Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Yes, you read that right, Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake.  Now before you turn away in disgust hear me out.  Think about it, what is mayonnaise made out of?  Oil and eggs.  What ingredients are normally found in a moist cake?  Oil and eggs.  Whoever thought to put mayonnaise in a cake is a true genius!

Apparently it was commonly used in baking during WWII when ingredients were scarce and it feels very appropriate to resurrect it during the COVID-19 pandemic.  These days certain staples are harder to come by than others, e.g., eggs and milk, so this cake is the perfect solution.  I'd wager that you probably have most (or all) of the ingredients already in your pantry. 

If you're lacking confidence in the baking department I highly encourage you to give this recipe a try.  Everything is mixed by hand and no electric appliances are needed.  For any parents out there looking for a relatively easy activity to do with their kids give this recipe a try.  It couldn't be simpler and is practically foolproof.   Seriously, you can't mess it up!

To decorate the cake you can go with a light dusting of powdered sugar but I had some leftover ermine frosting so I ended using that.  And don't forget the sprinkles if you have any, they're always a good idea regardless of your age.

This easy-to-make cake is packed with so much chocolate flavor I bet you won't look at that jar of Best Foods or Hellmann's the same way again.  

Stay healthy and safe!

Butter Toffee Popcorn

My brother seems to think he's the king of caramel popcorn and while that may be true, in his mind at least, I will arrogantly declare that I am the queen of Butter Toffee Popcorn.  I had previously posted a recipe on this blog for caramel popcorn that, in retrospect, just wasn't up to par.   Then I found this recipe for butter toffee popcorn on Cook's Country and that all changed.  Thus began my self-proclaimed reign as popcorn sovereign.  Long live the queen!

This recipe is fantastic.  The only tweak I made was to substitute cashews for the peanuts.  I wanted to add a little extra decadence but I think using any kind of nut will work just as well.   

A note on the popcorn: I find I get the best results using fresh popped corn, not microwave popcorn.  My favorite way to make homemade popcorn is with the Whirley-Pop.  Just two ingredients, kernels and vegetable oil, and in less than 5 minutes you've got fluffy, crispy popcorn. 

I'm thinking of making this popcorn to give as gifts during the holidays - what a more appropriate accompaniment to my popular cashew toffee.