Thought I would try a strawberry chiffon cake with 7 minute frosting for my (now ex) husband's birthday. Why? Can't really say. He wasn't terribly discerning, but I wanted to show off. Mixed up the batter - poured the batter in a glass rectangle pan and threw it into the oven. Started the frosting and brought it up to temp, then took it off the heat to beat until glossy and voluminous. I peeked in the oven and the cake had puffed up like an overfilled waterbed. I snatch it from the oven, put it on top of the stove and turn back to my frosting. Which unlike the cake was not in the least bit voluminous. But what was that smell? Oh no - I hadn't turned of the frosting burner before I set the cake on it. now there was a big black @ in the shape of the burner coils on the bottom of the cake. I took the cake off the burner and dumped it out onto the counter, cutting out the burned circle and salvaging several slabs. I decided to cobble together a napoleon style layered torte instead. When he sat down to cut this travesty, I noted that it looked like I had layered 3 kitchen sponges with frosting. In the end, for all the appreciation he showed, it would probably have been cheaper and faster.

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