Tasty Tuesday

"After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations."  Oscar Wilde

I know, I was was MIA yesterday, but I hope you continued reading the book of 1 John, we're now on chapter 5.
Did you ever have one of those days where things didn't go quite as planned?  No major upheavals, but just out of routine, with a few glitches thrown in for good measure.  Thankfully, other important stuff and some quality mothering was accomplished, so I can't complain.

Today is Tasty Tuesday!  In honor of Mother's Day (that's this Sunday!) I thought I'd take a brief look at food & mom.  I found Oscar Wilde's quote humorous in the light of the upcoming holiday.  Because no matter how crazy our moms can make us, or we moms can make our kids, when it comes to food, nobody can cook quite like mom (or grandma)!  Whether it's meatloaf, cookies, or the way she makes the perfect PB&J, there's something about how mom does it that makes it special.  And when we're sulking in our rooms, mad as a hornet at that woman who said we can't go to the 10 o'clock movie on a Tuesday night, when the smells of dinner waft up the stairs, we just can't help not being mad at her.

My mom's a pretty good cook - she learned from her grandmother, who never used a recipe!  She also likes to watch cooking shows and isn't afraid to experiment.  She was brought up in a family that healed all ills, soothed all heartaches, and celebrated all happy occasions with food!  Other families plan what they are going to DO on vacation, we planned what we were going to cook and at which restaurants we were going to eat!  Nothing brings a family together like sharing a delicious meal and indulging in a decadent dessert.

One of my mom's more famous and most often requested treats is Wacky Cake with Peanut Butter Icing.  It's made for any and all celebrations!  The cake can be made ahead of time and frozen and the icing can be kept in the refrigerator during warm months (this is actually recommended, otherwise it "melts" off the cake).  I remember one year she made it for some one's birthday and the cake sank in the middle (the baking soda must have been old).  Faced with a sunken cake, but needing the top to be level, she made extra icing and filled in the hole with it!  You can imagine what those pieces looked like when they were served - half cake & half icing!  My sister and I thought those were the best pieces.  This cake is also good with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top instead of the icing, for those with nut allergies or those trying to keep the calorie count on the low side!  But honestly, the peanut butter icing is delicious, and I don't really like peanut butter.  Last year my daughter & I were at a wedding reception (she was video taping and I was her support staff), when the desserts came around we were offered "peanut butter mousse" in very fancy mini champagne flutes.  Turns out, the peanut butter mousse tasted exactly like my mom's peanut butter icing!!  So, yes, you can just eat it with a spoon if you don't want to put it on the cake!

Here's the recipe:  Wacky Cake with Peanut Butter Icing
Makes a 9x13 pan or 2 round cake pans

Cake Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 T cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 T vinegar
12 T vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups tepid water

Mix the dry ingredients in the cake pan (if making 2 rounds/squares mix it in a large bowl).  Make 3 holes - 1 for oil, 1 for vinegar, 1 for vanilla.  Add liquid ingredients as indicated into these holes.  Pour tepid water over all and mix.  If you've mixed this in a bowl, spray the pans before adding the batter.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Check often, center should not wiggle.  Cool completely.

Icing Ingredients
2 sticks of butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups peanut butter, smooth
2 boxes powdered sugar

Mix first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  After they are well blended add the powdered sugar until you get the correct thickness.  One box should be enough.  The "correct" thickness is up to you :)  I've had it thick and peanut buttery, I've had it light a fluffy (aka mousse).  Every time you make it, it might be a little different.

I hope you enjoy my mom's Wacky Cake.  I can't wait to try your favorite mom-recipe!  Don't forget, click here to post your recipe in the comment section on the blog.


Your Partner in Ministry,

Shelly
warrior

"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."  Proverbs 16:24