Last week, 2.0 and I went out to by a vacuum cleaner, and bought a car instead.
2.0 likes to tell stories. I call them stories, because calling him a liar makes me sound mean. One of 2.0’s favourite stories as of late involves saying that he’s going out to run errands, and also, to buy a new car. But he doesn’t ever buy that new car. When he returns, I run out to the driveway to see the new car, and instead find the old one. 2.0 then insists that he said nothing about a new car, and tells me I should be a better person and pay more attention to him.
On Friday morning, 2.0 and I decided we’d go out and buy a new Dyson vacuum cleaner. I was very excited because I’m really into vacuuming. On our way to the shops, 2.0 was, AS ALWAYS, driving in the wrong lane.
movita: I think you need to get into the righthand lane.
2.0: No. It’s okay. I’m taking you somewhere else first.
movita: Really? Where?
2.0: It’s a surprise!
movita: Oooh! I love surprises!
(pausing)
movita: Wait… are you just saying that because you’re in the wrong lane?
2.0: Of course not! If you must know, we’re going to buy a new car.
Now, you should know that I’m very smart. I knew that 2.0 was headed to the car dealership because he was a) in the wrong lane and refused to admit it, and b) needed to make an appointment to have our winter tires put on. So when we pulled up at the dealership, I sprinted to the first salesperson I could find and told her we wanted to buy a new car. And I said it in my most excited please-take-our-money voice. I told the salesperson that I thought 2.0 was just joking when he said we were going to buy a new car, but now that we were headed out on a test drive, I knew he must be serious. That he really was going to BUY A NEW CAR!
Because 2.0 still refused to admit he was lying, we bought a new car. We pick it up tomorrow. And after leaving the dealership, we had to buy a Dyson vacuum cleaner, because if we didn’t, I’d think he was lying about that too.
Should you ever find yourself in the position of spending thousands of dollars to cover up your lies, this snacking cake might make you feel better. It is studded with apples, cranberries and walnuts. It is moist and light, and not overly filling. There is a hint of cinnamon in the batter, which always does well with fruit and nuts. This cake doesn’t taste strongly of fruit – it just adds to the overall texture and sweetness. It is topped with cinnamon sugar and pairs well with coffee and tea. It’s perfect for snacking, but would also be nice as a breakfast treat. And it’s very enjoyable alongside a new car manual and the assembly instructions for a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
. . .
Apple Cranberry Snacking Cake
recipe: from Company’s Coming 150 Delicious Squares, with adjustments to the notes and method
Yields one 9×9 baking pan.
For the topping:
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup diced apple (peeled) – 1 apple should do it
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Mise en place – begin by getting organized. Measure out all of your ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9 baking pan.
Make the topping. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.
In another small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
With a hand mixer in a medium sized bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, until the sugars are moistened, well combined and crumbly. Add the vanilla and sour cream, mixing until well combined. Beat in the egg. Next, stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Finally, add the cranberries, apple and walnuts, mixing well. The batter will be thick.
Spread evenly in the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes – until golden, the sides begin to cook away from the edge of pan, and the cake springs back when touched. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
