.bake my cake...over fire.

So I'm not really a cake person, but it's almost my birthday and I've been having fantastic/traumatic (because the possibility of enjoying it this April 10th is zilch to none) flashbacks of this mocha cake (courtesy of The Settlement Cookbook and the baking abilities of a tall lanky Scandinavian) I had last year. It honestly made me fall in love with cake, chocolate cake. And it seems the Uni-verse is out to get me because even my favorite blogs are talking about cakes these days, and now this....who does that?!?!

The time is now to take my future/well being into my own hands. I didn't find any oranges at the market but I wouldn't let that stop me. i had to meet my maker, a cake baked over fire.

so i pulled out my "village cookbook", pumped myself up for disaster, found several fire blackened pots, and stoked the fire...









exhale. 

It wasn't a total disaster. The bread was actually quite delicious (maybe that's circumstantial...).

Cooking over fire is challenging because there is no temperature control and I haven't quite master a nice even fire (it usually roller coasters from roaring brush fire to coals and back again). Although even with my fire stoking faults the middle was edible (the bottom and sides were black. ekk.). But most importantly I impressed the Malawian family living in my house. Fanny, the Mom asked me what I was doing and when words didn't suffice I just picked up the top pot of the "oven" to expose the bread and she let out an "ahhhhh ooooowwww" which I think translates into "wow! this American girl can cook even though she's pressing 30, single, and childless." Success.

What are your favorite bread/cake recipes?

More baking adventures to come.
Much love to you all always.