A Whopper of a Cake

We enjoyed Will Hillenbrand's illustrations from The Moon Might Be Milk so well, I did a quick library search, and reserved some of the other books he's illustrated. Whopper Cake by Karma Wilson, was the first to arrive in.

We were not disappointed. The illustrations are lively, and exciting, as is the story of what happens when it's, "Grandma's birthday, and Granddad has an itchin' to bake a whopper chocolate cake, and traumatize the kitchen."

This is another book with a recipe at the back, so the girls had a chance for some traumatizing of their own - not so much of the kitchen, but more of their daddy, who was home for lunch when they started mixing (Note to self: messy projects are best done while the man of the house is at work. I mean really, what's the harm of an egg, or two rolling off the table? They didn't even crack! Though, I will admit the chocolate splatter from the mixer, might have been excessive).

I convinced them, that the back of their father's truck was probably not clean enough to use as a mixing bowl, like Granddad in the story. Beside which, the day wasn't nearly bright, and hot enough to cook a giant cake outside. Instead, they had to settle for doubling the recipe, using our very biggest mixing bowl, and all my ready cake pans.

Don't ask me why I have three round cake pans, and only one square one - I really don't know.

It worked out for the best, though, as I had to trim the corners off the square cake, before they frosted it with the others, and so got a nibble, and can assure you the recipe is quite good.

Their cake turned out lopsided. But, with four tall layers, there's no denying it's a whopper of a cake. I think a big piece for dessert tonight, might even return their father's blood pressure to normal - at least, now that the dishes are all done, and the chocolate has been washed off the walls, floor, and curtains.

It's great to be a homeschooler.