Recipe: Patricia Polacco's Thunder Cake

• Posted on food.com
• 

  "This is the Thunder Cake recipe from Patricia Polacco's "Thunder Cake" picture book. It is a wonderful chocolate cake with a hint of fruit flavor from the secret ingredient! 
  It is perfect frosted  and topped with fresh sliced strawberries! (The strawberries and tomato match wonderfully and I promise that no one will know it is tomato, they will only ask what you did to make it so wonderful!)"              Dwynnie
  
  
  Ingredients
• 1 c shortening
  1 3/4 c sugar
  1 t. vanilla
  3 eggs - separated
      (blend yolks in. Beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in.)
  1 c cold water
  1/3 c tomato puree (you are reading this correctly!)
  2 1/2 c cake flour
  1/2 c cocoa powder
  1 1/2 t. baking soda
  1 t. salt
• Ganache optional
  (from Sugar Plum - Click for full recipe)
  1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  1 tablespoon corn syrup
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. 2
   Grease and flour two 8 1/2 inch cake pans.
3. 3
   Cream together the shortening and sugar.
4. 4
   Beat in the vanilla and egg yolks.
5. 5
   Mix in the cold water and pureed tomatoes.
6. 6
   Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold into egg/tomato mixture.
7. 7
   Sift the cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
8. 8
   Mix dry mixture into wet.
9. 9
   Pour batter evenly into cake pans.
10. 10
    Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
11. 11
    Let cakes cool on wire racks before frosting with chocolate buttercream icing or ganache.

    
    

    To make the ganache, heat cream in s small saucepan over medium-low heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and whisk in chocolate until melted; whisk in butter, corn syrup and vanilla until combined. Pour and spread ganache over cooled cake layers.
12. 12
    Optional: Top with fresh strawberries.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/patricia-polaccos-thunder-cake-171669#ixzz1oSfkLI21

CLIP Review: Thunder Cake

Author and Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Growing up in a house with 3 porches, my sisters and I often chose to sit out a thunderstorm while under blankets on one of them. The front porch had a swing, the side porch was screened in and the  back porch often had something to eat that hadn't fit in the kitchen cupboards. So the usual pattern was to hit the back porch, load up, go to the side porch until the worst was over, and end up swinging on the front porch. It was a pretty good ritual unless lightning came and mom made us get in the house - fast!
 (I should quickly add that my bravery in facing thunderstorms was apparent only when the 3 of us stayed together. I certainly never had a "solo" storm party!)  Even now, reading the book Thunder Cake, I have an instant identification with the young child in the story.


"The air was hot, heavy and damp. A loud clap of thunder shook the house, rattled the windows and made me grab her (Grandma) close. 'Steady, child,' she cooed. 'Unless you let go of me, we won't be able to make a Thunder Cake today!'" As Grandma and the child rush around the farm gathering all the ingredients for their cake before the storm reaches them, a change slowly begins to take place in the child. She gets the eggs from old Nellie Peck Hen, the milk from old Kick Cow, the sugar and flour from the shed in Tangleweed Woods. The detailed illustrations of Grandma milking the cow, the child gazing lovingly and trustingly into her Grandma's face will make you feel the emotion in each page. How delicious do you think their Thunder Cake was - just as the rain began to pour down upon the roof? Well, you can try it for yourself as the directions for this yummy cake are given at the end of the story, and will be posted in Fireflies tomorrow. Now you only have to hope for a rainy day!  

[Don't miss the interview with Polacco - see below.]

Suggested age: 4 - 8 years

CLIP Questions:

1. Grandma said, "We've got everything but the secret ingredient." What do you think the secret ingredient was?
2. Why did Grandma have the child begin counting when she saw lightning and stop when she heard thunder?  Is this really true?
3. How did Grandma prove to the child that she had been brave?

INTERVIEW with Patricia Polacco
Comments on Thunder Cake comes 9 min into video.

Wonderful interview about Polacco's family, background, reading struggles, etc.  It's worth watching.  (BTW, we are huge Polacco fans.)  Be sure to check out all of her books.  

CLIP Review: Brave Martha

Author and Illustrator: Margot Apple

Martha and Sophie do everything together.  They take walks, play dress up, but most importantly, Sophie checks out all the creepy places before bedtime. When she comes out from under the bed Martha knows it is safe. Oh, did I mention that Sophie is a cat? Well, imagine Martha's concern when her family invites company who bring their dog and Sophie disappears. Martha is tucked into bed with Father saying, "Oh, be brave, Martha. There's nothing under the bed."  That's when she hears it. Scritcha, scritcha, scritch.  Armed with her umbrella and her Daniel Boone hat, Martha bravely searches for the source of the scritches, thumps, and thuds. Shadowed illustrations from under the covers, in the closet and finally snuggling with the source of the ruckus will delight the reader.

Suggested age: 4 - 7 years

CLIP Questions:

1. Is Brave Martha a good title for this book? Why?
2. What is something you can do to feel brave?
3. Why had Sophie disappeared for awhile?
   Do you think she was afraid of something also?

(Thanks to Jim who suggested placing purchase links on Fireflies!)

Norman Rockwell's "Young Boy on a High Dive Board"

[Cultural Binge: Art Appreciation]

Interesting fact

Both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg collect the artwork of Norman Rockwell.  This is Spielberg's favorite painting.  When asked why it was his favorite Rockwell painting, Spielberg said, "Well, let's put it this way: This is the Rockwell that, every time I'm ready to make a movie, every time I'm ready to commit to direct a movie, that's me - that's the feeling in my gut, before I say 'yes' to a picture. Because every movie is like looking off an extremely high diving board, every one."

George Lucas on Rockwell 

"Norman Rockwell was able to sum up the story in a way that made you not only want to read the entire story," said Lucas, "but actually understand who the people were, what their motives were, everything in one little frame."

Ahhh Norman Rockwell.  We love his work because of the message/story of America that jumps off of each canvas.  This is a great link that highlights the artwork of Norman Rockwell.  Choose any one of these prints to trigger conversations.  Encouraging the love of art in your child begins with asking questions and encouraging thoughtful responses.  Don't just tell your child what to see - teach them how to see.  We have begun the conversation with four questions.   Depending on the age of your child, use the following or come up with your own conversation starters.  Enjoy!

Visual Comm Discussion Questions:

1.  What is the artist trying to show us in this painting?

2.  What could the boy be looking at?

3.  Is there something that frightens you or makes you want to stop a plan you have?

4.  How does God teach us to respond to fear?

Julie Hagan

CLIP Review: The Kissing Hand

Author:  Audrey Penn
Illustrators:  Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak

Chester is a young raccoon who would rather stay at home than go to school.  In the forward, Jean Kennedy Smith notes that the story is "for any child who confronts a difficult situation, and for the child within each of us who sometimes needs reassurance."  Mrs. Raccoon tells her boy that "I know a wonderful secret that will make your nights at school seem as warm and cozy as your days at home." She then kisses his palm, and Chester feels the kiss "rush from his hand, up his arm, and into his heart." Whenever he gets lonely, she advises, he is to press his hand to his cheek and "that very kiss will jump to your face and fill you with toasty warm thoughts." And indeed, this "secret" works for Chester, who in turn kisses his mother's palm so that she, too, will be reassured. 

Even though this is a delightful book to read to a child who is beginning school, I wanted to share it this month because of our CLIP theme for March, facing fears.  Every child experiences separation anxiety, and this is the perfect book to use when addressing these fears.    

3 - 8 years

Deni Corbett

The Kissing Hand activity
Trace and cut out your child's hand on a piece of construction paper.  Load on the lipstick and leave a kiss imprint in the middle of their traced hand.  Fold and place in their pocket whenever they are afraid to be away from you.    

Kissing Hand Cookies
Using a hand-shaped cookie cutter (about $1.00), make hand-shaped sugar cookies and place a chocolate candy kiss or heart shaped candy in the middle after taking the cookies out of the oven.
                                     "The kiss (or heart) is you, the hand is me,
                                                  I love you and our family."

March Moments: Beware of Monsters

My husband and I sit on the couch winding down from the day and our second born calls out for me.  I go into the bedroom he and his older brother share.  He’s laying there in his bed, 4 years old, his eyes filled with anxiety.  “Mom, I can’t fall asleep, I’m afraid.”  What are you afraid of I ask.  “Monsters”, he says.   He had been struggling for several weeks with this fear, and although we didn’t let him watch shows with scary or inappropriate content, still his mind filled with scary images and thoughts as he lay in bed at night.   At the same time I talk to him I prayed and asked the Lord what to do.  Then it came to me -  I needed to put a sword in his hand.  I had him sit up and told him, “I’m going to teach you a bible verse tonight, and each time you feel afraid I want you to say this until you feel better”.  

2 Timothy 1:7...
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

As we practiced it together we made up hand motions to reinforce it in his mind.  I wrote the verse on a piece of paper and taped it above his bed.  

Now ten years later he has a very strong and secure way about him.  He recently drew this picture and it brought me right back to that time when he was such a little guy trying to deal with some very big feelings.  

Enjoy your "moments"!

Lanise Santala

CLIP Review: The Island of the Skog

Author and Illustrator: Steven Kellogg

The Rough-riding Rowdies must preserve their pelts!


Actually, the little band of mice have once again, barely escaped the butcher's cat.  In desperation they sail to The Island of the Skog, claim the land "as a place where all mice can live without fear", and then begin to wonder just what a "Skog" might be. Imaginations run wild as to what this unknown creature is or how it should be treated. Fears of this unknown "monster" build until Jenny, Hannah and the band of rowdies scheme and plot and devise a plan to catch the Skog and get rid of him. Will it be too late by the time Jenny says, "If only we'd talked to each other"?  Steven Kellogg's illustrations, especially those of the mices' faces, are sweetly detailed.  You may find yourself coming up with your own little tune as you 'sing' the last page along with the rowdies.

                                                                                            Suggested ages: 5 - 8 years

Mary Kline

CLIP Questions:
1.  Is it a bad thing to be afraid?
2.  Who can help us with our fears? Does sharing help?
3.  Can you find a verse in the Bible about fear?
4.  Draw a picture about something that scares you.  Did it look like the Skog?