Book Club and Caramel Cake

I was invited to join a book club and tonight was my first meeting. It was really fun! It is a very diverse group of women. There is a Dr, a teacher, SAHM's, homeschooling moms and who knows what else! This months book was Hallelujah! The Welcome Table by Maya Angelou (Author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings). It is a collection of recipes with short stories to go with each recipe. We each chose one recipe to make and share at the meeting and then we discussed the book along with all sorts of other random topics usually centered around motherhood. Tonight was very enjoyable and gave me a feeling of acceptance and belonging. I really feel like I am fitting in with this community. Maybe it is because I think we will be here for awhile so I don't feel like my relationships have to be temporary. Not that any of my other friendships from other states don't count! It is just not the same when you don't live in the same city. Like not being able to hold a new baby, take dinner to a friend with a broken leg or get a massage from a friend. But I do love having friends all over the country! In the past I knew a move to someplace new was always in the future and so I guarded my feelings to protect myself. Now I feel like I can completely commit myself!

Because of the book club, I did something today that I have never done before! I made a cake COMPLETELY from scratch. It was called Caramel Cake and was delicious. It was more work than I have ever done for a cake but I found out that it was not impossible! Jaco said it was the best cake ever. He said it is great because of the frosting in the middle holding the layers together. He told me that every kid loves the frosting and usually eats it first and then just the cake isn't as good. So with frosting on the top, sides AND in the middle it is every kids dream come true. LOL The nice thing about it is, it doesn't require anything weird. The only thing I didn't have on hand was heavy cream but I think you could get away with using milk. So here are the instructions.

This picture really does not do the cake justice. It really was very yummy!

Caramel Cake

8 Tb butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 C Caramel Syrup (see following recipe)
2 C sifted flour
2 tsp baking pwdr
½ tsp salt~
1 C milk
2 large eggs
Preheat oven 375. Line two 8" pans with greased wax paper. Beat butter, and slowly add 1 cup of sugar. Beat until fluffy. Beat in syrup. Sift flour, baking pwdr, and salt then add to creamed mixture alternating with milk. In separate bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Then add remaining sugar and beat until there is a fine spongy foam. Add to cake batter and mix. Divide between 2 pans and bake for 25 minutes. To test, gently press cake with finger and if it bounces back cake is done. If not, bake for 5-10 more minutes. Let cool for ten minutes then put on cooling rack and remove paper. Frost when cake is at room temperature. Frost between layers and cover entire cake. Cool in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Caramel Syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup boiling water
Heat sugar in pan over low heat. Stir constantly (about 20 minutes +)until melted to a brown liquid. Remove from heat when entire surface is bubbly. Slowly add boiling water stirring constantly then pour into container to cool.


Caramel Frosting
6 Tb butter
8 oz pwd sugar
4 Tb heavy cream
1 ½ tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
Brown butter in sauce pan and allow to cool. Add sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth.