Read the Fine Print
One of the things I try to do is accommodate my girls when their request seems reasonable and fair. I don't think I read the fine print of my youngest daughter's request for a birthday treat for her class. She brings this recipe to me, the afternoon before her classroom birthday celebration. I look at it, and it says, "My Grandma's Thunder Cake". I think the word, thunder, should have been a clue of what was to come, but I never listen.
I look through the ingredient list to see if I needed something that wasn't on there. My eyes begin to scan the list:
shortening
sugar
cake flour (great, I only had regular flour)
cocoa
baking soda
salt
eggs
cold water
pureed tomatoes
That doesn't seem so bad. Then my brain catches up with my eyes. Wait a minute! Tomatoes? What the hell? I rescaned the list and got to the same part: pureed tomatoes. That can't possibly be right. I read down further to see what else was going to be odd. It's a two layer cake. I figured I might be able to make cupcakes, but I couldn't get past tomatoes. Here's how the conversation went down:
"E, I can't make this. There's tomatoes in this. Where did you get this recipe?"
"But you promised! It's from a book that we were reading in school. My teacher copied it for me. Please?!"
"Has your teacher had this cake? Has anyone had this cake? I can't make a two layer cake for class. I'll have to make cupcakes." I knew by the look on her face, I should have braced myself for the impending meltdown.
"Yes, she's had this. I want it just how it looks in the picture!"
I look at the picture...
Wow...so appetizing...
"Please, Mommy! I know you can make this." My heart melted, as I knew I was about to give in.
"Do you know what kind of pain in the butt this is going to be for me to make?" I asked, matter-of-factly.
"No, but I can help!" Great. I don't need that kind of help.
"Uh, that's OK, honey. I can do it by myself."
That said it all. I was screwed. I said I'd do it without reading the fine print and I was stuck with that promise. There was not much more I could say. It didn't really matter. The recipe's title should have read "My Daughter's Pain-in-the-Ass Cake" instead.
I dug right in and started making the cake. I wouldn't have been so bad except I had to beat egg whites stiff to fold into the batter which clearly was a lard and sugar mixture. Why don't I just fold foaming hand soap into bacon grease instead? Probably would have gone together easier. I spent more time swearing to myself than actually mixing the batter. When it came to adding the tomato puree, I seriously thought to myself that this would be the worst cake ever! I tasted the batter, but I wasn't convinced it would be that chocolaty once baked.
I knew the only thing that would cover it was my favorite frosting recipe. I'm not a fan of canned frosting. It has this eau du plastique taste to it. I've been making chocolate frosting since age 12 so it's no big deal. I pulled the cake layers out of the oven, and couldn't really tell how it was going to taste.
Then it hits, an aura for a migraine. What was I going to do? Make frosting at 2:00 AM and then have to be up in four hours? Anything for my little girl. It was going to get done. Ear plugs in hand, I fired up the mixer and got to work. I finally was done with the entire cake by 4:00 AM. Left a note for my husband to take her and the cake to school, and then I crashed.
My reward came as I heard her squeals of excitement that afternoon. Everyone loved the cake and even put it in the announcements to say that I was a great cook. The things I do for warm fuzzies. I warn you though, read the fine print. Or not. Depends on how much you want to be the superhero, even if it only lasts five minutes.
My Grandma's Thunder Cake
Cream together, one at a time:
1 cup shortening
1-3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, separated
(Blend yolks in. Beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in)
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes
Sift together:
2-1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dry cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Mix dry mixture into creamy mixture. Bake in two greased and floured 8-1/2 inch round pans (I used 9") at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes (or for 9" pans, 30-35 minutes).
Frost with chocolate butter frosting. Top with strawberries.
Posted by kitterztoo at 4/12/2010 5:08 PM 
Categories: Family
Tags: read the fine print classroom teacher tomatoes daughter birthday recipe supermom
Categories: Family
Tags: read the fine print classroom teacher tomatoes daughter birthday recipe supermom
Really? Tomatoes? I can't even imagine putting tomatoes in a cake ...
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I knew you of all people would be able to tell me why in the world tomatoes would be used in a chocolate cake. I see I'm wrong! LOL! I can't imagine why even the acidity would be needed. The batter tasted very chocolaty so I don't know exactly what the point was. I used canned pureed tomatoes so the consistency reminded me of ketchup.
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What is your buttercream recipe
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1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup Hershey's unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add vanilla. Add more milk and powdered sugar alternately if needed. I have had to add extra sugar based on taste. Adding more milk when it's too stiff.
Makes about 2 cups frosting.
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