Being a baker has ruined cake for me a little.

I can't just eat it anymore.

Someone can put a beautiful cake in front of me and my brain immediately starts working.

Is it too sweet?

What kind of chocolate is that?

Why is the frosting so soft?

Is that vanilla or something else?

How did they get that texture?

I don't mean to do it.

It just happens.

I think once you start baking regularly, you become very aware of the little things you never noticed before.

The crumb.

The sweetness.

The balance between cake and frosting.

Whether the filling is actually adding something or is just there because the cake needs another layer.

And sometimes I eat a cake and absolutely love it.

Then I want to know how they made it.

Other times, I can appreciate how beautiful it is but know that it isn't something I would want to make.

That has actually helped me as a baker.

Eating other people's cakes reminds me that there isn't one definition of a good cake.

Some people like very sweet cakes.

Some don't.

Some love heavy frosting.

Some scrape half of it off.

Some want something rich and indulgent.

Others just want a simple tea cake.

So yes, I still enjoy eating cake.

I just don't think I will ever be able to eat it completely normally again.

There is always a tiny part of my brain asking,

Okay, but how did they make this?