Farro Family Birthday Cake

In 1971, the first year we were married, John made me a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting for my birthday. And I've made it for HIM -- and for our boys -- for every birthday since...

I recently found this picture from THAT birthday!! Holy Cow -- that hair cut takes me back...

(Jane Fonda in Klute...) it was a GREAT haircut...

But -- I digress...

Anyway -- I PROMISED to share my secret to an ALWAYS incredibly moist cake...and this is strange, but it has NEVER FAILED ME...

I bake the cake mix in a rectangle cake pan. While it's cooking, I put

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup);
1 cup of sugar, and
1/2 cup of evaporated milk (or regular milk)

into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla at the end.

When the cake is done -- I take it out of the oven, and poke it all over (I use my turkey forks to make a lot of holes at one time)...then I pour the hot boiled mix over the hot cake. It will look wrong. Completely wet. Like the cake will NEVER soak up all the liquid...

But -- not to worry. It will.

Honestly -- I never thought I invented this trick -- but I can't find it on the internet. I've been doing this for YEARS...it works every time.

Your cake will be FANTASTIC...and it will stay moist for days. (I'm just guessing -- because cake doesn't last at my house beyond the second day...)


But it is the frosting that makes it SPECIAL. Here it is:

Cook 1 cup of milk with 6 TBL of flour until it's very thick. It will be a big glob....At this point, I put it in a shallow dish, cover it with plastic and stick it in the freezer to COOL COMPLETELY.

With electric mixer -- beat until smooth:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
1 cup of sugar

Scrape the cool flour glob into the butter/sugar bowl and continue to beat. (it will be grainy at first).

Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla at the last minute.

PERFECTION. THIS FROSTING IS SO GOOD -- you could eat it on a saltine cracker. (and you will!)

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