baking therapy: orange creamsicle cake | the merry gourmet

My mornings start early, rising before anyone else in the house is awake. If I’m lucky, and feeling motivated, I start the day with a pre-dawn run. I call it running, but it’s really more of a lurching jog. Whatever. It gets the calories burned, and it’s good for my soul.

On the way to the school in the mornings, the kids and I watch the sun rise. As I drive, the sun – glowing orange, but not yet so bright that we have to look away – slowly emerges into the rosy sky guiding its path. The kids guess which direction we’re headed based on where sun sits on the horizon.

orange creamsicle cake | the merry gourmet

We listen to the latest pop songs on the radio, and my daughter sings along. Maddie belts out the words to “Call Me Maybe” as if she is on stage, microphone in hand, and Oliver mumbles his own version of the song. Sometimes they even sing in sync with each other. I smile to myself as I drive, not wanting to interrupt for fear they will stop if they know I am listening.

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9 Responses to “baking therapy: orange creamsicle cake | the merry gourmet”

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    DessertForTwo — September 9, 2012 @ 6:43 pm

    Such a lovely read, as always. I, too, cherish every morning, even if I’ve been up til 3am harvesting corn the night before. It’s such a fresh new start. I think about all the healthy things I will eat and do before bedtime.

    Lovley, lovely cake!

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    MJ your mornings with the kids sound lovely. And I SO know how baking comforts – for a couple of hours, when you are baking, all seems right with the world. As it would with this cake in my life!

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    jenn s — September 9, 2012 @ 8:10 pm

    I cannot wait to make this cake, MJ!! And I’m with you, baking/cooking is cathartic…

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    Rosemary — September 9, 2012 @ 9:14 pm

    MJ, you always make me smile 🙂

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    Laura — September 9, 2012 @ 9:22 pm

    Beautifully written! Baking is my therapy too. Stay strong throughout your “on service” time!

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    Deb — September 10, 2012 @ 11:34 am

    I just adore the orange creamsicle cake, especially the pastel hue! I agree baking is great therapy! When my mind is spinning and my heart is heavy I busy my hands. The mind and heart will usually follow.

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    olga — September 10, 2012 @ 12:48 pm

    I’m both sad and glad we don’t live close to one another. Mostly sad. 🙂 the cake looks delicious. Orange creamsicle? Yes, please.

    Also you’re way ahead of me on running. One of these days…

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    Paula — September 13, 2012 @ 5:17 pm

    What a beautiful and delicious sounding cake. I hope your *on service* shift doesn’t fill your evenings with nightmares this time around. Baking is my therapy too but so too are your beautiful and tenderly written blog posts.

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    Kelly Senyei (Just a Taste) — September 18, 2012 @ 12:30 pm

    This looks so spectacular! I love the rosy color of the frosting and especially the addition of the citrus.

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