HOLIDAY BAKING: DECEMBER ONE, LIESA ZIP
Okay, this is exactly what happened.
I had leftover cranberry orange relish and wanted to try baking it into a cake. I also had lots and lots of leftover sour cream. I told Mike to buy four cups and he heard four BIG containers. Let’s keep moving.
Found a recipe that called for these ingredients:
Well, to be accurate, the recipe called for a yellow cake mix but I thought that strawberry would be even more exciting. It was. Now this particular recipe also called for one package of instant vanilla pudding, a little applesauce, and some buttermilk but I thought that what I had on hand would certainly be close enough. It wasn’t.
And whoever heard of using 5 (maybe it was 4) eggs in one cake? I did it anyway.
With no pudding, applesauce, or buttermilk available I settled for extra cranberry and lots of sour cream. I love that cranberry sauce and lots of people have told me that sour cream is wonderful in baked goods.
Then I added the strawberry cake mix…YEEEEEES, instead of the yellow cake mix that was called for. Geeze!
After that,
I remembered the nuts! I love nuts. No, the recipe didn’t call for them. Still, nuts make everything better.
Then it was time to go into the oven. The batter seemed…well….a little…intense,
but I remained confident.
AND LOOK HOW NICE IT TURNED OUT!
NOT
Lizzie had the first bite and said that it tasted like Froot Loops and Playdough. Didn’t want to believe THAT so I took a bite for myself only to spit it out in the sink. “Wow!”
I think this shows progress, in a way. At least I didn’t try making it into something else.
Like a poultice.
Baby steps.
Tags: Guess what? My holiday baking is ALL DONE!, I hate myself
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:42 am
Heeheehee. Fruit loops and play dough. I don’t know what play dough tastes like, but I can imagine its not a good combo. And yes, baby steps are where its at.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:59 am
It makes me very sad to see so many wonderful ingredients just tossed into the garbage…but at least you were willing to give it a try!
When it comes to baking and cooking…I must follow the recipe… because if I even think of changing it a little…well, I break out in a sweat and then my mind starts telling me how it won’t turn out and how I will have just wasted all those wonderful ingredients just to toss them in the trash.
Kudos for being brave enough to try!!!
xoxo
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:17 am
I love your baking escapades Leisa! I try not to bake anything but cranberry granola during the holidays because I’ve got that one down pat and I’ve convinced myself it’s remotely healthy. (3 batches yesterday, gift bags ready to go to all the fantastic Primary teachers in our ward, ho ho ho!)
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I do things like that too. My ‘adventures in baking’ are one of the reasons I keep a few hens out back – their favorite flavor is froot loops and playdough. When I get to Salt Lake (the Emerald) city, shall I bring you a few hens?
The way I see it, we are pioneers. Someone had to be the first person to put oatmeal and raisins in cookies. Someone had to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to use all the eggs, a ton of sugar, and $9 worth of pecans to make a pie’ – look how those turned out! You just never know when you are going to hit upon something amazing.
(Maybe next time, just make a yellow cake and put your cranberry stuff between the two layers, as a filling, and frost the whole thing with cool whip? You could even sprinkle nuts on top.)
December 4th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
It was like a science experience! I loved it, you make me laugh soooooooo hard, but keep on experimenting Liesa, makes for great reading!
December 19th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Compost piles. Unless you had to file an EPA report first? Hm. You think if you had stayed with the white cake mix it would have tasted less like Play-Doh and more like Froot Loops?
Just asking. I finished a few loaves of cardamom bread. I think I don’t like grandma’s recipe. I followed it to the letter, and it was ‘okay,’ but I wanted stellar. To the disgust of my family, I am going to tweak the recipe. I am thinking more along the lines of stollen.
Sour cream? YUM. We use it all the time. Dips, Jello salads, vegetables, salad dressings, etc.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.