weekend update

it's a wonderful monday today, i have work off but more important than that it's martin luther king day!

so in saturday night live style this is weekend update, no seth meyers though.  anyway, this weekend was packed with fun things.  on friday we scored free tickets to the motocross.

on a quick bunny trail, i was searching for the particular motocross group we saw on friday because i thought they were pretty impressive...or scary.  i still haven't decided.  it made me real glad i wasn't one of those boy's mothers, partly because they are only 5 years younger than me and that would be a  miracle  tragedy.  but mostly because they were doing scary tricks that could only result in bones breaking and very expensive insurance.  did i just take a bunny trail within a bunny trail?  oh my.  anyway, back to my original bunny trail, i was searching online to for a link to the show on the blog because i thought it was amazing. i clinked on the link from the ticket vendor sure that this was the group we saw.  but it turned out to be way cooler motocross group than the group we saw, it made me glad our tickets were free. be grateful in the small things, right?

so anyway, the locksmith scored 8 free tickets on friday and 4 on saturday.  we could only find 1 couple to come with us on friday ( i promise we do have friends but they were legitimately busy (washing hair, walking their new pet cheetahs etc) and we don't (normally) buy their friendship with bribs to free shows).  as we took our seats at the show my friend pulls out her crochet needle and yarn and proceeded to crochet the entire time.  can you think of any activity more opposite from motocross than crochet?  i know you don't believe me either so i took a picture for proof.

isn't she so cute?  i mean really who does this?

all around it was a good time and she made excellent headway on her scarf.  we enjoy going out with this couple; especially when she adds a little class to any event with the art of crochet!

saturday i made a dessert from one of the best cake books ever. period.  if i don't have much time or energy dr. byrn is my go-to lady!  dr. byrn claims to be the cake mix doctor but i am not fully conviced she isn't a real dr but that is neither here nor there.  i made her delish honey bun cake.  i had most of the ingredients on hand so i only spent $2.32 to make this cake.  i had the locksmith give me a high-five for that.  the locksmith picked out this recipe; he wanted breakfast for dessert, which i won't argue with, especially if it's honey bun cake.  the honey bun cake reminds me of

it will add a little bit of honey and cinnamon sunshine to your day, this cake should be it's own little miss!  before we start baking little miss honey bun cake i should tell you that the finish on these photos is posterise.  my kitchen is equipped with 9 lights in it, flood lights practically.  i mean, honestly, i could preform surgery in my kitchen if need be or dr. byrn, the cake doctor, could but again that is neither here nor there.  so the photos came out very bright so i decided to make them look like they came out a comic book instead.

first you start with ingredients that are of....

quality.  i know that was a terrible joke but i promise you i could not help myself!  sometimes i crack myself up.  ok honestly, no more egg jokes.  here is what you will need:

• oil spray for misting the pan
• 1 package (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix 
• 1 cup sour cream ( i did light sour cream, you know to cut calories)
• 3/4 cup oil ( i used canola but use whatever you want, you're allowed, just not olive oil)
• 4 large eggs

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  spray a 13-by-9 inch baking pan with your oil spray.  put all ingredients in a mixer or a bowl if the fancy standing-mixer didn't come for christmas or is too hard to get out.  it will look like this, just in case you are a visual learner.

next, mix it for 1 minute on low, this is to prevent cake powder from getting on your eyelashes, i am not speaking from experience here.  then stop the mixer (be it your fancy mixer or your sleek hand-held mixer).  scrape sides.  mix again on medium for 2 minutes.  the batter will be thick like this...

when i read this photo it makes me want to sing it in a elvis voice, "i'm all mixed up, ummm hmm".  was that out-loud?

pour batter into grease pan and smooth with a spatula.  now dr. byrn doesn't mention this part (again evidence she may be a real doctor) but now is the time to leave a wee bit (plus a wee more) of batter in the pan, close the blinds so the neighbors don't see and lick the bowl and spatula without shame.  during this step my sweet husband, the locksmith, told me he loved me at least 5 times.  this cake will even strengthen your marriage or sweet little miss honey bun may come between you and your loved ones.  i cannot say for sure.  now add the filling.  yes, this cake does get even better. 

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnmon
• 1/2 finely chopped pecans (only if you want)  

drizzle the honey over the batter.  sprinkle on the cinnamon and brown sugar (and pecans but don't feel pressured to do it).  take a butter knife and swirl that yummy filling around.  you will have pretty swirls in your batter.  again, dr byrn left out the important detail of licking the knife (carefully though and don't use a cutco knife, seriously my step-dad did once,  i will save that story for later).  again, your loved ones will tell you they love you at least 5 more times if they get some of this batter too.  the locksmith was much more animated at this point, i was glad the blinds were closed.  i turned red and then green with jealousy of that little miss honey bun.  on a side note, i also made 2 tiny bundt cakes so i used a smaller pan than 13-by-9.  can you see the tiny cake in the upper left corner?  so cute, right?

bake cake until it is golden brown and cake springs back when pressed with your finger, around 38-40 minutes.  the aroma coming out of your oven will be divine, but don't worry you aren't gaining weight from the smell.  just when you thought you had the best cake ever- it gets better.  every honey bun needs frosting in this cake's case it's glaze.  super easy glaze at that.

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar (it says to sift but a girl's gotta get on with life so i skipped that part)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

mix in a bowl.  pour glaze over hot cake.   now the hard part, wait 20 minutes while cake cools. 

isn't it cute?  don't be fooled this mean  lil cake will add inches to your waist and thighs and steal your loved one's affection.  i think this cake instead will be little miss naughty honey bun.

here is the recipe without the commentary for your baking pleasure:

honey bun cake
from dr. bryn (the cake mix doctor)
the coco plum cliff note's verison

cake:

• oil spray for misting the pan
• 1 package (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix 
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup oil
•  4 large eggs

filling:

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnmon
• 1/2 finely chopped pecans (only if you want)  

glaze: 

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar (sifted if you are type-A, over-achiever type baker)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. place rake in center of oven.  preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  lightly mist a 13-by-9 inch baking pan.
2.  mix all cake ingredient in large mixing bowl.  blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.  stop the machine.  scrape the sides of the bowl with rubber spatula. increase mixer to medium and mix for 2 more minutes.  batter will be thick.  pour into prepared pan and smooth out with spatula.  
3. add the filling.  drizzle the honey on top of batter, sprinkle on brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans, if desired.  with butter knife, swirl through these ingredients to blend. 
4. place pan in oven.  bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed, about 38- 40 minutes.  remove from oven and cool.  
5. mix all glaze ingredients in bowl.  stir until well combined.  pour glazed over top of hot cake, use spoon to spread to the sides.  allow cake to cool for 20 minutes.  serve warm. 

store cake, covered in plastic for up to 1 week at room temperature.  reheat leftover cake in the microwave for a few seconds to re-live that out of the oven experience!