Tricks for living as an old bachelor.

[Bookmem]

I lost my wife about ten years ago and have learned a few tricks for living alone since then.  One, is how to bake a cake for a single person.  I learned how to make a great cake, cheap, some time ago.  But it would always spoil long before I finisthed eating it.  Making the cake is easy.  Buy the cheapest white or yellow cake mix you can.  But don't follow the baking instructions.  Instead just put a can of fruit, peaches, pears or even fruit cocktail in a food processor.  Add three large or two jumbo  eggs.  You don't need any oil or shortnening, but I do add a tablespoon of room temp butter.  Process until the fruit is well pureed and then add the cake mix, one third at a time and blend till smooth.  This makes enough batter for two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.  But as I said, if I bake it that way, it will spoil before I can eat it.  Instead I put it in a frig container and store it to make small cakes as needed.  Put two large serving spoons of batter in a six inch bowl or, as I do, the 6" round dishes from single serving frozen dinners, and cook in an air fryer at 300f for 20 minutes.  (Air fryers are must for cooking and/or reheating for single  people.)  Add whip topping, fruit preserves or jelly, chocolate syurp or just plain powder sugar, instead of icing.

[zlim]

There are two of us. I find I freeze things. A cake will freeze well.

You can also make a single serving cake in a mug. https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/the-moistest-chocolate-mug-cake/

My husband is not the sweet eater that I am which is good because diabetes runs in his family but not mine. When I get hungry for cake, a mug cake feeds my craving.

Edited April 27, 2020 by zlim

[Bookmem]

5 hours ago, zlim said:

There are two of us. I find I freeze things. A cake will freeze well.

You can also make a single serving cake in a mug. https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/the-moistest-chocolate-mug-cake/

My husband is not the sweet eater that I am which is good because diabetes runs in his family but not mine. When I get hungry for cake, a mug cake feeds my craving.

Yes, you can freeze cake but there are two problems with that.  One, IMO, it spoils the texture of the cake and two, I don't have room in my freezer of a whole cake.  The batter, OTOH, can be refrigerated and in a much smaller container.  As to the cake-in-a-mug, I've tried that too and while it will do in a pinch, it is nowhere as good as what I make with the pureed fruit.  

 

edit: zlim, after re-reading this post, I realized it sounds a little condescending and I apologize.  I actually appreciate your adding your comments.  Thanks

Edited April 27, 2020 by Bookmem