Eggplant Cake

While Farmer took a much needed vacation with his dad, I went to be with his mom in Missouri for the week (with Dandelion and Little Leaf in tow of course). We had a grande ole time visiting zoos (yes we went to two of them), swimming, taking trips to Barnes and Noble, going to Mansfield to see Laura Ingalls Wilder's home and visiting Baker Creek farm and pioneer village nearby.

We also decided to have a some pictures taken with the kiddos. The wonderful Timara Runner took the pictures for a reasonable price and although Dandelion was in a contrary mood, she was able to take several really good ones of the kids.

The excursions to Laura's house and Bakersville were particular highlights for me. As I've mentioned before, like many readers, I am fascinated by the Little House on the Prairie series. Having only a small taste of farm life myself, I am even more amazed at the things Ma, Pa and the girls Ingalls were able to accomplish without modern conveniences. The house in Mansfield is one that Almanzo built for Laura one room at a time as they could afford it. The kitchen was the first room and it reflected Laura's small height, which was 4'11''. The cabinets were quite short and when they had enough money to buy a refrigerator, it turned out that the appliance was too deep to fit into the space made for it. Instead of sending it back, Almanzo built a cubby onto the front of the house to make room for it. Talk about a husband's commitment to his wife's kitchen.

The other place we visited in Mansfield was Baker Creek Farm and Pioneer village (Bakersville). Constructed building by building by a young seed lover and his family, the village boasts a working seed store and restaurant, a working bakery, a pretend jail and among other things, a gorgeous garden in the center that provides food for the restaurant which serves lunch and is paid by donation only. The owners, Seventh Day Adventists and vegetarians who are committed to furthering the local and non-GMO food cause, distribute the Anthropologie of heirloom seeds catalogues. Beautifully photographed, the produce from their heirloom seeds is often exotic and always colorful.

We ate lunch at the restaurant and the food was amazing. My particular favorite was the dessert: eggplant cake. I asked for the recipe and was told it was in the seed catalogue. So I made it when I got home and it was a hit with Farmer.

Here is the recipe with a few substitutions on my part:

Eggplant Cake

2 cups pureed eggplant (peeled, cooked, pureed)

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour (I did 1 cup wheat/2 cups white)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Wash, peel, cook and puree eggplant. Pour puree in colander and press out excess liquid. Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Mix wet ingredients together and add to dry. Pour into a well-greased 9"X 13" baking dish and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

While still warm, drizzle with butter cream icing. After cooled, ice cake lightly.

Laura's and Almanzo's house

Dandelion in the bonnet I couldn't resist buying her at the gift shop

Baker Creek Seed Store

Pioneer Village (Bakersville)

Our yummy lunch at Bakersville

The apothecary

Self-explanatory

With Nana and Gigi at the pool