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I'm a wife to my "Mr. Right". A momma of five. A maker of slow food and simple living. A collector of memories, a keeper of books, and a champion for books that make memories. An addict who likes my half-and-half with a splash of coffee. A fractured pot transformed by the One Who makes broken things beautiful. I heart homeschooling, brake for libraries, and am glad you're here with me on the journey! Be sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Or, follow along with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google +, Youtube, or Pinterest.

Pinterest Flips and Flops: Best Chocolate Cake Recipe


Pinterest Flips and Flops Link-Up (The Unlikely Homeschool)

Welcome!  It's the second Monday of the month, and that means it's time to give my thumb's up or thumb's down on a couple of projects that I've pinned on my Pinterest Boards and give you a chance to do the same in a link-up party.   I'm trying desperately not to be a pin "hoarder".  I'm hoping you'll help keep me accountable to actually DO some of the projects that I think are pin-worthy.  So far, I've had a few FLIPS and a couple of FLOPS!  


Here's the tally for THIS month...

Flip

Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

I found this pin when I was searching for a cake recipe to make Greased Lightning for his fourth birthday.  At first he requested a simple chocolate cake with a purple number 4 on the top.  Simple enough...I thought!  (As a momma who absolutely hates to decorate cakes but does so out of love for her Littles, I'm always grateful for SIMPLE.)  BUT...then his sibs got in on the decision-making process and somehow convinced the birthday boy that he needed a "three level Thomas the Train cake with a tunnel and a real Thomas."  {insert heavy sigh}


The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe From Pinterest (The Unlikely Homeschool)

So, as I constructed plans in my head for his newly EXPANDED order, I cruised Pinterest and came upon a pin that touted itself as "The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe {EVER}"

Chocolate cake recipe from Add a Pinch.com

I left out the espresso powder because...well, the mere thought of my four-year-old on an espresso buzz left my head spinning.  (We don't call him Greased Lightning for nothin'!)


Now, I'm not gonna say it was THE BEST chocolate cake EVER...but, I actually can't recall eating a homemade chocolate cake quite as moist or as chocolate-y!  So, I'll give it a "best chocolate cake I CAN REMEMBER ever eating."  

By the way...he loved the cake too.  But, let's face it...ANY kind of chocolate cake would have gotten a thumb's up from a four-year-old.  

Flop

Cookie Sheet Cleaner

Let me preface this rant by saying that I could quite possibly own the most disgusting, greased-stained cookie sheet in the midwest.  I'm sure that only a radioactive solvent would EVER clean this bad boy.  But, in my defense, it is a very old tray that I no longer use for real baking purposes.  Last year, it was down-graded to be a "catch all" pan.  I place it on the bottom rack of the oven when I'm cooking/baking something that might drip grease or fixin's all over the place.  


Cookie Sheet Cleaner recipe from Pinterest-The Unlikely Homeschool

I was excited to come across this budget-friendly cleaning solution recipe for cleaning cookie sheets and other metal cookware.  Unfortunately, even after waiting all evening for the solution to do it's "magic" and after scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing, I was only able to remove the top layer of grime.

Not wanting to give-in too easily, I whipped out one of my everyday-use cookie sheets that had only minimal grease stains on it.  I sprinkled and poured and sprinkled and poured HOPING to have at least ONE clean pan in the end. But, NOPE!  Not even one.  I ended up with two greasy pans and an empty box of baking soda.  

Oh well, grease adds flavor...RIGHT?!

Cookie Sheet Cleaner Recipe from One Good Thing by Jillee

Have you tried any Pinterest projects lately?  Were they FLIPS or were they FLOPS?  I'd love to hear about them.  Link-up your posts below!

11 comments:

  1. Your little boy looks adorable :)


    www.vindiebaby.com
    Vintage Inspired Fashion

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  2. LOL on the espresso! Now I want chocolate cake but I would be the only one eating it as husband doesn't care for chocolate.
    And I AM SO GLAD that stupid pin about cleaning your pans is such a myth that you even blogged about it. It never worked for me either. (grumble grumble)

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    1. i'm so glad to read this because I was starting to think maybe it was just something I did wrong.

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  3. Thank you for saving me my time on the "flop!" I have two cookie sheets sitting out of use that I've wanted to try that on, now for awhile. I've just been snagging them to be the "art tray" for when we do glittery/sandy/salty/etc art projects. Guess they will stay that way for that use only...

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    1. I think I'm gonna have to finally give in a buy a new one...

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  4. I"m with you just thinking of espresso for a little guy....... Oh no thank you.

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  5. I have a 4yo boy. I am imagining sugar + espresso.
    I do not think everyone would survive the day with that combination!! But I will be checking out the recipe!

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    1. I don't know what the espresso version tastes like, but I don't think you'll be disappointed in the non-espresso version.

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  6. The cake looks awesome, Jamie! I miss those "Thomas the Tank Engine" days. My boys are 16 & 12 now. :(

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  7. I just want to eat one bite of this cake....it looks so yummy...hope my mom will try to make this cake on her 25th anniversary.But i think to make this some different method and send it with diwali gift to india as surprise for my girlfriend...i strongly recommend this post to friends also.

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