This Grandma makes reservations. As a working mother, I rarely cooked and never baked. My Mother, GG Frieda, was an outstanding cook and even more outstanding baker. She made all holiday meals and baked fresh bread and cakes for them until just before she died. I watched her for hours at a time, but never developed the same love for either cooking or baking, nor the skill. If I bake with or for grandchildren now, I am looking for the easiest and quickest recipes.
Not so much for a dear long (we never say old) friend. She loves to bake and the more complex the better. She described a special birthday cake she made for her eight year old granddaughter’s birthday. It is called an Explosion Cake. She saw my eyes glaze over, so she showed me a picture of the cake, which is in the picture attached to this post. OMG! Of course, it was gorgeous to look at, and, the surprise explosion of candy! She said her granddaughter loved it. My friend told me to google Explosion Cake when I got home. I did. I freaked.
The recipe was time consuming and complicated, requiring six individual cake layers and baking two at a time. At this rate, it was an all day affair. I asked questions. My friend said to get three 6″ cake pans and bake three at a time. They were expensive on line, the cheapest $20 each. Not knowing if I would make this cake more than once or twice, I found 7″ round cake pans at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $10 each using a coupon for 20% off on one. This was a reasonable investment.
Being visual, I looked for a video, and found practically the same recipe, with even more tips, and a video on the Today Show website. I cannot believe that the one day they demonstrated the Explosion Cake, I did not watch the show. I learned that this cake has been around since April and still is the hottest thing.
I even found what I thought was an easy recipe for the Explosion Cake, using cake mixes.
After a number of texts back and forth, I must have frustrated my friend or she realized that the recipe and the cake were beyond my capabilities. She said for me just to go to Williams Sonoma on line and buy the kit! A kit! Joy!
Yes, even the kit overwhelmed me. Until I found the YouTube video on how to use the kit!
Yes, I am now an expert on the kit with additional tips for me to use to help me along. Or, should I say to help my grandchildren along as I watch them make it. After all, haven’t we found that they are the most competent in things that are difficult for us grandmothers.
Joy,
Mema
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