KANSAS KID'S CAKE

Saturday night was the December meeting for the NNL's Dinner Club.  Traditionally our December meeting isn't a sit-down dinner like the other months, but just appetizers and desserts.  The hostess supplies a meat such as a ham or tenderloin....something that could be eaten as a sandwich if the people liked.  

Then we have our gift exchange (a $10 gift) following the Dirty Santa rules.  Everyone who brings a gift gets a number.  Whoever has number 1 goes first by selecting a gift and unwrapping it.  Whoever has number 2 can either choose the gift that number 1 selected or choose an unknown gift.  The "game" continues with the next number selecting an unknown gift or any gift that has already been opened.  If someone's gift is taken away from him/her, that person can select an unknown gift or anyone else's gift.  A gift can only be "stolen" twice.  The second time it is taken, that person gets to keep it.  You have to do this or the game could go on all night long with people "stealing" the gifts.  It is more fun when people do take other person's  gifts though.

As usual I decided to take a dessert.  I spent Friday night going through cookbooks trying to decide what to take.  I finally narrowed it down to three choices. (I will probably be making the other two soon.)

Kansas Kid's Cake is a recipe in my Favorite Brand Name Bake Sale Cookbook that I have made recipes from before. It was the recipe that was shown in the picture on the right page.  There was no explanation as to the name.  The only thing I could come up with was the fact that it has peanut butter in it.  I made the cake Saturday morning and it was looking good....like I thought it might look in the process.  Then I took it out of the oven after the "allotted" time and it didn't look anything like the picture.  Has that ever happened to you?  

While it was cooling, I was trying to decide what to do....take it or make one of the other two choices.  The directions said to serve warm or after it had cooled completely.  So I decided to cut a small piece and see how it tasted.  

Well, after the first bite, I decided I was taking it.  No one at the Dinner Club would know what it was "supposed" to look like.  It was that good.  

Thinking about it, I can't imagine how it would look like the picture in the book....with the crumbled mix staying completely on top of the cake.  The crumbled mix you sprinkle on top is heavy and seems to me would naturally fall as the cake bakes.  Anyway, I'm not going to worry about it.  No matter what it is named or what it looks like, it is definitely a "keeper" and I am sure I will be making it again when I have somewhere to take it so I won't be tempted to eat it all.

KANSAS KID'S CAKE

1/2  cup (1 stick) butter, softened (at room temperature)

1/4  cup peanut butter

3/4  cup honey

2  eggs

1  teaspoon vanilla

1  cup all-purpose flour (I used soft wheat flour)

1  cup whole-wheat flour

1-1/2  teaspoons baking powder

3/4  teaspoon baking soda

1/2  teaspoon salt

3/4  cup buttermilk

TOPPING

1/2  cup peanut butter

3/4  cup sugar

2  tablespoons all-purpose flour

1  cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and lightly flour 9 x 13-inch pan.

Beat together butter, peanut butter and honey in large bowl until well blended.

Blend in eggs and vanilla.

Sift together dry ingredients.

Add to butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into prepared pan.

Prepare topping:  Combine peanut butter, sugar, and flour in medium bowl, mixing until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Crumble topping over batter.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

This is what it looked like after it cooled.

After I cut it

I did get pictures of the other great dishes that were brought and will be sharing the recipes with you as my friends send me the recipes.