At one time or another, we have all had to have our nine-to-five job. Although, we are grateful for the money that comes in, at certain points, we feel bored or maybe even down-hearted. That is when we need to find our escape point. After work, I escape to my kitchen, where I can create and (hopefully) make something absolutely terrific. My escape is even better when I can combine that with my other happy spot, Disneyland.
When I created this cake and finally bit into it, I was whisked away. It was not to some exotic jungle, but to Adventureland. After all, there are some modern conveniences and safety precautions that Disneyland offers compared to some jungles.
This cake took me to that exact spot in front of Bengal Barbecue that I and my family always sit at to watch the world go by. I can feel the roughness of jungle rope, or the feel of climbing into great heights to reach the goal of being at the top of the Tarzan Treehouse (what we once knew as The Swiss Family Treehouse). Adventurous and mystified we sit and take it all in from a chair.
People are walking by, happy, carefree, and excited by that life that has brought them to this beautiful place. I watch the Jungle Cruise where families are coming from while the kids still are laughing at the lame jokes that came from their captain. I look to the right and I see the Indiana Jones Adventure. Kids looked stunned and parents look excited and happy. You wonder if these people look this happy at home. Everyone should look this happy everyday. That's when I look towards the tree house where all the rowdy kids are acting like monkeys and getting out all their energy (at least a third of it).
Sweet and savory barbeque chicken mixed with exotic yet playful spices tantalize my senses. Over the sweet barbeque scent, I detect the smell of dew. That's right, the smell of ancient and green rainforest soaked in its own moisture (it might be the smell of the water from the Jungle Cruise, but I am still going with the rainforest story).
Children laughing and screaming in good natured fun wake me from my fantasy. For a second there I thought I was in a rainforest, but no, I am Disneyland, safe and unscathed, but feeling still very adventurous. The hooting of the tropical birds and the old-fashioned sounds of the skippers' radios complete my happy picture.
Suddenly, I am back in my kitchen with the cake that started it all. Deep, exotic and playful, it matches where I am with that which makes us happy.
For an exotic cake of your own that might bring your sweet escape, try this:
"Adventureland Marbled Spice Cake"*
Ingredients: 1 and ½ tsp baking powder, 1 and 1/8 cups confectioners' sugar sifted, 6 tbs softened butter, 3 tbs non-fat milk, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup Splenda, 3 tbs molasses, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 eggs lightly beaten, 7/8 cup all-purpose flour, and a few drops of vanilla extract.
1) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch cake pan.
2) Cream the butter, sugar, and Splenda. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
3) Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the mixture alternating with milk until combined.
4) Spoon 1/3 of the mixture into a bowl, and stir in the molasses, ginger, and cinnamon.
5) Drop alternating spoonfuls of dark and light mixtures into the pan. Run a knife through them to get the cake marbled.
6) Bake for 50 minutes. Leave in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
7) Stir enough warm water in the confectioners' sugar to make a smooth icing. Spoon quickly over the cake. Allow to set.
8) Enjoy with the feelings of your exotic sweet escape.
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* Base for recipe from Cake and then I molded it from there.
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