9-11 Remembrance Cakes

Photo: RockyMountainNews.com

My grandparents used to say that they'll never forget where they were on December 7, 1941 when they first heard about Pearl Harbor.  It's odd how the most tragic moments are burned into your memory so that you remember every detail of where you were when you first heard.   In 2001 I was back in Colorado after 10 years in NY.   On Sept 11, 2001, I was driving to work listening to the morning show and remember my exact cross streets when the radio broke the news....they thought it was a either prank or a single engine plane at that point.  Fifteen minutes later the severity and reality was being broadcast across all the media and we were all glued to the television at work.  Is there anyone who doesn't remember the collective gasp and sharp intake of air as the first tower went down?  Or the sense of helplessness as the tragedy just continued to unfold?

And while the reality is that life does go on for most of us, just intentionally remembering can rekindle the feelings of shock, horror, sadness of that day, or the feelings of pride and patriotism as we watched the country unite in a way I'd never seen in all of my years.  Victims and heroes were honored and everyone seemed a little bit kinder during the months that followed.

Now on the 10th anniversary, we want to say we do still remember.   Yes, it's just cake.  And no it doesn't directly help anyone.  But it says I remember and my heart aches for those with hearts that are still healing and will always carry a bit of the hurt from that day.  And I thank those who continue to put their lives in harms way to protect our nation.

Thanks to Marla at Family Fresh Cooking for putting this together and creating the badge.  Head on over to her site see other Remembrance Cakes.

This recipe is pretty popular and hardly a new one...it's usually made in a sheet pan and serves a gazillion people.  My aunt made it for a family reunion and it was so moist and phenomenal, that we made it a couple of more times during that short reunion time.  I opted for cupcakes above (it still makes 24 servings using a cookie scoop...3/4 filled) but the recipe below is for the traditional sheet cake method. If you do make the cupcakes though, be warned that frosting them like above will give you enough frosting for about 10 cupcakes.  I may have gotten carried away.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 

Cake Ingredients:

1 can solid-pack pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups powdered confectioner's sugar
2-4 teaspoons milk
chopped nuts, for topping

Instructions: 

1. Beat pumpkin, sugar, and oil. Add eggs, mixing well.

2. In another bowl, combine dry cake ingredients and stir to mix. Add to pumpkin mixture and beat well.

3. Pour batter into greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool on a wire rack (in the pan); cover with a towel after about 15 minutes of cooling.

4. To make frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar, mixing well. Add milk until frosting reaches desired thickness. Frosten cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.