It’s Tuesday on the farm. Our guys just switched from combining corn back to beans due to the heavy amount of rain we got this past week. The moisture test on the beans is around 14, a bit wet, but they decided to run them anyway. I’ve been to the field twice today. Ran a lunch up to Mr. Farmer as he didn’t make it back home to pick it up as he thought. I just got back from taking two men back to the corn field to pick up a semi-truck and a grain cart. When the combines aren’t running and need to be, the men are on the run. Every minute counts when the weather cooperates. Today it’s cooperating. Tomorrow, rain is forecast, so that may mean a very late night in the soybean field again. That’s just part of harvest. One day when the snow is flying, they can lounge at the kitchen table just a little longer over a cup of hot chocolate. But for now, it’s game on!
I pulled out an old recipe from my lovely mother-in-law, Grandma Maxine. She was such a great cook. She used to make this cake when Stan and I were dating. Now that was a few moons ago! I have served it up as dessert and also for a coffee cake. The smell of this cake baking fills the kitchen with such a wonderful aroma.
- Cake:
- 1 yellow cake mix
- 2 T vegetable oil
- 1⅓ C water
- 1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
- 2 eggs
- For streusel:
- ½ C flour
- ½ C brown sugar
- 2 t. cinnamon
- 2 T butter, melted
- For glaze:
- 2 T melted butter
- ¾ C powdered sugar
- ½ t vanilla
- 3 T milk (or more to thin)
- For cake:
- In large bowl, beat all ingredients together. Pour ¾ batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
- For steusel:
- Stir all ingredients together. Sprinkle ⅔ mixture atop cake batter.
- Then pour the other ¼ batter on top steusel.
- Finish by sprinkling the last ⅓ streusel mixture on top.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- For glaze:
- Mix all glaze ingredients and drizzle over the top of the cake.
Ecclesiates 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might….”
Work is good for the soul, whether it is baking a cake or harvesting soybeans.
