Free for All Friday: Gonna Bark(y) Like It’s My Birthday

To be fair, it IS almost my birthday. (Next Tuesday on a no-big-deal-holiday meant for luv-ahs.) And I’m turning an age where the 30s are starting to come in sight, so I decided to treat myself to a calorie binge. Because I’ve heard those solve problems.

I’ve never been a huge fan of cake. In fact, growing up, I received giant cookies on my birthday instead of cake. And I haven’t received a cake anyway for years for my birthday, so this year (it’s the milestone 25th) I made myself a birthday treat.

Oh yeah, that’s birthday.cake.bark. All credit for this genius treat goes to this lady who conducted the birthday-cake train before everyone else hopped on. Check her out. She’s total inspiration in all aspects of food.

If you’ve read the Facts about the Foodie, you should know I don’t bake. Like, ever. It’s highly intimidating and I’m no good with the sweets. I always screw up—I burn the chocolate, use baking soda instead of powder, beat too long, beat too little. It’s just not my thing.

Need more proof?

Breaking up is hard to do

Yeah. I was trying to break up the bark and it separated on me. It took all I had in me not to throw the rest of it down on the counter and watch it shatter. I have a feeling if cake mix wasn’t involved, it would’ve been a lost cause.

All you need

I used 70 percent cacao

and lots'o cake mix

About to go in the freezer

Just chillin'

Ready for eatin

I won’t give you the how-to, ’cause I want you to click here and get the recipe from the source herself. And her pictures are 1000 times betta.

I will tell you, this stuff is awesome and I put in waaay more cake mix than her recipe calls for. And I’m not at all sorry.

Happy Birthday, to moi

The only thing that would make this an even sweeter birthday treat is if someone made it for me ;P

Anyone got any big plans this weekend? Celebrating V-Day early? Swimming with dolphins? Getting a mani/pedi? Colonoscopy? Making this here bark?

Also, I’ll take suggestions as to what I can use the rest of my cake mix for. Cake cookies are always a possibility, but I’d like to do something new and exciting. You know, another baking venture to screw up.

Happy Friday!