Lumberjack Cake

I saw this recipe in a magazine a couple of years ago and I ripped it out and have magically held onto it all this time. (If you know how many places I've lived, you know that this is a miracle.)

I have tried to figure out why they call it Lumberjack Cake. No one in the world seems to know. No one. So I'm just going to assume that its called Lumberjack Cake because lumberjacks really like delicious foods and this cake is a heavenly piece of gooey perfection. Richard is, apparently, not a lumberjack. He thought this cake was a little too gooey. But I think if you love German Chocolate cake, then you'll love this. Coconutty, gooey tastiness.

A disclaimer: I was not trying to be all Betty Crocker by grating fresh coconut. I would have gone straight for the bagged, shredded coconut but the store was out. However, a very helpful clerk told me "Why don't you grate it yourself? We got fresh coconut." As if that's just something you do every day. 

1 cup chopped, pitted dates
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I substituted coffee liquer and it was great!)
1 apple, peeled, cored, diced
1/2 cup shredded coconut


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan; line the bottom with parchment paper.


In a small saucepan bring dates and 1 cup of water to a boil. Stir in baking soda; set aside and allow to cool.


In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt.

In a large bowl or standing mixer, beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla on medium speed . Slowly beat in date mixture until combined. Add flour mixture gradually until just combined.

Gently fold in apple and coconut.

Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack. Gently remove sides of pan and then parchment paper.

What have we been up to?

I don't like summer. Sure, the beach is nice and sunshine is lovely. But summer is really one of those things you only love when you're deep in the bowels of winter. After months of freezing snow and long, dark nights you find yourself saying "I can't wait for summer." That perfect Spring weather arrives and you are freed from the shackles of your wintery prison.

And before you know it Summer is all up in your face and every attempt to look remotely put together is ruined the minute you step out into the hell fire of the Summer sun. So please forgive my recent absence as I have been recovering from this, the most unforgiving of seasons.

However, in the absence of posting, the hubby and I have been trying out all manner of new and interesting ideas.

First, we thought it would be the best hing ever if we made our own pickles. We were right. Richard loves half sour pickles and I've recently grown to love them myself. So I thought I'd try to make some using Persian cucumbers instead of Kirbys. Having never made pickles before, I consulted the all-knowing wisdom of the internet and discovered this recipe on Brooklynfarmgirl.com. After just 4 days, we had some seriously awesome pickles. We ate 2 jars in 2 days. I'm not ashamed. You should definitely try this recipe.

In August we attended the wedding of two people we love very much. It was a beautiful ceremony with the most amazing sunset view of Manhattan I have every experienced. But before any of the festivities began, the wise bride got us all boozed up and properly fed with some delicious hors d'oeuvres. One that really stuck out was a blini with cream cheese and caviar. Like most people, I keep cases of caviar sitting around my apartment. But my order must have been delayed or something because there was no abundance of caviar when I needed it. So we made these little beauties instead:

I used my usual pancake batter recipe and poured it out in bite size portions on the griddle. Then I piped cream cheese on top, wrapped smoked salmon around the cream cheese and topped it with capers and green onion. This was beyond easy and insanely delicious. If you are having a party, then you better serve these or I am NOT coming.

Stay tuned for our next post - Lumberjack Cake! Oh yeah!