through five pounds of cherry cake, yummy as it is. Even at Christmas, I divide the recipe into three loaves so I can give it away.

What to do? What to do? I pondered my dilemma on Facebook, and despite the postholiday period of caloric denial, or perhaps because of Lent’s swiftly approaching arrival, I received an overwhelming response.

Give it to us, said the friendly masses. We’ll eat it. So I did. While the snow fell, I carved up the cake into eight-ounce and 12-ounce portions. Of course, I did keep a little chunk for myself so I could sample the final product, to ensure quality control, of course.

When the snow turned to rain, I wrapped and labelled cake, and then plotted out my route for the next day. And unlike delivering surplus zucchini, I did not have to go out in the dead of night to deliver my goodie packages.

Because, really, finding some delicious sweetness in your mailbox is always a welcome surprise, and as everyone knows, life is always better with a little cake.

At least, I think that’s what my friends meant. I couldn’t tell for sure because they were too busy eating cake.