To think that bringing cakes into work is a bit try hard

[Cateyes113]

Fair enough if it's for an special event or something. It's a nice gesture, but I think bringing in cakes for everyone 'just because' is people trying to be liked and win people over. Maybe I'm just miserable.

I hate baking and admire anyone who can do it. I think it's a nice gesture (and I would politely decline, as I don't eat cake).

Yep, you are being a joyless fun sponge

How can you even think this way? It’s so wrong.

My colleague often brings in cake because she likes baking but lives on her own and doesn't want to become massively overweight.

If you don't want the cake then don't eat it. IME people do not change their opinions about people just because they bring in edible consumables.

I really hope none of the people who bring in cakes in our place read this thread and stop bringing them in. I will not be happy with you if they do.

YABU and joyless. I think you probably need to try and understand why you feel so irritated about colleagues just being nice.

Pre pandemic I used to take a cake in for all sorts of reasons. I wasn’t trying to win anybody over, they just enjoyed my cakes and I enjoy baking.

Weird take on people taking things into the office for colleagues to enjoy

It's a nice thing to do for a team, it boosts morale. In my old office, people used to bring in various things - samosas, cake, biscuits and they always went down well.

You would hate our building so. There are many business working out of our unit but people regularly bring in Cakes/Scones etc and leave in the shared kitchen. Half the time no one knows who brought them. Likewise people often bring in things that they buy two for the price of one if they are not going to use the second one.

YABVU.

What's wrong with wanting people to like you, btw?

I wfh but when I used to work in an office I used to bring in cakes because I fancied one and would feel awkward if I was the only one with a cake!

I think it is fine to do it occasionally, especially some home baking. Don't assume everyone is an arsehole crawler, op. I'm not, nobody who knows me would ever think that, but I did it sometimes.

Some people really will see the negative in anything!

What's wrong with trying to be liked?

I'm happy as long as I get cake.

Also, I live alone. If I feel like making brownies I'm not able to do just one square and my waistline won't appreciate eating the whole tray. And yes, I'd eat it in 2 days. So why not bring the rest to work.

I once worked with a woman whose hobby was making wedding and birthday cakes and gateaux. She would often try out new recipes and ideas and bring the results in for us to try.

Result!

I bake and I can’t possibly eat it all myself. I also love feeding people and having people enjoy things I have done / made. I am not trying to impress anybody, but I like to make people happy.

Nobody wants to eat cakes alone, bring others one and feel like less of a fat fucker 🤣

I love baking but my partner is diabetic with no self control. So he can have one cake and I can have a few in work whilst sharing them out.

My friend loves baking. She doesn't have many people to bake for so will bake to take into work if the mood strikes.

I'd find anyone who thinks it's try hard a little weird.

One of the best inductions to a new role ever was being told I'd been chosen to judge the cake competition.
Great way of meeting people around the building - slight disadvantage was the ones totally hacked off about not winning.
And even I felt slightly sick after sampling about 40 different cakes in a morning.

But generally, if people are making cake (or even buying it) there is absolutely no way they can try too hard.

We tend to pickup chouquettes from the bakery on the way in from time to time "just because". It's always the same 5/6 people out of a team (me included) of 30+ who pick up though - for me it's not a wanting to be liked though - If I pick something up at the boulangerie it normally just means that

1. I'm in a good mood
2. I have time to pop in to the bakery
3. There is no queue at the bakery when I walk past

We also have another variant called "chocoblast" www.chocoblast.fr/reglement/
that comes with its own set of rules - basically, if you forget to lock your computer and someone manages to either change your screen saver to a picture of pain au chocolat or croissants ( or crepes if the person is from Brittany) or send an email from your account - you have two weeks to bring in pain au chocolat/croissant for everyone. But again, this one is not about being liked - it's a fun reminder to lock your computer... and when it happens to lower paid interns we usually give them a company card to pick them up with so it's not a financial burden ...

@BringBackCoffeeCreams

What's wrong with trying to be liked?

It's probably jealousy. The poster isn't liked so decides the only reason someone else is is because they bring cake.

YABU.
Especially if you eat the cakes but never bring in any yourself.

And if you don’t eat them to make a point then you’re even more miserable!

At least you acknowledge you’re miserable, I admire that.