The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope

This was my pick for book club this year.  I picked it because someone recommended it.  I liked it, most in the book club liked it too.  It's a tad bizarre but that made for an interesting discussion:)

Kathleen Grissom’s Molasses Cake

This was September's book choice and 9 out of 10 LOVED it.  The other one liked it:)  We had a great discussion and a yummy dinner.

 

And, then dessert was served.  There is a recipe in the back for Molasses Cake.  It reminded me of a gingerbread cookie and needed a little more sweet in my opinion so I made a yummy fresh whipped cream with powdered sugar instead of regular.  The bonus was that my house smelled like Christmas:)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup milk ~ I used skim

• 1 cup molasses ~ I used mild flavor

• 2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 2 dashes ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon salt ~ I did not add salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan or use a mini cake pan.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Add the milk and the molasses. Add the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes for the 8 inch square pan or 25 minutes for the mini cake pan, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I double the recipe and baked in a 13x9 pan for about 40-45 minutes.

To make the whipped cream

Small container of Whipped Cream
1 t Vanilla extract

Whip it until it's firming up. Add 3/4 Powdered Sugar and whip until stiff. It's PURE heaven

Beautiful Ruins

Book club for July was this book.  I enjoyed the beginning, middle got a little bit slow for me but I LOVED the end.  It was a perfect book for summer.

Good Book & Good Black Forest Cake

I chose a book called The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy for book club.

Thanks Barnes and Noble for the photo

It wasn't because I liked to bake, it was because I had read good things about it. Everyone in the book club liked the book but what they liked best was the cake recipe in the back that I made for our discussion. Yep, it was bonus material that you found at the end...recipes!

It was pretty simple to make, Claire actually put it together with a little supervision.  Although it was not entirely cheap. The Kirschwasser, which is a cherry brandy could only be bought in the $15 bottle size. I also splurged and bought Ghirardelli Cocoa and chocolate to see if it made a difference with the cake (in my opinion, it didn't). And, fresh cherries aren't ever really "cheap". BUT..it was a success. It had a definite POP with your first bite. 

Most everyone really enjoyed it and although it contained some liquor, I would let my kids eat a piece if they wanted but they didn't. It was also a pretty cake and looked impressive with the 4 layers.

So if you wanna impress your friends, here's what you'll need:

Cake
1 2/3 C Flour
2/3 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 t Baking Soda
1 t Salt
1/2 C Shortening
1 1/2 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 t Vanilla
1 1/2 C Buttermilk or regular (I used buttermilk)
1/4-1/3 C Kirschwasser (it called for 1/2 C, that seemed excessive?)
It also called for salt which I left out

Filling
1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 t Vanilla
1 T Kirschwasser
1 C Powdered Sugar
1 C pitted Cherries chopped

Topping
1 square Semisweet Chocolate, shaved or crumbled
10 cherrie halves (said you could you use whole maraschino but I don't think that would have been good OR looked as pretty)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour (I used spray that contains both) two 8 inch round pans. Sift together flour, cocoa and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream shortening and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and flour mixture. I used my mixer to mix it all together.

Pour into pans and bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and flip out of pan. Cool for about an hour and slice each cake in half, horizontally. You are making 4 layers. Sprinkle layers with 1/3 cup Kirschwasser~I actually brushed it on.

In bowl, whip the cream until stiff. Beat in vanilla and Kirschwasser. Add powdered sugar and beat again.

Spread 1/4 of the filling on one of the layers. Top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat with remaining layers. Decorate the top with last of filling, chocolate shavings and halved cherries.

I made the night before and allowed it to chill for almost 24 hours before serving. I don't know if that made the cake taste stronger or not but I liked the "chill" factor.  Leftovers went into the fridge and I actually think it mellowed having another night of rest and I enjoyed it more.

I never "sift" ingredients together, we followed the rules for this recipe;)  Sorry, forgot to take the rest of the mixing photos.

 Pour into two round cake pans

Out of the oven for about 10 minutes, invert cakes on to plates.  When cooled, slice each cake in half to make a total of four layers.  A serated knife works great for this.  Stick knife into middle of cake to about the center and gently cut in a circle until you've cut the cake in half.  With two hands, gently but quickly remove the top layer.

Shave your chocolate with a vegetable peeler.

Chop your cherries be sure to just cut some in half so you can decorate the top

Brush with Kirschwasser 

Spread a 1/4 of the whipped cream on layer, sprinkle with 1/3 of the cherries. 

 

 Repeat layering.  On the top, sprinkle shavings and decorate with cherries.

Book Club Pick

Book club picked a winner last month.  It's a modern classic according to Wikipedia.  And, Alfred Hitchcock made a movie about it years ago.  It started out a little slow but her style of writing drew you in and it was a page turner by the end.  It was also the best book discussion I think we've ever had.  So many different things to discuss and I thoroughly enjoyed it so I thought I'd pass it on.  OH and the bonus is, the library has several copies if you live locally.



Thanks Amazon for the photo.

Book

I started my summer with a good book and I'm ending my summer with one too. Easy read and a glossary in the back to help.

You can order it from Amazon for as little as $1.89 used. Thanks Amazon for the image:)

Minding Frankie

Last day of school so I thought I'd kick off summer with a good book.

You know my rule...I don't give you a book report, I just tell you that I liked it. There is one chapter where I needed kleenex but you'll know it's coming.

I think this is the best book I've read this year. I bought my copy used from Amazon and that's where I grabbed the photo from too.