Oh! How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning!








......
It is now officially Daylight Savings Time again. BOO! HISS! I hate Daylight Savings Time! It's true. I really hate it. DST totally screws with my circadian rhythm. I'm a nocturnal creature by nature. I also have a mild form of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS), which causes a "much later than normal timing of sleep onset and offset and a period of peak alertness in the middle of the night". This is why you may find comments from me on your blogs made at three or four in the morning. I'm usually wide awake!
...
Since the World does not set its clock by my sleep patterns, I have had to try to adjust to the World's. This means starting my day at 6:00 a.m. to get my daughter up and ready for school by 7:15. That's the middle of the night for me! Losing that precious one hour of sleep in the morning sets me up for several months of blurry, bleary-eyed, feeling like total crap days, until the time changes back again.
...

I think that one of the worst things about setting our clocks ahead one hour, is that most of us will now have to wake up to total darkness in the morning. Waking up to glints of sunlight streaming through your bedroom window is bearable, but greeting the day while the moon is still out is. just. wrong! UGH!!! When faced with the inevitability of what was to come on Monday morning, I decided to make a few things to bring a little "sunshine" into what was sure to be a dark and dismal experience!
...
I hit pay dirt at the market the other day, citrusly speaking, that is. I not only found lots of lovely orange clementines, but I also found the most beautiful Meyer lemons, as well. This especially excited me, because I have never seen Meyer lemons there before. For weeks now, I have enviously read post after post by various bloggers, waxing poetic about both of these juicy, fruity little gems. I bought a dozen of each and, on the drive home, imagined all the delicious things I would make with them.

I decided to start with a couple of recipes that I had recently seen on two of my "must read" blogs. Lori at The Recipe Girl, made a gorgeous Meyer Lemon Loaf a few weeks ago. I remember thinking when I first read her post, that I wished I had access to those beautiful lemons. Well, my wish came true! I had Meyer lemons and so, I made that lemon loaf. Instead of making it in a loaf pan, I used a pretty sunflower cake pan that I had. You can find Lori's recipe for it here.
...
...
Now, for the clementines. I knew just where to go for this one. Michelle from Thursday Night Smackdown had recently made Nigella's Clementine Cake and it looked and sounded just wonderful. I had been dying to try it ever since I read her post, and I made it on Friday night. You can find Michelle's recipe here.

...

...

Of course, I couldn't wait for Monday to taste the cakes. Mr. SGCC and I have been enjoying them with our morning coffee these past few days. Both of them are excellent, as I knew they would be. Don't worry, though. I have some of each stashed away ready to help me combat those Monday Morning Blues. Thanks, Lori and Michelle!
...
Oh, and by the way, the video clip at the beginning of this post is a 1932 animated short of Irving Berlin's "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" by the legendary Max Fleischer. Fleischer was a pioneer in theatrical animation and was the creative genius behind the Betty Boop and Popeye cartoons. As a matter of fact, Betty makes an appearance in this one. It is brilliant!

If you'd like to add a little more sunshine to your life, check out these great recipes:
Enjoy!

Comments

RecipeGirl said…
Oh, I'm so glad you were able to find the Meyer lemons. Aren't they just amazing?? I need to think up something else to do with them soon. I'm glad you enjoyed the cake- it looks beautiful in your sunflower cake pan!

Now, that clementine cake... I'm gonna have to try that one. It looks droolworthy, and I'll bet it's great for breakfast!

I enjoyed the song :) I'm one of those freaky people that go to bed at almost midnight and wake up at 5 am ready to start the day!
That cake pan makes such a pretty cake!!!

I am with you on the DST. I seem to spend all of the time trying to catch up. I am late for everything and just running to get that hour that I lost somehow!!
Your cake is so beautiful! I wish I had a pan that cool.
The only thing I do like about DST is we have more longer, more glorious days. If i had have had a piece of this cake this morning I would have been able to get over loosing an hour:D
Patsyk said…
I love your cook sunflower pan! I'd love to have one of those!

I hate DST as well, takes me forever to get used to waking up in the dark. But, like someone else mentioned, I do enjoy the longer days.
Susan @ SGCC said…
Recipegirl- I've been loving those lemons. I went back to get more, but they were gone. :(

I wish I could go to bed at midnight. I'm just getting revved up then.

Judy- Ain't it the truth! I can't believe that the schools are having FCAT this week too. Those poor kids!

Jessy- Thank you! I got the pan at Williams-Sonoma. It is by Nordic Ware, so I'm sure it's available online too.

Valli- I must admit, I do like the longer days too. I get to go for a bike ride after dinner.

PatsyK- The pan is from Nordic Ware. I'm sure you could find it online. Mine is from Williams-Sonoma.
Alejandra Ramos said…
I'm the same way! (Reason why I'm still awake at this hour...I'm completely nocturnal). Now this cake though...this cake is enough to get me out of bed at any hour!
I love the cake and sounds great but I love the drawing the most! It so reflects how I see myself right now! I too hate daylight savings time... not so much for me but for my son... it really messes him up. I have a lemon post waiting too... I should get to it. That cake looks so delicious with the glaze...
cookworm said…
I am *so* with you on the hate for DST. Today I'm a total zombie. But, your cake looks delicious and that mold is really cute! Citrus is always so cheering.
Thistlemoon said…
THAT IS AWESOME! :)
Such a beautiful cake!
I love the cake mold - perfect for a bright meyer lemon cake!
WE are all night owls in our house....even our kids.

Your lemons made me think of the basil lemonade from giada de laurentis. Have you tried this??? It is very good!

You even make cake w/fruit look good. Any dessert with a fruit in it is NOT a dessert though. I consider it a serving of fruit. You definately got your 5-9 a day from these 2.
Anonymous said…
Tell me about it! I changes every clock in the house except my alarm clock :( Thank God! My daughter was up.

All these cake look amazing! Thank you for sharing!
CookiePie said…
Both of the cakes are gorgeous!! The photo of the clementine cake... the detail... I'm hungry!
test it comm said…
That looks amazing! I like the mold. Getting up at 6am is rather annoying but if you are waking up to that cake in the morning it would be so worth it. :)
Heather said…
Gorgeous, gorgeous photos, Susan. Just beautiful! I bet that tastes pretty fantastic, too.

And I am a big fan of the old Popeye cartoons, especially the way he mutters to himself all insane-like. :)
Emily said…
I hate getting up in the morning, too! That's why I like to sleep until noon. I comment late at night, also.

Both of the cakes look just perfect! You are so talented.
Did you see Food & Wine magazine did their cover this month on pan seared meyer lemon gnocchi??? If you don't have it, let me know if you want it. I will email you the recipe.
Peter M said…
I love cakes that drip of gooey goodness!
Susan @ SGCC said…
Alejandra- Welcome! I'm finding out that a lot of us are in the same boat. Glad you like the cake!

Aran- Thanks! I think it is especially hard on the kids. My daughter had to leave for school at 7:15. In DST, that's 6:15!!! Ugh!!!

I loved your lemon curd! :)

Cookworm- Glad you like the cake! We should all band together and form an "End DST" lobby and storm Washington! ;)

Jenn- Thank you! That's so nice! I'm glad you like it.

Obsessive- Thanks! I like the way you think! I'll have to remember to tell my hips that! ;)

Chuck- You're very welcome! Lol! I forgot to set my own alarm clock too. My daughter was up at 5:45 doing her hair and she woke me up. What can I say? She's a teenager!

Cookiepie- Thank you! I thought it was a pretty cake too.

Kevin- Glad you like them. I like you're attitude about getting up early.

The pan is from Williams-Sonoma.

Heather- Thank you so much! You make me blush!

I'm a big Betty Boop fan. I have a room full of Boopobilia!

Emiline- Thanks! You're pretty talented, yourself. :)

Obsessive- Thanks for the offer. I subscribe to F&W, but I haven't had time to look at the last 2 issues yet. I'll have to check it out. Lemon gnocchi sounds perfect.
kellypea said…
You are sooooo right about it being dark this morning. UGH. But it wasn't my driving day with kid carpool, so I didn't have to get up as early as you did. That cake is looking completely gorgeous and has my tastebuds acting up...YUM. Especially with that glorious icing oozing down the side.

And what a cool idea to put some loving links with more recipes. So Cool. And thanks!
KPB said…
Oh YUM. Any cake that is citrus based gets a big tick in my book. Delicious.
Pixie said…
I say that cake is popping right at me waiting for me to eat!
Susan, I'd wake up even 2 hours earlier for this cake! :)
Susan @ SGCC said…
Kellypea- Thank you! I'm glad you like the link love. I get so much inspiration from the rest of you great bloggers. It only seems fair to share!

Kim- Glad you like them. I really go for citrus too.

Pixie- I tried to shove some through the broadband cable for you, but...it got all mushed! ;)

Patricia- Wow! I wouldn't even do that! ;)
Tempered Woman said…
I love love LOVE the idea of putting the lemon cake in the sunflower pan. It seems so fitting~ I just got back from Trader Joe's and the meyer lemons have left the building. Thanks for the great post!
Brilynn said…
That cake looks beautiful! I still haven't searched around for some meyer lemons but I really should.

And I hear ya on daylight savings time messing things up.
Cakelaw said…
This cake looks beautiful Susan - love your sunflower bundt pan.
Cakespy said…
Oh I like the longer days. I don't like forgetting to adjust one clock--just one, but the one that mattered--and being an hour late for a meeting. Bad Jessie! :-) I think...oh yes, I think this cake might make me feel better though. I echo some of the sentiments above--what a perfect pan for it too!
Oh wow, you should've put some kind of warning on the top of this post...I was a little hungry when I started, now I'm famished and jealous ;)
I so totally agree with the DST. I hate it, too.
Helene said…
I am a night owl, rarely in bed before 2-3am and I crash on sunday mornings but with cakes like these I'd be up and running in no time!!
Cindy said…
Oh my gosh. I'm visiting by way of Jen at use real butter (I always do). What a great site! And I'm always looking for things to do with my Meyer lemons during this time of year when my tree is just popping.

Now that I'm a mom and am all about getting my kid to bed at a reasonable time, I am not all about longer days. And the dark mornings? No help either.
Anonymous said…
Wow, it's bright in here with all the citrus sunshine! We need out sunglasses!
Everything is just delicious, as always and we need two slices of your gorgeous clementine cake!
We're in high citrus spirits too and are making a chocolate mandarin whiskey pie on 3.14 Pie Friday!
Meyer lemons definitely take lemons to a new place. Those cakes both look very tempting right now as I ponder how much longer until I can go home and eat dinner...

And boo daylight savings from my corner as well. I've been late to work three days in a row. Apparently I don't handle change well, lol :o
Peabody said…
Ugh...boo, hiss is right. Getting up early was a bit much for me. The Clementine Cake looks like my kind of sunshine.
Susan @ SGCC said…
Tempered Woman- Thanks! I finally found something that looks like it belongs in that pan!

Brilynn- Thank you! I'm so excited to have the lemons. I keep buying more and more!

Cakelaw- Thanks! Glad you like it.

Cakespy- Lol! I forgot to change my alarm clock too. My daughter woke me up.

Bleeding- Lol! Grab a fork and come on over!

Italian Dish- DST sucks! I'm still out of it!

Tartelette- I hear ya. I play catch up on the weekends too.

Cindy- Thank you so much! Welcome! Jen is the best!

Those dark mornings are for the birds! :(

WoR Couple- You guys are so cute! Lol! I'm glad you like the cakes.
I've got to come check out your pie. ;)

Mike- That's for sure! I never realized what I was missing.

Peabody- I'm glad you like the cake. Hopefully, we'll adjust to the time change eventually. I've been dragging my butt all week!

Popular Posts