Wow, a lot has been cooking over here.
I have an introduction to make before we get on to our normal business.
Meet Emelia Angeline, my first niece!
She joined the family at 3:30 yesterday afternoon, weighing in at 7 pounds 6 ounces. I know that everyone says this about all babies, but she may be the cutest thing I've ever seen. My sister-in-law is now my hero-- she's about the size of a toothpick and popped out this little lady with no drugs. All the family is happy and healthy and my parents are just about beside themselves, between the new baby and the trips to the beach--I really must move down south again.
Now onto the cake.
Apple Streusel Cake, recipe from joyofbaking.com
So I've been throwing out the F-word a lot lately. It's not what you think. The kitchen has been pretty calm since the pot holder mishap. Bub and Cup left us a ton of food before they left to see my bro and sis in law and meet little Miss Ficus Angeline Tater-tot (since the new parents spent months refusing to tell us what her name is, she will be Ficus until my sister-in-law orders me otherwise).
The F-word in question is favorite. So far, I've gathered that you understand my love for chocolate, cheese, spice-cake, cream cheese frosting and pineapple. The fact of the matter is that I really love good food. I was fortunate as a little kid to have grandparents who farmed, so I knew the joy of popping cherry tomatoes in your mouth on a sunny summer afternoon (and the defeat of them squirting out and ruining your favorite shirt). Strawberry shortcake wasn't a treat, it was a staple. I've come to realize that I'm more influenced by the seasons than I'd ever like to admit and in each one, there is something that sings to me. In the fall, it's baking squash and pumpkin, melting chocolate, caramel and Granny Smith apples. My mother is partial to Golden Delicious, but for me, nothing is better than the crisp, tart first bite into a Granny Smith.
This recipe was simple. Mix dry topping ingredients, cut in butter and add sugar. Combination method for the wets and drys. How little batter it yielded scared me. I used the required pan size, but the batter barely covered the bottom.
I realized something important as I freaked out over whether this was going to be another flop- I was short on time this weekend with test preparations and baby celebrating, so I had one shot to get this right and bring it to my aunt's. I am a kitchen panicker. I'm sure it's not a viable psyche disorder- that's not what I'm intending, but I think that I really get in my own way. I get so worried that I'm missing something that I get in my own way and wind up blowing it.
I told myself to calm the f down and modified the recipe slightly. It seemed to want too much apple. I made two cakes, which called for two apples a piece, but the apples were pretty big. I used a total of three- big mistake. The other issue was that the topping looked a little dry during baking. The cake puffed up and filled out a bit, but it just wasn't as tall or impressive as I would've liked. What it lacked in beauty, it made up for in scent. I recalled the apple crisp my mother made when I was younger, but this blew that out of the water: baking cake plus baking apples plus brown sugar= me finding things to do in the kitchen just to keep smelling it. I would love to bottle it and sell it.
I served it at my aunt's and reviews were positive. The topping was a bit dry and the apple to topping ratio was definitely off. It was tasty, but I don't know that I'd use this recipe again. Next time, more apple, less crumble and trusting the cake to do what it's supposed to as long as I've done what I was supposed to. Still, a success.
Next weekend we should have more to celebrate: family members turning 40 left and right, my exam will be over with, pass or fail and I'm definitely not done celebrating our new addition. So, we'll be decking out the house for fall and filling the kitchen with scents of Apple Cake with apricot glaze (mmmmm).
Be well!
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