Oink Oink

While I have long known that I really liked our kids' school, today just clarified for me why. When I arrived to pick them up, there was a folded sheet of paper with a note attached in Bud's cubby.  I recognized the format immediately:  a recipe.  Oooh, exciting.  The note from the teacher said that while she had been reading A Cake All for Me by Karen Magnuson Beil with Bud, he had said that he wanted to make the cake.  Seizing the teachable moment, she photocopied the recipe and left it for me, remembering our family penchant for baking.  It would have been so easy just to say "yeah, I bet it's good cake" and leave it at that, but because of her dedication as a teacher, including her relationship with and knowledge of Bud, she took those extra steps.  

I read the recipe--noting 3 sticks of butter!  4 eggs!  2 cups of sugar!--and knew I had all the ingredients.  So right away I promised Bud that we could make the cake.  He was so excited about his idea and helped with everything.  Sis did too, crediting him with the success of it.  And success it was. And not just because it's good cake.  They were very proud to share it with a little friend and his mom, whom we invited over expressly to try the cake.  It's good cake, with the surprising but unidentifiable crunch of the apple mixed with vanilla, orange, and chocolate in a dense cake.  It would be even better with frosting but my kids (my kids??  my kids??) didn't want any.

We'll be taking the teacher some on Thursday, with extra pieces for the other also wonderful teachers.  

Thanks for everything, and not just the recipe, Mrs. Teacher!

-=-=-=-=-

Piggy's Polka-Dot Cake

nonstick coking spray or margarine

3 cups flour plus 3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 apple

4 eggs

1 Tbsp. grated orange rind

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cups margarine (3 sticks)

1 cup chocolate chips

[Note:  Directions are paraphrased from the book.]

Heat the oven to 350F.  Grease a 9x13 cake pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle flour inside the pan.

Sift and mix together flour, baking powder and salt.

Combine milk and vanilla in separate bowl.

Peel and core one apple and chop into tiny pieces.  Set aside, along with chocolate chips and grated orange peel.

Beat margarine and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy.

Add eggs beat well.

Add flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with flour.  Beat well.

Stir in chocolate chips, chopped apple and grated orange peel.

 Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  

Put on wire rack to cool. 

When completely cool, frost with chocolate icing.

 

 from A Cake All for Me by Karen Magnuson Beil (sans recipe for chocolate frosting, which my kids didn't want)