Thunder Cake

Today has been a bit of a rough day. The children have had a hard time getting along and seemed extremely high energy.  It was one of those days that things happened and we shook our heads and sighed.  The good thing is… this is exactly what kids are supposed to do. We arent born knowing how to make perfect choices and they are only 4-5 and controlling impulses can be difficult at times.  As teachers we realize there will be days like this… momma said… momma said. ( Go ahead laugh, it was funny )  Instead of viewing today as a BAD day we like to think about it as a day that we as teachers got to use many of the tools we have to keep our classrooms safe and the kids have ample opportunity to learn some socialization skills.

At breakfast today we read ” Thunder Cake.” This book is about a little girl at her Babushka’s ( grandmas) and a storm is coming in .There is lightening and thunder .  She is scared.  Grandma explains to her there is nothing to be afraid of and that is time to make a thunder cake. The goal is to gather the ingredients and get the cake in the oven before the rain arrives.

Babushka taught her grand daughter a trick that I was told as a child . When you see the lightening you start counting until you hear thunder  .What ever number you get to is how many miles away the storm is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the kitchen we gathered the ingredients.  I will admit I was a little intimidated  .  I havent made a cake from scratch in years.   After gathering all the ingredients we got to work . It took a while and we messed up a sink full of dishes.  The batter looked a little weird when I put the crushed tomatoes in. (  That was one of Babushka’s secret ingredients. ) In the end it came out looking OK.  I havent tasted it but I am sure the kids will let me know if they taste a tomato in there.

 

Here is the recipe :

 

Thunder Cake!

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together one at a time:
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, separated
( blend yolks in. Beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in.)

1 cup cold water
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes

Sift together:
21/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dry cocoa
11/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Mix dry mixture into creamy mixture. Bake in two greased and floured 8
1/2 inch pans at 350 degree for
35 to 40 minutes. Frost with chocolate butter frosting. Top with
strawberries.

While one group was cooking part A the other group was having circle time.  Ms Dallas read them ” A storm is Coming.”  Then we switched and completed the cake,