Better Batter

Let me just get this out right up front, in my house homemade cake means that we opened the box and added oil, eggs and water. Okay! Okay. With that being said, long ago I heard that to save some calories on the homemade cake you substitute applesauce for the oil. Well being oh so stuck in my ways I never tried it, until tonight. We made a pineapple upside down cake and used the applesauce instead of the oil and it was not only delicious, the cake was incredibly moist and sweet. I actually prefer it to the oil now that I’ve tried it.

In addition, a tip from my child, to make the upside down cake you need to put brown sugar in the bottom of the cake pan before the pineapple. Well, revealing how much sugar we use in this household, the brown sugar was a brick. I could have pounded in nails with it. I think it has been a good nine months since we used it. So while the college graduate is pounding the brown sugar around, beating on it with spatulas, knives and anything else, slamming it on to the cutting board; big blue eyes are watching and absorbing the motherly knowledge.
“Mom.” I hear.
“Yes dear,” in an aggravated tone.
“Didn’t you buy a grater this summer?”
“Yes, honey, I’m a little busy right now. Can’t you see what I’m...(pause) OOOHHH, will you pass that to me?” sweet as pie.
Worked like a charm! So there’s a tip, grate the brick of brown sugar, stop slamming around, and listen!
Well, as Paulo Freire said – teacher-learner and learner-teacher-we can never be one without the other. Hurrah.