What a girl can’t and won’t deny: her love for a sweet treat

dark chocolate ganache sheet cake

One of the best things to come out of my friendship with two of my dearest friends (shoutout Gabi and Ashley), is the discovery and love for the Trader Joe’s sheet cakes.

The Trader Joe’s sheet cake has single-handedly deepened our girlhood and connection - it is the common experience that continues to bring us together. Read more about girlhood here.

Background

On a trip to one of the girls' cities, we took a grocery run to Trader Joe’s. The Trader Joe’s mini sheet cakes had just made their debut and our sweet treat lovin’ selves couldn’t resist a chocolate cake, especially a dark chocolate cake.

As we were checking out, the cashier had asked about our plans, and our plans were to chill and eat our snacks, but specifically this dark chocolate sheet cake. The cashier had only positive things to say about the cake, even mentioning that he could eat the whole thing himself. With that in mind, emotions heightened and excitement filled me up.

Whatever happened between leaving Trader Joe’s and eating that cake is just the space between because all thoughts and feelings came to a halt once having a spoon full of that dark chocolate sheet cake.

You’ve heard of dream blunt rotation, but have you heard of dream sheet cake rotation? Between the three of us girl friends, there was more than enough to go around. The timing between each bite from passing her (the sheet cake) around was the perfect interval, with time to savor each bite as well as slow down to not have the urge to finish the entire tray - not to mention, the sweetness could use a cleanse with a sip of water.

Before I continue to confess my love for the dark chocolate sheet cake, let’s please mention that it could be considered too sweet without possession of a sweet tooth, especially for chocolate. But, fear not, there are other options for whatever sweet tooth you possess.

For you: page? No, for you: flavors.

The two flavors that dropped were: dark chocolate and vanilla (technically dark chocolate ganache and chantilly cream vanilla bean). I naturally gravitate towards chocolate sweets, so that wins every time. However, that is completely biased considering I’ve yet to try the vanilla bean one.

Pitting those two flavors against each other isn’t fair for a multitude of reasons, but my top reason being that they serve different purposes. What those purposes are can be up for debate at a different time because more importantly, dark chocolate and vanilla are not the only flavors.

My next flavor discovery was during the -ber months, and it completely changed the game, bumping dark chocolate ganache to second place: pumpkin spice.

Pumpkin spice sheet cake -
You haven’t left my mind since the moment you entered my life.
Four months with you isn’t long enough,
but I understand your need for longing.
You can only be brought upon this earth during certain seasons,
and I am so glad that season has bestowed upon us now.
We’ve met again and every moment will be savored.

She (pumpkin spice sheet cake) came at a time that everyone goes into a craze about her flavor profile, one that I struggled to get on board with. She was and is just another marketing tool for fall - but she is one that caught my attention.

Mr. Joe got me hooked on this one.

When -ber season was coming to an end, so was my beloved pumpkin spice sheet cake.

I had just thought that the joy of a new flavor had dissipated until I laid my eyes on someone new: gluten free yellow sheet cake. Her fight for first place persists, but it isn’t difficult competition considering I see her year-round.

Not only does my gluten intolerance hold huge weight when it comes to this competition, but the gluten-free sheet cake actually possesses the texture, moisture, and flavor that the other gluten-full sheet cakes hold. Let’s be completely honest, in most scenarios, the absence of gluten is obvious. However, that is not the case here. She (gluten-free yellow sheet cake) provides me the joy of a sweet treat without hurting my stomach. For that, she wins.

More seasons, more fun

Fall flavors aren’t for everyone, and sometimes neither are chocolate, vanilla, or yellow. I didn’t forget that other seasons have their own moments, too - they just didn’t have a moment with me, but they fully deserve recognition.

Come spring time, lemon and carrot made their debut. Even summer rolled around and showcased strawberry. While I typically love all of these flavors, they didn’t make it to my ranking.

The seasonal sheet cakes bring me joy, knowing that I can try something new and talk to the girls about it. The only one who’s caught my attention thus far has been my girl pumpkin spice. I’m not ashamed to admit it. She is just that girl!

Conclusive thoughts

My love for a sweet treat will never die, and my love for the Trader Joe’s sheet cake continues to feed that feeling. Not only does she stir riveting conversation with others, hosting friendly debates on which sheet cake is best, but she is the perfect ending bite on any given day.

If you haven’t tried the Trader Joe’s mini sheet cake, what are you doing? Oh yeah, did I mention that she’s mini? Let’s talk about it: which one is your favorite?

xoxo,
kaels
too bad ain’t me <3

The Second Coming: Is Second Puberty a Real Thing?

image via Pinterest

updated: October 2024

I heard this on TikTok (LMAO), but someone was discussing how women in their early 20s, around twenty-three years old, go through a huge ‘rebirth.’ Some people were even calling it a “second puberty.”

Let me tell you, I feel like I’m in the midst of that happening, and it feels like—and I cannot emphasize this enough—what the f*ck.

Welcome to the Rebirth

In our early 20s, most of us are navigating a whole new chapter in our lives. Some of us may have just graduated from college, some may have just started college, some may be entering the workforce, and some may just be cruisin’ along the way. Whatever it may be, it’s a time for a lot of change and maturity. We’re starting to see the world through a new lens. I’m beginning to feel like a whole ass woman.

On TikTok, I heard someone mention that if you’re twenty-three, you’re technically a “three-year-old adult.” When placed into that perspective, it changes everything. We are new adults, just expected to figure all this sh*t out on our own—I mean, that’s how life goes, right? Personally, I’m just trying to navigate this as I go. But if I’m being honest, adults seemed more “adultier” when I was younger.

At this point, I feel stuck between wanting to figure out womanhood by myself and wanting some guidance. I find joy and satisfaction in learning and teaching myself, but it definitely feels like this is something where I need more support and direction.

Seeking Guidance in a New World

I want to surround myself with people who resemble who I want to be. This is where things get a little difficult.

I want to seek mentors who share my values and are living the lifestyle I aspire to. Why is it difficult? Bitch, I’m shy! I’m not one to just go up to someone and start talking, I’ll tell you that much.

So, how do I combat that? I don’t. This is why communities on the internet are so important. They provide a great platform and space for people to connect and learn from one another—you can seek exactly what you’re looking for, and the algorithms will be working in your favor. You can align your media consumption to match what you seek.

That’s what I want here. I want to bring together young adults who want the absolute best for themselves; who want to continue to learn and grow; who aspire to be their higher selves; who see their future beyond what it is now.

Shifting Into a New Era

Whenever I’m going through a huge shift or a new chapter in my life, I dive deep into self-reflection and self-evaluation. I really need to check in with myself, visualize where I want this next chapter to go, and figure out what my ultimate goal is.

Lately, I’ve noticed that my style is shifting. I’m over my current wardrobe—it’s mostly pieces from my previous era, and I can confidently say I am not that girl anymore. There are only a handful of items I actually like to wear: my basics (which is why basics are so important in your wardrobe, btw—check out my tips on elevating your closet here)!

The only other times I’ve craved a new wardrobe were when I was hitting a turning point in my life, so this can only mean one thing: new beginnings!

The Truth About the ‘Second Puberty’

So, is “second puberty” a real thing? Scientifically, no, but socially, yes! Things are kind of awkward; we’re learning more about ourselves, we’re wanting new clothes, we’re noticing changes—c’mon, that’s a little like puberty.

Anyways, it’s happening, and it’s difficult, but with self-love and self-reflection practices, it’s a little easier to get through.

Don’t forget, this time is yours—have fun, play around with your style, get to know yourself, take yourself on dates, meet new people, try new things, and put yourself out there. Do it all! This is truly prime time—our time—so let’s f*cking get it! But also, remember, it’s okay to have both ups and downs because in order to have ups, you gotta have the downs. It’s only up from here!!!

Here’s to always being bad b!tches, practicing self-love, and proving the haters wrong.

xoxo,
kaels
too bad ain’t me<3