My Cake, Birthday Card and 1 - 2 Make

Hi there everyone. So in my previous post, I said I would take a picture of my decorated cake. Here it is....chocolate frosting and crumbled peanut butter cake and nuts on top. I used the "Crazy Cake" recipe (with no eggs, milk, butter or bowls.) But, I used a bowl anyways. I guess this is one of those depression cakes when the mother/baker/chef had no eggs, milk or butter, they could still make a cake.

You can make this cake with chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Lemon, Spiced, Coffee & Kahlua and Carrot Crazy Cake and now Peanut Butter. A very versatile cake to say the least. I have tried the chocolate and vanilla adding the bananas and powdered peanut butter.

Here is the basic recipe for a Vanilla cake: 1 1/2 cups flour + 2-3 Tablespoons, 1 cup sugar (I cut it down to 1/2 cup sugar) 1 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix together.

Make three holes in flour mixture: Pour 1 tsp. white vinegar in 1 hole, 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract in the second hole and 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used olive oil)in the 3rd hole. Then pour 1 cup water over all and mix well until smooth. Pour into a greased cake pan. Bake 35 minutes at 350 degree oven.

If you want a Lemon cake, add 1 tbsp. lemon zest to the flour mix and 1 tsp pure lemon extract.
If you want a Spiced cake, add 1 tbsp. pumpkin spice to the flour.
If you want a Coffee and Kahlua cake, add 3/4 cup cold brewed coffee and 1/4 cup Kahlua.
If you want a Carrot cake, add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. cloves, allspice, nutmeg, 3/4 cup finely grated peeled carrots, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup golden raisins.
If you want a Chocolate cake, add 3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)
If you want a Banana cake, add one banana, mashed

Here is a picture of the birthday card I made for grand-niece Ella, for her 4th birthday. I added 2-$2 dollar bills....I think if I was a kid, I would so look forward to that card with $$$ in it, would be fun for a kid to receive. I have another 4 year old card to make for July and a 2 year old card to make for November, they both will get $2 bills in their cards also. So I have time to think about what I want to make. JP's family sure keeps me busy with birthdays, anniversaries and such....

My inspiration for this card was just the elephant stamp that I picked up for $1 at Micheal's, colored with my copic pens and  built on it with my die-cuts and added embellishments of pearl speckles, flowers, google eye and sequins.

I found this card on the Internet the other day and thought this would be a fun card to make, maybe use it for Hospice and change the "my friend" salutation to "thinking of you". Here is where I get a lot of my inspiration. Becky comes up with lots of great ideas using lots of Stampin'up products, Hero and Altnew. She does quite a few classes a week in her home, only problem, she lives in CO, so it would be hard for me to go to one of her classes, so must be satisfied just visiting her on the Internet. She says it is okay to case her cards....so that is what I do.

Well, HOORAY....the Chicago Blackhawks won tonight....a really ruff and tumble game and my favorite player, Artemi Panaran got a goal on an open net....yayayayayayayayaay! Hawks won 3-2. Now they come back to Chicago for 2 more games....sure do hope they win those games. These players want to win so badly that they get very frustrated when the puck does not bounce their way, so then the fights flare up and lots of penalties are called. The Hawks got one of their goals via a power play.....But wow, the goalies sure are playing great games!!!!

 

Well, time to close, it's 11am and JP will be home at 1:00am, I need to think about what I am going to make for him. Oh, and do a few dishes too. Tomorrow I am going to make "Grandmas Meatballs" and spaghetti....a nice change.

 

You have a great weekend...it is supposed to be SPRING finally...so I imagine everyone will be out working in their yards...maybe us too, at least get the front porch ready to sit on and get the fountain going.

 

Keep looking up, better days are coming....Cheers ~ Louise