. . . a Lenten Dump Cake.
That all American Girl, Kit, came to visit this week. She brought with her my “cook fantastic”, Keziah. Actually, Keziah came and brought her doll, Kit with, but, you already figured that out.
Kez and Kit have matching aprons, crafted by a woman who turns old shirts and blouses into aprons which are as adorable as they are practical. Kezzie packed away both her apron and Kit’s. She knows her Yia Yia well and anticipated a few baking opportunities, one of which presented itself on the first morning here.
Actually, I was anxiously awaiting their arrival with the ingredients already purchased.
Earlier in the week, I saw a video with my cousin Pam demonstrating how to make a Lenten Dump Cake, which looked quite delicious. It was also something I could easily make with my granddaughter, Keziah. With most of the ingredients already in the house, the only thing I needed was a can of cherries and a can of pineapple tidbits. I managed to forget the pineapple on three separate grocery runs. Do you ever do that?
So it was, bright and early on the first morning we were together since Thanksgiving that Kezzie, Kit and Yia Yia began their baking marathon, spreading canned cherries into a large pan, followed by pineapple, dry cake mix, nuts, etc. with several liberal pinches of giggles and grins. It is such tasty fun cooking with Kezzie and it was particularly nice to have Kit in the kitchen to help.
Do you have a favorite dump cake you like to make?
Pam, if you read this, thank you for the inspiration and please know the this was a fun, and quite delicious, cake to make my granddaughter.
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Your granddaughter is adorable, Penny. I’ve never heard of a dump cake! I’m afraid I’d be dumping in a lot of chocolate. 🙂
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Thank you, Jill. She is a sweetheart.
A dump cake is basically any sort of cake or bar that you layer several ingredients. If you ever made a Magic Bar, you’ve dumped. 🙂
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What a delight to see your Keziah, growing up so fast, so gorgeous, and joining you in the kitchen. She is going to have many delicious taste memories in her adult life, just as you have with your Yia Yia. How precious to be passing on this legacy.
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Thank you, Juliet. I do hope she keeps these memories of baking. I have a feeling she will, but, it is nice to hear it from you. 🙂 “delicious taste memories” – I like that.
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What a wonderful way to spend a day with your granddaughter in the kitchen and make this wonderful dump cake. I always forget to buy something in the grocery store even if it is written on my list.
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It’s good to know I am not alone in forgetting what is on the list, Gerlinde. 🙂 Thank you. It was a wonderful day and a tasty recipe.
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Oh my, what fun! I haven’t made a dump cake in years. Your recipe looks delicious. I think mine was just dumping a can of fruit coctail in the cake. Keziah is looking so grown up and beautiful. It was fun that Kit could join the baking session. I am also tickled to hear about the aprons. My Grandmother always made cobbler aprons from Grandpa’s old shirts.
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Thanks for the mention of the fruit cocktail cake. I remember making that way-back-when. 🙂 Yummy. It was great fun to have Kit help. 🙂 She even put a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon in her apron.
How interesting to hear that your Grandmother made these aprons from your Grandpa’s shirts. It reminds me that the woman who makes these either said, or included in her information, that these were a throw-back from other times. Wow!
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Kezzie, Kit, and Yia Yia make such a perfect team in the kitchen! The secret ingredient in your kitchen is always a generous helping of LOVE. Overjoyed to hear about this very time with your delightful visitors, dear Penny! 💗
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We do! We do! I enjoy the so much and thing that Kezzie and Kit do as well. Now, I need to get Ezra involved.
Thank you so much for you kind words, Dawn.
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Yes, I do have a favorite dump cake. But it looks like the exact same one you made!
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How fun to hear that, Angela. It’s a fun one with variations. 🙂
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What fun for you both, Penny! And I think having Kit in the kitchen, too, was very special. Somewhere I do have the recipe for a dump cake my grandmother used to make, and now I’m wondering where I’ve put that recipe card! I’m so glad to see you have your sweet family visiting, and I’m sure you’re lapping up every moment. 🙂
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It was very special, indeed. 🙂
I have had those moments of wondering where-in-the-world an older recipe card is. I hope you find yours. I think these used to be called something different, but, whatever . . . 🙂 Yummy.
It is great having them here, Debra. We haven’t seen them since Thanksgiving, so are especially relishing this visit.
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Penny, I didn’t realize it had been since Thanksgiving that you’d been with the children! What a celebration! And I remembered the cake! My grandmother’s sister-in-law (an aunt by marriage) was responsible for the cake, much like yours, and she called it “Wacky Cake.” LOL! I’m definitely going to share it with the girls. ox
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It was a celebration, indeed, dear friend. I’m sitting here grinning, remembering something quite tasty called “Wacky Cake”. Do share it with those darling girls. Have fun – and good eating. 🙂
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I love your cooking posts, Penny! Love cooking with Kit and Kez! I hope you’ll do more with both!
I wish I had a good dump cake recipe! I know several people who do though. 😀
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Thanks, L. Marie. It is fun cooking with both, for sure. I thought you might appreciate another “character” in my post. 🙂
I can send you the recipe. It is easy, as dump cakes are, and adaptable. I’ll email to you soon.
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Dear Penny, so wonderful to see these photographs of your grand-daughter. Her smile is enchanting. Those American girl dolls have delighted children like Kizzie for decades now. It’s wonderful that “Kit’ and Kizzie both have aprons. Did you don one as well? I always wear an apron when I bake when I cook. An old habit that takes me back to the kitchen here I grew up watching my mother cook. Peace.
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Thank you, Dee. She is a dear. These dolls have, indeed, been beloved by several generations of children.In addition to giving children all that comes with loving/playing with dolls, these also come with information about the historical eras they depict. I sometimes think the mothers aunts and, especially in my case, grandmothers, love them as much as their children. 🙂 It was fun having Kit bake with us.
My paternal grandmother, who lived with us, always wore an apron and I find that I do, too. In my early years I managed to splatter grease or other stain makers on clothes that could not be removed, so have learned – besides, we need places to put things like tissues and, these days, cell phones. 🙂 Peace
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I don’t bake any more really at all — maybe an occasional pan of cornbread. But if I had an adorable sous chef like yours, I would take it up again!! ( My granddaughter is of course adorable too — but she is a mother herself and our days of cooking adventures is well over. These days she is far more likely to cook a whole meal for her grandfather and me than the other way round … (when we get back to Oregon).
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She is a most delightful sous chef, Sallie. I just called her that earlier in our visit and here you are mentioning it. 🙂 How wonderful that your granddaughter is the main cook and the torch, or should I say spoon?, has been passed on from now three generations. Love it! Thanks, Sallie.
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It is so great to share in your joy of cooking with Kezzie and Kit – two lucky girls and a lucky Yia Yia to be all together!
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It is such fun, Janet. When I am up north visiting, Josefina sometimes helps as well. 🙂 I really am so fortunate to be able to share this connection with Kezzie right now and cherish it.
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Love you site
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Thank you for stopping by and for saying so. I just took a few moments looking at your site and I’m sure I will be spending some time there soon. 🙂
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