Mrs. Peter's Birthday Cake!

Okay, I'm so excited! This was Alex's favorite book when she was little. She even memorized it. It is an adorable book about a mom of seven very picky eaters. At the end of the story, all of her children try to surprise her for her birthday by making her all of their favorite foods, which of course ends in a huge mess. But out of it comes a big surprise for Mrs. Peters...an accidental birthday cake made of all of the kids' favorite foods. So cute (with adorable illustrations). Anyways, I found the author's actual recipe for the cake today and I just had to try it out for family home evening. It was delicious! Really moist and yummy. I found I could build a whole family home evening lesson out of it!
Here is the lesson:
Opening Hymn - Love at Home
Lesson - adapt from 2001 article by President Monson - Hallmarks of a Happy Home (talks about having a Library of Learning)
Activity - Everyone brings their favorite book and shares what it is about and why they like it.
Activity - Read the Seven Silly Eaters as the bedtime story and then...bon appetit! Serve cake.


Here is the recipe: Mrs. Peters’ Birthday Cake
2 sticks sweet butter, softened
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup oatmeal, quick or regular
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
4 drops red food coloring
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease Bundt pan. 2. Warm milk to 70 degrees and add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Let sit 10 minutes until milk has thickened. 3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well. 4. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in oatmeal. 5. Blend applesauce with thickened milk and red food coloring. 6. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with the milk/applesauce mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. 7. Pour batter into prepared tube pan. Set on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until cake pulls away from sides of pan and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 8. Cool cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan. 8 to 10 portions - Delicious plain or with vanilla ice cream.