tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post213966933456885834..comments2024-03-28T06:20:48.661-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Piece (or Two) Of Cake!Jungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-20888672662633781482016-08-04T00:27:08.073-04:002016-08-04T00:27:08.073-04:00They only offered me pretzels or cookies on the pl...They only offered me pretzels or cookies on the plane (bummer), but I'm sure you can guess which one I picked :). Glad you kept the conversation going while I was out of pocket. Best of all, delighted to see Hank back online and obviously feeling well enough to debate pie or cake. It is a difficult choice, but based on the posts above, make mine cake. Each one makes me want the recipe or at least someone to make it for me .... I'm honest enough to admit I'm a cook of convenience, but I also conveniently can be available to be a taster. <br /><br />Mia, Mexican tres leches cake sounds decadent in its own right, so I can't imagine how much more decadent your chocolate peanut butter cake is. Diana,let's share a piece of cake sometime --I'll take the cake, you take the icing..a perfect match. Denise Ann, what a rotten learning experience. Every cook of convenience would have been in your corner with the boxed mix! Marianne, you have me curious whether I know the attorney in question, so I'll concentrate on the carrot cake. Ironically, I never tried it until I was an adult -- and I love it. Leslie, thank you for the congrats and for the many words you link together in your books - they may not describe cake, but they are delicious. Karen, appreciate the comments you've added to the conversation today. I love when a blog generates comments and the comments become a discussion. That's the beauty of the interaction words can create. Triss, how did you get that daughter?? (but I can't lie, I like ice cream and pizza, too) From your tongue in cheek comment, I gather she has other wonderful qualities that make up for her unenthusiastic reaction to cake? Grace, what a great analogy between the plotters and panthers. I wish I had thought of it when I wrote the blog :) . Elisabeth, Wacky Cake may have had limited ingredients, but it sounds like a lot of love and family caring went into it.<br /><br />Everyone, thank you for dropping by today. Loved reading about your cake preferences. As I've already written, I'm traveling For those who want to see what the "And there will be cake looked like," I just posted it on my author facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/ .<br />Debra H. Goldsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06616156832441083902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-41697074555045219632016-08-03T22:29:11.233-04:002016-08-03T22:29:11.233-04:00Hank, glad to hear your surgery went well!
My abs...Hank, glad to hear your surgery went well!<br /><br />My absolute favorite cake (which for some reason I've never tried to bake) is the Mexican tres leches cake. Literally translated to "three milks," it consists of sponge cake soaked in condensed milk, evaporated milk, and either whole milk or cream. Usually topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream and cinnamon. I also love carrot cake and lemon cake, but never bother to make them either. Weird.<br /><br />My favorite cakes that I actually do make are the chocolate peanut butter cake from Smitten Kitchen (so ridiculously rich and decadent!) and Thai iced tea cake with condensed milk frosting (condensed milk is the nectar of the gods).Mia P. Manansalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16381072748100511241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-72170823913202540412016-08-03T22:19:35.026-04:002016-08-03T22:19:35.026-04:00Denise Ann, that's hilarious!
And thank you s...Denise Ann, that's hilarious!<br /><br />And thank you so much, everyone…you make me feel so much better! Tomorrow I'll be back on track a bit more.<br /><br />xoxoo<br /><br />And oh, the winner of Rhys's book is BEV FONTAINE! Email me at hryan at whdh.com and I'll put you in touch with Rhys--or email her directly!<br /><br />ANd thank you, dear Debra! What a great day….and we all love cake. (Leslie, can we be on both teams? That is SUCH a difficult choice!)Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-34575090466689099882016-08-03T20:43:44.187-04:002016-08-03T20:43:44.187-04:00The best cake I ever had was a chocolate cake bake...The best cake I ever had was a chocolate cake baked by my cousin, who is a member of a bluegrass band. I think she used cocoa powder or mocha in the mix.<br /><br />It's very sweet and I love sweets. I love cake. When I was a kid, I loved the frosting more than the cake ;-)<br /><br />Reading your post about cake made me think of one of my favorite characters, Stephanie Plum. She loves cake. Her creator is Janet Evanovich. <br /><br />DianaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-65095172274803763832016-08-03T19:55:43.855-04:002016-08-03T19:55:43.855-04:00Hank, good luck! Yikes.
I love cake. My daught...Hank, good luck! Yikes. <br /><br />I love cake. My daughter, Elizabeth, is a great baker and she has made plenty of great cakes -- one Christmas she made a salted caramel chocolate cake. But our family's favorite cake was a specialty provided by a friend who is a caterer --- chocolate meringue cake -- pretty, light, delicious.<br /><br />Here is a cake story for you -- I was in 4-H growing up and when fair time approached, I would study the categories to decide what I would enter. One year I saw there was an Angel Food Cake category. What could be easier? I had watched my mom make plenty of them. WITH A BOXED MIX. It never occurred to my 13 year old self that I could have made Angel Food Cake FROM SCRATCH! Disqualified.<br /><br /> Denise Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02790883493798517829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-31971431310653209222016-08-03T19:28:47.471-04:002016-08-03T19:28:47.471-04:00Great to meet you, Debra. Your books sound delicio...Great to meet you, Debra. Your books sound delicious.<br /><br />I used to make a mean carrot cake but I've since decided it's better to support local businesses and buy any sweets. 😄<br /><br />I have a friend who's an attorney in Birmingham but he shall remain nameless just in case you've bumped heads. LOL<br /><br />Continued good luck with your new career. I've now added new books to that TBR pile that keeps growing.<br /><br />So glad surgery went well, Hank.<br /><br />BTW, has anyone had trouble posting here from an iPhone?Marianne in Mainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-85966065650907423022016-08-03T19:24:45.624-04:002016-08-03T19:24:45.624-04:00One of my law school profs liked to say that there...One of my law school profs liked to say that there are two kinds of people in the world: Those who continually divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don't.<br /><br />At Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, we have roughly divided ourselves into People of the Pie and Clan of the Cake. Fortunately, those lines are blurry -- like if Hank drew them before cataract surgery, or if I piped them in frosting -- because Debra puts it perfectly: Words are for celebrating, and cake is always in good taste!<br /><br />Congrats, Debra, on the book! And Hank, so glad it went well!Leslie Budewitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11942314846112875042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-56871321606999816232016-08-03T18:32:14.480-04:002016-08-03T18:32:14.480-04:00Hank, so glad to hear the surgery went well!
XOX...Hank, so glad to hear the surgery went well! <br /><br />XOXOKaren in Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18002794561817071780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-74948196735451662802016-08-03T16:36:41.266-04:002016-08-03T16:36:41.266-04:00Hi, Debra -- I loved your analogies. You could als...Hi, Debra -- I loved your analogies. You could also extend it to writers who are plotters vs. panthers. Some bakers follow recipes religiously, while others experiment, throwing in a bit of this and a bit of that. My all-time favorite cake--dark chocolate with chocolate fudge icing. A close runner-up: white cake with white icing, topped with coconut. <br /><br />Hank, the good news is that everyone I've talked to who had cataract surgery came out of it with much, much better eyesight. <br /> Grace Toppinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10291304815273486038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88572087529179668392016-08-03T15:52:31.253-04:002016-08-03T15:52:31.253-04:00Congrats on the new book, Debra. Looking forward t...Congrats on the new book, Debra. Looking forward to reading it.<br />And quick healing to Hank.<br /><br />Any event is improved by cake. That is a universal truth. ( One of my daughters prefers ice cream and I often wonder who switched her at birth) My favorite might be a nearly flourless chocolate with sour cherries, baked in a springform pan. The recipe came to me from a friend of my mother, but she learned it from her German mother in law. So it goes way back. Or maybe my mother's chocolate-walnut cake. This time of year, a fresh blueberry coffee cake can't be beat. Or... Or... <br /><br />My only cooking secret is to follow the recipe.<br /><br />Trisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08058396345946250313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88099888510822759512016-08-03T15:52:14.378-04:002016-08-03T15:52:14.378-04:00Debra, mouthwatering to read the mystery. My favor...Debra, mouthwatering to read the mystery. My favorite cake: Wacky Cake, mixed in the pan, no milk, no eggs, no butter. My mother and aunt used to make it. It is a recipe from WWII rationing -- lovely rich cocoa cake, powdered sugar on top instead of icing or, if we were really celebrating, chocolate ice cream!<br /><br />Mary, thanks for the reminder of my grammy's tomato soup cake. Another recipe coming from strained times, the Great Depression. I never learned the recipe for this and never really liked it much.Neither did my mother (Grammy's daughter).<br /><br />Kathy Reel, downsides to cataract surgery: the "sudden" appearance of many, many wrinkles on my face and the unbelievable number of very dusty corners in my house. I warned my mother about this when she had the surgery 5 yrs. after mine. And did we ever laugh when she had to admit I was right! <br /><br />Good wishes all.Elisabethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88812359671450198522016-08-03T15:28:40.371-04:002016-08-03T15:28:40.371-04:00Hank sending healing thoughts and the happiness of...Hank sending healing thoughts and the happiness of clear vision thoughts your way. For me, cataract surgery --- Monday left eye, Friday right eye -- was quicker and more pleasant than having my hair cut. Blessings.Elisabethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-80464933641280357102016-08-03T15:03:17.781-04:002016-08-03T15:03:17.781-04:00I'm back! And all appears to be fine! Hurray....I'm back! And all appears to be fine! Hurray... And no I am going to take a nap--as directed!<br /><br />So glad to see that cake recipe Karen! Hmmm..never heard of buttermilk powder...<br /><br />Thank you everyone! Xx. You all keep chatting and I will see you later! So pleased we have such a great topic today. Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-21183435769170808892016-08-03T14:18:35.253-04:002016-08-03T14:18:35.253-04:00Great cakes and I'm looking forward to reading...Great cakes and I'm looking forward to reading even more of them....keep the conversation going. I'm off to catch a plane (speaking tomorrow night in Jackson, Michigan where I went to junior high and high school and Sunday in Ann Arbor .. Go Blue) so I'll be off-line for a few hours, but believe me, I'll be checking back. This is a delicious thread ... DebraDebra H. Goldsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17533446284471717884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-86780824571070868082016-08-03T14:02:19.236-04:002016-08-03T14:02:19.236-04:00Yum, cake. can't go wrong with that. Your writ...Yum, cake. can't go wrong with that. Your writing/cake making analogies are spot on! Now I'm hungry.<br /><br />Hank, all the best with the surgery, you will love the result. The difference is amazing.<br /><br />My best cake is an adaption of one from a Diane Mott Davidson book. I don't remember what it was called in the book--or even which book--but it is a dark chocolate bundt cake with dark chocolate fudge frosting and super simple to make. At my house, we call it Chocolate Church Cake. I was baking one for my friend's surprise 40th birthday party when she showed up at the door. This woman is a chocoholic. She asked if it was cool enough to cut, and I said the first thing that came to mind, "Yes, but it's a church cake, it's my week to do coffee hour." The next night the cake was out on the table and 20 of us were hiding around the house when my friend walked in to "take care of the cats." We yelled "SURPRISE" and she yelled, "I thought that cake was for Church!"Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-74757220154508366642016-08-03T13:54:40.765-04:002016-08-03T13:54:40.765-04:00Kathy Reel, your caramel icing reminded me of cake...Kathy Reel, your caramel icing reminded me of cakes my grandfather made: spice cake with coffee buttercream icing. So fabulous, especially with a cup of coffee. Which was probably the whole point. My grandparents drank gallons of coffee a day, and so did everyone in the large (9 kids) family. Grandpa had a sweet tooth, and he always made the cakes in heart-shaped pans, and then he got the humps and the point when the cake was sliced! Karen in Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18002794561817071780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-51703306461136397502016-08-03T13:51:22.779-04:002016-08-03T13:51:22.779-04:00One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
The recipe, from Better H...One-Bowl Chocolate Cake<br /><br />The recipe, from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, is called Chocolate Harvest Cake. I made it one year for Thanksgiving as a birthday cake for my daughter, and everyone loved it, although I did not make the pumpkin filling. Instead, I doubled the glaze recipe and used that between the layers. When you need to make a cake, but don’t have much time, this is the one. Ten minutes from mixing to oven. And it’s delicious. <br /><br />1 C buttermilk (you can make this from buttermilk powder, too)<br />1 C water<br /> 2/3 C cooking oil<br />2 C sugar<br />2 eggs<br />1 tsp baking soda<br />½ tsp salt<br />2 C all-purpose flour<br />¾ C unsweetened cocoa powder<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9 x 1 ½-inch round pans; set aside.<br /><br />In an extra-large bowl combine buttermilk, water, oil, sugar, eggs, baking soda, and salt. Using a large wire whisk, whisk until well combined. Add flour and cocoa powder, whisk vigorously until smooth. Divide batter between prepared pans. <br /><br />Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until top springs back when lightly touched in the center. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. <br /><br />Prepare Pumpkin Cream Filling<br /><br />1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened<br />1/3 C canned pumpkin<br />¼ C sugar<br />¼ tsp ground cinnamon<br /><br />In a medium bowl whisk together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and cinnamon until thickened. Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread filling over top. Top with second cake layer. <br /><br />Make Chocolate Glaze (double, if not using pumpkin filling)<br /><br />½ C whipping cream<br />4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped <br /><br />In a saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Top with desired toppers (seedless red grapes, whole berries, toasted hazelnuts, or shredded orange peel). Makes 14 servings. <br />Karen in Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18002794561817071780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-11873494191750304322016-08-03T13:21:49.160-04:002016-08-03T13:21:49.160-04:00Hank, I'm hoping that by now your surgery is o...Hank, I'm hoping that by now your surgery is over and you are resting comfortably. It may not sound sane to envy someone's surgery, but I want cataract surgery. My doctor says that it is quite a ways off for me, and I'm disappointed. My husband's had the surgery and raves about his vision now. In fact, most of my friends have already had it.<br /> <br />Debra, congratulations on your new book. Going to check more into it after my posting here. Your comparisons of cake and writing are so clever. I love the cake for your new book, looks almost too good to eat. Oh, and your mention of those other delicious cakes. Yum.<br /><br />My favorite cake is probably my mother's jam cake with its caramel icing. My mother's been gone 21 years now, but I still remember how amazing that cake tasted, along with some of her other cooking. I used to make a chocolate steam cake that was to die for, but I haven't made it for a while. So moist. Ramona, I'll have to try your steaming method for making cakes hold their moist. I was very pleased with my daughter's wedding cake that had shells piped onto it, as they had gotten married in Key West and had the reception back in Indiana a couple of months later. <br /><br />Hallie, I think most life lessons and comparisons can be explained with Shrek. <br /><br />Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-2419173658265485052016-08-03T13:06:45.752-04:002016-08-03T13:06:45.752-04:00Cake. Yum. I lean towards pound cake, spice cake, ...Cake. Yum. I lean towards pound cake, spice cake, gingerbread, and so forth. Vanilla. I'm not a chocoholic but do enjoy chocolate from time to time. I used to make a Mexican chocolate cake that was yummy. The recipe was from a women's magazine 30+ years ago. My mother-in-law used to play mah jongg with her buddies every Sunday afternoon until dementia ended that. She kept threatening to teach me how to play so I could fill in and I kept avoiding that lesson.Pat Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-18845193966093917462016-08-03T12:04:39.166-04:002016-08-03T12:04:39.166-04:00And I forgot to say that my favorite cake is any c...And I forgot to say that my favorite cake is any chocolate cake with chocolate icing!<br /><br />Deb Romano Deb Romanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01650858888197217258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-31458667553301582672016-08-03T12:03:09.446-04:002016-08-03T12:03:09.446-04:00Debra, I look forward to reading the new book. I ...Debra, I look forward to reading the new book. I like your explanation of why a cake is like a book!<br /><br />Hank, you're in my prayers for a positive outcome. Also, congratulations! Your vision will soon be so much better! I'm on that road towards cataract surgery but am not far enough along to require it. I can't wait, though, because it's getting more and more difficult to see at night.<br /><br />Mary, a long time ago I used to make a tomato soup cake. It really is a delicious spice cake!<br /><br />Deb Romano Deb Romanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01650858888197217258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-56722641258371429722016-08-03T11:46:23.741-04:002016-08-03T11:46:23.741-04:00Deborah, thank you for the congrats and the mentio...Deborah, thank you for the congrats and the mention of another type of cake. I'm going to have to make a list - tea, chocolate, etc .....wonder what I could do with all of these ?Debra H. Goldsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17533446284471717884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75351361108681390172016-08-03T11:07:26.473-04:002016-08-03T11:07:26.473-04:00Congratulations on your book, Debra! Favorite cake...Congratulations on your book, Debra! Favorite cake? Hard to say. I love lemon cake, and carrot cake. But recently I saw a recipe for a chocolate tea cake in an old issue of the UK Country Living magazine that I am determined to try. I would also love to able to bake my little granddaughter a proper birthday cake!<br /><br />Karen, please post the one bowl cake recipe!<br /><br />And, Hank, think of you. It will be amazing, I promise.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-16189766141587227052016-08-03T10:18:14.321-04:002016-08-03T10:18:14.321-04:00Hank, hope the surgery is a piece of cake!
Joan, G...Hank, hope the surgery is a piece of cake!<br />Joan, Grace, Karen, Mary, Edith, Ramona, FChurch, Hallie, and Ann, thanks for stopping by and sharing some of your favorite cakes. I've already gained five pounds. Also appreciate your good wishes. <br />I'm having a blast with Should Have Played Poker (and yes, the Sunshine Village Retirement home Mah jongg players have a definite role in the book. They serve as the comic foil and co-sleuths helping Carrie Martin unravel why her mother, who was absent from her life for twenty-six years, was murdered only hours after returning and leaving her with a sealed envelope and the knowledge she once thought of killing Carrie's father).Debra H. Goldsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06616156832441083902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-32074372226279868672016-08-03T09:44:52.767-04:002016-08-03T09:44:52.767-04:00Bonne chance Hank. All shall be clear after today!...Bonne chance Hank. All shall be clear after today! I had mine in February and March this year. Happiness is a cataract free existence. Trust me. I am a nurse. <br /><br />Congratulations on the new book Debra. And please pass the cake. Ann in Rochesternoreply@blogger.com