File this under "Typical Kate In The Kitchen".

I've been wanting to make a chocolate cake with my 6 year old daughter for several days now and today we needed dessert for lunch.  So, after breakfast, we set to work.  I got this recipe from Molly Katzen's "Honest Pretzels" cookbook for kids, which I bought a few years ago.  It's mostly a vegan cookbook (which appeals to me) and this cake recipe has no eggs, which makes it less messy.  It's also mixed in the pan it's baked in, which means less to clean up! 

I got out all the ingredients and measured them for Carmen, showing her the utensils and markings.  She dumped all the dry ingredients into the baking pan.  This recipe calls for powdered cocoa, which Carmen knows is not sweet.  She enjoys a story I've told her about me as a kid.  When I was her age, I snuck into my mom's baking cupboard and found her baking chocolate.  I broke off a piece and took a bite - ugh!  I think she likes hearing how Mom was being bad and got what I deserved!  I digress ...

After putting in all the dry stuff, she mixed that all together.  Then we made four dents, and poured in the four wet ingredients.  She started mixing all this together (very carefully, I might add) and then she asked an innocent question:  "Mom, what will make the cocoa sweet?"  I looked at her.  Then I looked at the recipe.  Sure enough, I had forgotten 1 cup of white sugar!  Oops!  I laughed and laughed, because this is SO like me!  I mean, there are so many distractions, what with teaching, my dh is home most mornings and then, there's the boys.  I also laughed with relief that my daughter is SO much smarter than her mother.  Quickly, I gave her a cup of sugar and she mixed that all together.  Then we baked it and it turned out pretty good.  A bit grainy, maybe because of WHEN the sugar was added but no one else noticed that.  I was proud of my daughter and I think she was pretty happy with her cake.  It was a good experience.  Carmen saved the day!

When we told my dh what happened, he just shook his head.  He knows me ALL too well.  When we married, I didn't know how to cook.  Fortunately, he knew how to cook and taught me.  Well, he's still trying, anyway.  Apparently there's so much more to learn!

Is it true that kids learn more from their parents' mistakes than when we try to teach them?  I hope so - my kids get lots of opportunities!

Oh, would you like the recipe?  Here is it (briefly) ...

MADE-IN-THE-PAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

                                                              Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups unbleached white flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup water

1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil (we use Saffola)

1 tsp vanilla extract (come on, use the real thing!)

1 tsp cider vinegar (white vinegar may be substituted)

In an 8" x 8" square glass baking pan, put the first 5 ingredients (dry stuff).  Mix all together with a fork and spoon, until there's no white showing.  Then make 4 dents (2 large and 2 small) in the mixture.  Pour the water and oil each in a big dent.  Pour the vanilla and vinegar into the smaller dents.  Stir slowly until all mixed together and a batter forms.  Scrape the sides and smooth the top.  Use a wet paper towel to clean the edges of the pan.  Bake for 30 min.  (Kate's note:  Test for doneness, then add 5 min and test again.  Repeat if necessary.  Our cake needed 40 min total.)  Cool cake in pan for 30 min before cutting into squares. 

Enjoy!