I realized today that there is no rule that says just because I decorate cakes, I can't bake one in a 9x13 glass pan and smear some frosting on it. 
So that's what I'm doing today, trying a new carrot cake recipe in a plain old pan, with my yummy cream cheese frosting smeared all over the top. No piping. No borders. No cardboard.
Just old-fashioned yummy goodness!
My sweet husband just laughed and said, "Now that you've figured that out, are you going to start making cake for fun like you used to?"
Yes, dear. 
Good for you! I like to whip out the old bundt pan on occasion, make a little powdered sugar drizzle and shock the heck out of my family.
I also do this at functions I'm invited to. People would always put me down to bring a dessert, assuming I'd make a big fancy pants creation. So every other time or so, I'll bring a bundt cake or one of those plastic tubs of chocolate chip cookies you can get in the market, just to keep them on their toes. When someone else is spending $3.99 for a bag of Doritos and a can of clam dip, there's no reason I should be spending $100 and a week of my time on what I bring, just because I can.
Lol! Just last night I was asked to bring cake for my good friends' potluck BBQ. I said, "Sure, but is going to be in a 9x13 casserole!" Everyone had a surprised look on their face, so I said, "What? It's still going to taste phenomenal!" They agreed and had a good laugh.
I love my 9x13 pan and that is because it was all I used to make cakes in! That old familiar pan brings me comfort. Though recently I have ventured away from it, it does not mean that pan will be neglected. It is surprising to hear how many people are expected to bring a decorated cake to everyday social events. I think it is because they are so impressed with what you do, and wish that they could too. Most people just do not know how much time and money goes into them. I am just a beginner and know they take money and time (despite the fact that I am slow). Besides, simple is sometimes just what is need
I had this situation this past weekend! A bunch of people at my sister's house on Easter texted me nonstop asking for me to bring cupcakes...so I showed up with some leftovers that I had made the night before for my boyfriend who had a last minute craving...lemon with cherry frosting.
I was like, "Here ya go, but they're from box mix and a tub of Betty Crocker frosting." 
Haha! I've done that too. 
I used to make a cake just because I felt like it, and then I stopped because it wasn't fun anymore, feeling like I had to make it look really nice just for my little family. I need to find the joy in it again, reduce my stress a little. How a cake looks is important, but how it tastes is even more so.
Good for you!!
How did your new carrot cake recipe taste?
I have done this as well. Sometimes I want a fast bake in 30 minutes and ice with my mom's old fasioned peanut butter chocolate frosting that you put on when it is hot so it is all Oooy and gooey...LOVE it. I have also gotten into doing texas sheet cakes because they are soooo FAST...I am OVER doing the fancy cakes all the time. I hope your carrot came out great.
When I do experiments with new recipes, I put the uniced cake on the counter, wrapped in cellophane. Beside it will be a plastic container of French buttercream with a knife sticking in it. Family members come by, slice off a chunk of cake and slather on as much FBC as they want. This is our favorite way to eat cake.
How funny! I like the looks I get from my family when I put a cake in a pan in front of them and its... a cake in a pan! Now they know that I get tired too and just want to relax and not stress out about corners, colors, or tiers.
my favorite is making a trifle: baking my cake - dicing it up, layering it in a bowl with instant pudding, and cool whip. and letting them go at it!
Oh my goodness! It was heavenly! I found one that uses butter, not oil. Sunk a little in the middle, but I didn't care! (Man, it feels good to not care what the darn thing looks like...) Used my favorite cream cheese frosting, and it was the best thing I've eaten in a long time.
And I don't even like carrot cake usually!
Happy to hear your carrot cake turned out yummy, m_willford That's a great thing, and not having to worry about any detailing.
Sunset74 the Peanut butter-chocolate frosting sounds yummy!
One of my family's favorite cakes is the plain old Jello poke-n-pour cake topped with Cool Whip
When you don't want to make a whole cake I've finally figured out how to quarter WASC which is normally a double box mix recipe. This way I only make 12 cupcakes...I can experiment with new flavors and not have 24 cupcakes around the house I love it. I just use my kitchen scale to 1/2 the box mix and go from there. I think it would be even easier with a scratch cake, as long as the eggs work out for you
I started getting irritated when everytime there was a pot luck, my name was always but down for dessert and people expected a big cake or cute cupcakes while everyone else was bringing whatever they picked up. so what did i do, start buying already made cookies from the grocery store! i think they got the hint, because they started mixing my name in with everyone elses in the rotation lol
When people discover that you do something they like, they forget that you can do other things too. I was put down to make chili for every potluck w/o being asked, and they always told me it was because it was soooooo good. So I brought BBQ beef the next time, and left a stack of chili recipe cards next to it LOL They got the hint, appreciated the recipe, and then waited to see what I was going to bring to the next one. However, cakes are far more time consuming and costly by comparison!! Again, they simply don't know how much time is involved in creating cakes
My adult son's birthday was on Easter this year, I made him a two layer yellow cake and filled with homemade strawberry filling and the icing was cream cheese beaten with one cup of granulated sugar and vanilla..this was mixed with stabilized heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks, nothing fancy...just a delicious dessert cake that wasn't weighed down with sugar drenched icing.
Every few months my dh gets all gloomy and asks when I'm going to make him a red velvet cake. From a box. With canned cream cheese icing. No tricks, no extenders, and no tweaking.
I totally forget how those simple things make him happy but the smile he gets when I pull that stinkin' 9x13 pan of cheap cake out of the oven just makes my heart sing.
Today we had a catered luncheon at work and I ran across the street and picked up 2 assorted cheesecake trays from Albertson's. You would've thought I brought in rat poison. Everyone was SHOCKED. Yes, the cheesecake did taste awful, but i want them to appreciate when I bring in dessert...not expect it.
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