I've never used molasses before, and expected it to be thicker and slower. "Slow as molasses," is something people say, so I didn't expect it to pour so gracefully from the bottle. It's very dark and silky. When it poured onto the mountains of flour it made little rivers and lakes, rolling thickly in the white powder like mercury.
While I write with a French bulldog on my lap, it bakes for 55-60 minutes at 350, and once it's cooled I'll frost with "4-minute" frosting (sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, vanilla extract and salt).
Cakes this easy are a quick way to boost your self esteem. "Look what I can do!"
Tomorrow will be the anniversary of my grandma Ginny's birthday, and we're always thinking about her around this time. She had such a sweet tooth--she loved soda, bourbon balls, and sin brownies, among other things. I found an email exchange between my mom and me about her sin brownies from when I was studying abroad in England. I wanted to make them for a potluck, so she sent me the recipe and we talked about GG. My mom wrote: "She loved chocolate and sweets, and made these often. They were always a big hit. She liked to pass the leftover caramels around to us while the brownies were in the oven. She was really indulgent when it came to sweets. Luckily we weren't all big as balloons because of it!"
The family is remarkably fit.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find caramels or German chocolate cake mix (and didn't think to make that from scratch) in Sainsbury's, so I went with a savory family classic: spinach casserole.
The cake is out of the oven, and it expanded quite a bit!
Now I'm off to visit with friends for the day, and will frost and enjoy this spicy cake tonight, or maybe tomorrow. I'm excited!
Michael,
ReplyDeleteHow nice to read about my mother today. I've been thinking about her, too, not just because her birthday is tomorrow. I subbed for Kindergarten this week and now I know she's a saint!
Robin
Beautiful post, M!
ReplyDeleteA little poetry from GG to commemorate what would've been her 99th birthday tomorrow:
I do not pray in your behalf my Darling,
For you are fine.
The angels dance around you in their silly robes
and make you laugh.
(You always did like angels).
By now you've found our loved ones
and greeted them with hugs,
Perhaps they asked,
“How was it on that fateful afternoon?”
And did you say,
“Oh, it was very hard,
But one thing for sure--
She knew I'd never choose to leave her,
She'll be okay,
She's tough.”
Oh no, I do not pray for you.
I pray for me.
That strength you see in me will be for real;
That I may wisely use my space on earth;
That joy will someday conquer over grief;
And tears I shed will only be for others.
It's so good to read these thoughts on Grandma Ginny!
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