Cake madness

I made my sixth St. Patrick's Day cake today for the new competition. I'm not near enough to a finished product for my liking, and I keep messing around with different techniques and ingredients, but keep having a few of the same problems. I made two in the past two days--tried the first one, and just chucked it since my experimentation on that one didn't pan out. Today's was better, but not good enough, and I'm planning on baking another one tomorrow morning. I'm getting a little frustrated on this one, and I really feel like I'm wrestling blind, though I'm learning more and more with each attempt. I've messed around with buttermilk, sour cream and extra egg yolks, as well as using different kinds and amounts of leavening, along with changes in oven temperature and using different types and amounts of flour, as well as experimenting with different types of sugar. It's maddening how many variables can go into making a cake like this! I've got an entirely different cake to perfect as well, but I feel that the first attempt on that one was pretty darn close to the mark and shouldn't be too hard to dial in. I think a cake a day will be my mode until I get them perfect.

What I liked about the cookie experimentation is that you knew in about fifteen minutes after they went in the oven whether or not you had a winner or not. With cakes, you know about three hours later, after it's cooled. Patience and perseverance need to rule the day.