Cupcake Day II: Salvation!

If any of you recall, I wrote a blog a while back titled (you guessed it!) Cupcake Days.  I outlined my need for sweet satisfaction as a response to days that royally kick me in the rear.  Seeing as these come by a little bit more often than occasionally, I reckoned I’d better figure out how to make cake for such days.  Seeing that I’m a baker back home I didn’t think it could be that hard.  I’ve made (and repeated) the following process numerous times but thought it might be fun to give all of you an idea back home of how I bake in the village.

Using charcoal is the best way to bake.  No, it’s not the best environmentally, I know…but using paraffin takes too long and quite frankly it’s a waste.  But I pride myself to say that I only use charcoal once a day and with that I plan my meals and baking.  First the rice, then some variation of tomatoes, onions, beans, soya pieces, eggs, and any other veggies to follow.  Next is cooking for the dogs where I make a nyenyeswa ufa (left over fish + maize flour) porridge for the dogs.  I’m still not sure what it is about it, but it grosses me out…  Anyways, so when the coals are good and ready, it’s time for baking.

So you remember that double boiler type of system you all use to warm up chocolate to dip pretzels in for the holidays (S.O.S. please!)?  Yeah, so that is essentially what I do here.  First you have to ensure you have two pans, one small enough to fit in the larger one.  Once the batter is prepared (which goes without saying...my favorite to make is yellow cake, pictured :D), pour it in the smaller pan coated with butter (read: margarine, I wish we had butter…) and dust with flour (yep, that’s real).  In the larger pot you put a layer of sand so that the pan with the batter has something to sit on and not on top of the coals..it prevents it from burning.  Then in goes the small pot, and a lid on top.  Make sure not to let it touch the sides!  Standard baking rule.

If you’ve planned, the coals are all hot and ready to go!  I’ve found that the less coals underneath the pot are better while the rest are on top.  With trusty tongs, I pile the hot coals on top and then put the pot on the mboula to cook.  Time to wait…

...and to check it with a knife…

...and check again while trying to keep Peter away from eating the precious goods…

Since I’ve never really timed it, I have no idea how long it takes.  But I have this spider sense (which is not related to the wind scorpions I find in the house) I try my hardest NOT to eat the cake right out of the pan...which I’ve only mustered enough patience once which was for these photos :)  Otherwise the powdered sugar frosting is simply dripping off the cake as I place it delicately in my mouth and savor...or else completely inhale, which is usually the latter.  If I’m lucky I’ll get a round of sprinkles on there as well, which just adds even more to the satisfaction of eating a freshly baked cake.

And before all of you start making bets on when I’ll gain 20 lbs, I’ll have you know that I only make half a batch of batter, which somehow has me feeling less guilty when I down the cake in 15 minutes :)  This is just another delicious item I will make for you when you visit.  I mean, seriously folks, get on buying those tickets!  A year and a half left, and time is ticking.  Until then, I’ll be eating all the cake, all by myself.  Brownies I feel are on the menu today…