First thing this morning, I woke him up with a "birthday pancake" complete with a glow in the dark candle (found this out when I went in his dark bedroom and, upon blowing out the candle, I saw I could still see the candle!)
His sweet friends at Seminary "went to the bathroom" and did this:
They call him "Panda"...long story!
I baked his favorite cake...Mississippi Mud
Mississippi Mud Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup coconut (this can be adjusted to your taste)
1 (10.5 Oz) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting
Combine melted butter with cocoa, sugar, eggs (it helps if you beat them before adding them), and vanilla. Then add flour. The mixture will be quite thick. I usually use my largest stainless steel bowl to mix and use a rubber spatula. Then add coconut and mix...again, it is a stiff dough, so it will be some work. Spread in a greased jelly roll pan (15 x 10 inch).
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top warm cake evenly with miniature marshmallows. Place pan back in oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately frost with Chocolate Frosting. (I usually dollop on the frosting and then take my knife and spread it around. It makes it look like mud!) Cool completely.
It is a rich cake, so a small piece is usually plenty.
Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk
2 lbs. powdered sugar.
Place butter in bowl of electric mixer and begin mixing. Add cocoa powder and combine. Then, add milk, vanilla, and the powdered sugar, being mindful not to mix to vigorously after each addition, or you will be wearing the frosting!
This makes a lot of frosting...I double the recipe...because I like to have plenty, and family likes leftover frosting...and there have been so many times a boo boo has happened and I need to repair. (Case in point: Nathan came home from school today, wanted a taste, cut out the corner, crumpled a paper towel (a la Cliff Huxtable) and then frosted it, so as no one else would know.
Nano came by with his gift: A Cardinals Blanket!
Next, his sweetheart, Jessica, decorated his room and surprised him when he came home from school.
She hid in the box to surprise him when he came in. It took FOREVER for him to FINALLY go to his room. I was afraid she was going to suffocate!
Birthday AND football confetti!
Now they are watching a movie...eating enchiladas...then more celebrating tonight. There was going to be a surprise party, but one friend's grandfather has become gravely ill, so sad! However, I would have been so crazy...my outside fridge, that I had decided I would gradually put out of use...decided to die...so I am desperately trying to move stuff inside...Sadly, I also got a great deal on chicken breasts...I ordered 40 pounds...they will be here next Saturday! Its fine...all had to be rotated, but dinners will be great this week!
1 comment:
LIfe changes in moments. It sounds like yours is fun right now. I hope your ride into "empty nest" is a good one. :)
Post a Comment