Anxious baking...it IS a thing.

Let's back up...

About a week ago, The Husband ran into the middle child of my dear friend who tragically died in 2018 - and promptly invited him to dinner.

WHY has it taken two years (seriously? TWO years already?! To me it still feels like yesterday - so I can only imagine it only feels like two seconds to him.) for this to happen?

Mainly, because we didn't have a direct way to reach out.  But still...this kid was a huge part of our lives for so very long.  And, he's missed us -- desperately - especially since his mother's death.  His younger brother went to California to live with his father and other brother.  Leaving this young man here with his grandmother.

So, why the anxiety, you ask?  Because I wasn't sure how he would receive us.  I wasn't sure if this evening would be a total disaster and awkward.

I was on pins and needles all day yesterday in anticipation of this dinner.  This, coupled with the fact that I was not exactly sure how many people would be here - we had also invited the friends two doors down, as we knew they would be delighted to see him again.  I asked Man-Child to come as well, but he had other plans unfortunately.  I was also not sure if he planned to bring his grandmother

At any rate, this meant that dessert needed to be planned.  And, with the uncertainty of exactly how many people would be here and when - I went on a baking frenzy.  After two batches of brownies were made - having Suzanne's bundt pan dilemma in the back of my mind, I decided that the lemon pound cake would be perfect.

So Suzanne, here is a cake that will work beautifully in your bundt pan.  But really any type of cake recipe will work - put preferably one that doesn't need icing - as that would probably be a pain.

Cake Ingredients

• A yellow cake recipe or if you want to make your life easier - and who doesn't? - a yellow butter cake mix (my personal favorite?  Duncan Hines Buttery Golden mix)
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 stick butter (softened)
• 1 teaspoon of pure lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix it all together well.  Generously (and I do mean GENEROUSLY) spray the pan with Pam with flour.  Pour the mix into the pan and bake for one hour.  Put a plate upside down on top of the pan and flip it over.  If you greased the pan well it should just slid right off the cake.

Glaze Ingredients

• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sugar (it really doesn't matter, I promise either portion will work)
• juice of a lemon
• lemon rind grated
• confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)

Put the first four ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil; stir in powdered sugar (just eyeball it) stirring until the powdered sugar melts completely.  Pour over hot cake.

Yum!

After this cake was done, I moved on to the cornbread which was to accompany The Husband's dinner of fried chicken.

So, as you can see, anxious baking IS a thing.

But the anxiety was for naught.  The dinner and the company was perfect.  It wasn't terribly awkward after the first few minutes.  He and his grandmother were delighted to see us and the friends two doors down.  I may have sobbed after they all left due to all the emotion that was brought to the forefront of my mind - but all in all, I would say the dinner was a success.

They did tell us that his father wants him to move out to Oregon, where he and the other two boys moved to recently.  His grandmother seems to think he would have better opportunities out there.  I'm not so sure; but then it's not my call to make.  We shall see if his father comes through.  His track record isn't the best regarding follow through though.  

Luckily, he is completely aware of his dad's flakiness and won't be devastated if the plan falls apart.  We also told him, we would help him figure it out if it came to that - as his grandmother hopes to move to Arizona to be near her sister and niece.

So, K - if you are listening; your boy is doing very well.  You would be so very proud of the man he has become.  I know I am.  And we will continue to keep an eye on him and the others.  Love you.