Being the ever thinking mom that I am, I figured I had the perfect plan! We would get out of the house for the day! Go on an adventure! Visit some friends who were staying at their cabin for the weekend. I figured a day of fresh air, lots of activity, and a minimal nap would make her good and exhausted by the time the new "earlier" 8:00pm rolled around, and bedtime would be a breeze.
I couldn't have been more wrong!
Last night was by far the worst bedtime we've ever had. Ever! It was basically 2 hours of hell that involved many long crying stints, vomit, more crying, requests for stories, water, food, and bottles, cuddles, racing around the house like a crazed person, and finally one last cry, and then a dead to the world pass out.
She woke up this morning with a yucky cold, so I guess that the insanity was the lead up to her getting sick, but it still seems like an odd coincidence, and I still blame the stupid time change!
Today was a quiet day for her, and cooking always seems to make her feel better, so this afternoon, we made the famous Great Canadian Ketchup cake. For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, you will have seen all the mixed reactions to such a cake last week when I did a shout out about it.
I, of course, being the Ketchup lover that I am, and always feeling the need to try weird sounding things, just had to make it.
It was actually really good! Kinda like a nice, buttery spice cake. Even my hubby who was SUPER skeptical about it liked it. So I say, try it!
Love and Hugs
Ketchup Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup Heinz Tomato Ketchup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tblsp red food colouring
- 1 tblsp good quality vanilla
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 ounces brick-style cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 blsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups icing sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Stir the flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger into a bowl. Stir the ketchup, water and colouring in a separate bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and blend in the sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour mixture and ketchup mixture. Beat on low, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until the centre springs back when touched lightly. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely.
- Frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar on low, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat on high until fluffy. Frost between the cake layers and over the sides and top of the cake. Makes 12 servings.