Foodie Friday...

AAACCCKKK!!!!

It's here again and I've still got 'nuthin'. Shoot.

Actually I'll tell you a little food story instead.

This has to do with birthday cake. And trying to make specific birthday cakes in third world countries where ingredients are not only challenging to find...but a wee bit off tasting.

As yesterday was my husband's 40th birthday, the celebratory meal and cake planning and preparation began on Thursday. Actually it began about 3 months ago with the 'hunt and hoard'. You see, my husband has had a very specific cake for every one of his birthdays except for the few years after he left home and didn't go back to visit for that special day. I remember when we'd just starting dating, his birthday was coming up and so I volunteered to make him a cake and which flavor would he like? Well....he responded, 'I have a special cake and here's the recipe!' (He wasn't quite THAT direct about it.... :) )

Anyway - I have now been making that specific cake for 15 years or so....except for the first year in Mexico when I realized 2 weeks before hand that those ingredients were. not. available. in. Madera. Oooooopppppsssss. Thus began the tradition of 'hunt and hoard'.

Hunt for ingredients starting in JULY.
Hoard found ingredients 'till November 18th when you make the cake.

Me explico??

Well....this year I was doing good - had found 2 cans of cherry pie filling, yes, THAT cherry pie filling, and they were stashed in the cupboard.

Had my recipe for making Angel food cake from scratch (!).

Could. not. find. cream. of. tarter.

Finally, just called Trish and begged some of of her. She graciously lent it to me. :)

Forgot to grab the cream cheese but thankfully there was ONE box left in all the stores here. Powdered sugar - yes, found the bag...it was wwwwaaaaayyyy in the back. I wonder how long it's been there. No - I don't want to know. Never did find the Honduran version of whipping cream but thankfully I had 1/2 a bag left over from last year's cake. I figured I could s.t.r.e.t.c.h. it.

Started to bake. 12 egg whites beaten 'till they form stiff peaks by hand was not physically possible for me. They were more like slightly rolling mounds. Oh well. Added the rest of the ingredients and baked away.

The cake came out about 1/2 as high as it should've been. Dratted stiff peaks. Guess they were more important than I thought. The cake didn't quite taste like angel food either. Oh well. This frosting covers a multitude of sins, er, odd tasting cakes.

But the frosting tasted a mite strange too. EGADS. What do I do??? Add on more cherries. At least the cherry pie filling tastes like what we remember. It's imported.

It didn't come out looking as spectacular as my mind's eye. I think I'm aiming too high...still.

But after a day in the fridge, it came out okay. Everyone liked it - most importantly, the birthday boy.

Honduran birthday cakes.....you just have to adjust the taste buds a bit to the south.

And for your recipe boxes should you wish to add it....

Cherries in the Snow
1 Angel food cake, sliced into three rounds (for layers)
1 can of Cherry Pie Filling

Frosting:
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 cup of powdered sugar

Blend 'till smooth

2 packets of Dream Whip mixed according to directions.
1tsp. vanilla

Mix, then blend in the cream cheese mixture 'till smooth and creamy

To Frost cake:

Lay one layer of Angel Food cake on a pretty plate
Top with a small amount of frosting and three (ish) spoonfuls of cherry pie filling
Lay next layer of cake on top of that. Repeat.

For top layer cover generously with frosting covering entire cake. Then drizzle remaining Cherry Pie Filling all over the top - letting some dribble down the side.

Refrigerate at LEAST 8 hours. This is a very important step and one it took me a few years to remember to include. It makes a big difference.

This cake is fabulous. I don't just love it because it's RED and white either....:)

Enjoy!!

Faith