Cake Tragedy

My mother loves chocolate cake, but that dessert is an endangered species. Nowadays every "chocolate cake" on a restaurant menu is that dense, flourless "death by chocolate" stuff, and she likes classic chocolate cake. So, I make her one for her birthday, because I'm a tremendous, award-winning daughter.

Now while I'm a pretty good cook, baking requires attention to detail and that is not my strong suit. Something always goes wrong. This time I made the icing using flour instead of powdered sugar (long story) and had to throw it out and start over... and then, after giving up on the second tier of my three-tier cake, I asked my husband Mike to remove the cake that was in the oven when the timer went off and hopped in the car to take Mom 1/3 of a cake.

I was barely halfway to Mom's house when the kitchen filled with smoke and Mike sent me this video.

Whoops.  Not sure what that banging noise is in the background. I think probably him hitting his head against the wall.

The dog was standing by the door waiting to be let out like he does whenever he thinks we're all about to die. Loyalty. Riiight.