A thankful cake

Emily over at Chatting at the Sky is challenging us to take a moment today to celebrate the small things and see the lovely in our lives (in spite of the food stuck to the floor and the laundry piled high). :)

After I read Emily's post about what she would be doing today it challenged me to pay attention to things around me and especially moments shared with my 3 year old. I knew that today I would be at work and be busy from the moment I hit the door so my moment actually happened yesterday.

I told my Sweet Girl we were going to make one of her Daddy's favorite cakes (Lemon Poppyseed) for him. I explained to her as we were making it that it was not his birthday or any other special day ... we were doing it "just because".

Over the years when I've slowed down and thought about it, I've talked to her and told her how thankful we should be for Daddy and I point out all the things that he does for us. He works hard to provide for us, he protects us, he is not lazy, he keeps the grass cut, the cars running, he plays with her and so on.


Yesterday I did that again and called our cake a "thankful cake" and we talked about all that Daddy does for us. When I got done, I asked her why we made the cake and she said "because it's not his birthday and he tickles us". I thought she caught on rather well for 3 years old! :)


You see, to my Sweet Girl the fact that he plays with her and tickles her IS the most important thing in her world right now and that's why she was making the cake. I thought it was precious and I was so glad that I took the time to slow down and enjoy the process with her! It also reminded me to be thankful for "Daddy" and all he does for us and that's always a good thing.


My sister Beth always has dessert, whether it's cookies, cake or something else, under her pretty glass cake dome at her house and she is the one that shared this recipe with me. I LOVE cakes that use a cake mix and additional ingredients. They seem so much easier than scratch and taste so yummy.

Here's the recipe in case you want to make someone a cake today for no reason at all!

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup plain or vanilla nonfat yogurt
3 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Combine cake mix and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add vegetable oil and next four ingredients and beat on medium speed for six minutes. Stir in poppyseeds. Pour into well greased bundt pan and bake for 40 min at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 min. Remove from pan and drizzle with lemon glaze.

Lemon Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Lemon juice

Sift powdered sugar into bowl. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and stir. Add enough lemon juice until glaze if of drizzling consistency.


I encourage you to take a moment today and enjoy the small things around you. Put the laundry aside and go cuddle with the little one or call someone just to say "hi". Oh and in case you are wondering, Sweet Girl DID dress herself. ;)

~Victoria~