Elliott's Birthday!

Every mother remembers the day she gave birth. When Elliott was born -- way back in 1981 -- we had just moved into our house. It was blistering hot...and Ross spent the day at a family reunion with Ronda and Dean. John and I drove home from the hospital, with our new baby boy, in a 1974 blue pick-up truck that had no air conditioning...

Elliott was always a picky eater. I used to jokingly say he ate NOTHING but toothpaste and Kool-Aid until he was 9 years old...

But, at some point, I figured out that he LOVED PESTO. Seriously? PESTO? It has a strong, unique, in some ways bitter flavor...but he has always loved it.

This year, like EVERY YEAR -- we'll celebrate his birthday with our first big batch of PESTO. John will make a loaf of Italian bread...and there will also be King Crab legs. And a Farro Chocolate Birthday Cake...

A recent picture -- after some mushroom hunting.

Today -- Lilly will set the table with Aunt Rozell's silver...

She baked his cake on Saturday -- and I stuck it in the freezer.

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...

This picture is from THAT birthday!! Holy Cow -- that hair cut takes me back...(I wish you could see how thin I was!!

But -- I digress...

Anyway -- here's 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!)