C is for Caring, Compassion, & Chocolate Cake Part 1

I made a couple of cakes last week which I normally don’t do for a couple of reasons.  First, Wes’s Carrot Cake  reigns supreme in our house.  Every birthday, except for yours truly, is celebrated with cake fit for a rabbit.  (For those few wondering, my birthday cake request is almost always Blum’s (long gone) Coffee Crunch Cake).  In fact, our daughter requested Daddy’s Carrot Cake for her wedding.  Yep, I stay away from baking cakes.

The Rule of Simple

When I do make cakes, it’s usually single layer, simple cakes, like snacking cakes.  Nothing fancy, just delicious.

This past week, I baked a couple of cakes after the assassination of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman, her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert.  Their children’s statement embodies grace, compassion, and kindness and inspired me to pull out my cake pans.

If you would like to honor the memory of Mark and Melissa, please consider the following:

• Plant a tree.
• Visit a local park and make use of its amenities, especially a bike trail.
• Pet a dog. A golden retriever is ideal, but any will do.
• Tell your loved ones a cheesy dad joke and laugh about it. 
• Bake something — bread for Mark or a cake for Melissa, and share it with someone.
• Try a new hobby and enjoy learning something.
• Stand up for what you believe in, especially if that thing is justice and peace.

“Hope and resilience are the enemy of fear. Our parents lived their lives with immense dedication to their fellow humans. This tragedy must become a moment for us to come together. Hold your loved ones a little closer. Love your neighbors. Treat each other with kindness and respect. The best way to honor our parents’ memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else

Smittened by Cake

P&K Farms fresh strawberries from the Farmers Market turned into Smitten Kitchen’s Strawberry Cake.  The cake is moist, buttery, and topped with loads of the incredibly sweet, juicy berries. It’s delicious, perfect for sharing with fellow resistors commiserating over the attack on our democracy.

I look at America, and I see a country that has lost its way and fallen victim to a charlatan and his cronies. Where cruelty is sport, corruption runs rampant, and cowardice afflicts its leaders.  It’s up to the ordinary to do the extraordinary.  It’s up to us.

One Cake Was Not Enough

I baked another cake on the day of their memorial. Watching the procession of people paying their respects was the only consolation.  The outpouring of love and respect for the Hortman family reflected who they were.  They’ll be sorely missed.

The cake I baked was Zoe’s Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake  Why? Zoe lives in Minneapolis-St. Paul, writes cookbooks and has a show that highlights the food and community of Minnesota.  She exudes warmth, generosity of spirit, caring, and her Devil’s Food Cake is luscious, chocolatey, nostalgic, and comforting.

It’s made with Dutch-process cocoa powder (I use King Arthur Triple Cocoa), oil, brewed coffee. buttermilk and eggs.  The batter is loose, very pourable, and does not rise a-lot. Fill pans no more than 3/4 full, and use any remaining batter for cupcakes.

While the cake cools, make Odette William’s Vietnamese Whipped Cream Topping.  Combine heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and strong coffee and whip for a simple, delicious topping.  Frost only the top of the cake or smooth a thin layer of the whipped cream on the sides of the cake.  Top with a generous layer of the cream and a dusting of cocoa powder; it’s a stunner.

The next time you are feeling down and out, find yourself railing about our current government, stop, and make this cake.  Call family and friends to come over for a slice of damn good chocolate cake, conversation, and camaraderie.  We’ll all need that extra energy to fight back against the craziness and cruelty.