A long time ago we were big soda drinkers. A staple on my husband's family's dinner table when he was young - a bottle of orange or coke or rootbeer soda. We smartened up years ago, and only occasionally enjoy the original Coke or a good Root Beer. But.. there are some fun recipes that are thoroughly enhanced by the addition of soda, like this cake below, using (my teeth ache just thinking about drinking this stuff) Mountain Dew! This is a nice light cake - not good for you at all in the healthful eating sense, but sometimes you just gotta give yourself a treat that has no other benefit than the YUM factor. Because CAKE.
Mountain Dew Bundt Cake
Ingredients
1 box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) box Lemon Jell-O instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 (12 ounce) can Mountain Dew (equal to 1 1/2 cups if you're pouring from a bottle of pop)
** I used Sprite instead of Mountain Dew
** I used Sprite instead of Mountain Dew
1/2 cup oil
Glaze
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
10. 1/2 cup Mountain Dew
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. (yep, 325) Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt cake pan/tube pan
. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix with the pudding mix. Add the eggs and oil, then
slowly add the Mountain Dew. Mix at medium speed until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in
the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for five minutes, then transfer cake to a wire rack.
Glaze directions: While cake is still slightly warm, melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Add 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup Mountain Dew to the melted butter. Turn up heat and bring to
a boil, stirring often. Boil for two minutes and remove from heat.
8. Poke holes in cake with a wooden skewer or the tines of a fork, then spoon hot glaze over
cake. Cool completely before serving.
This photo, taken at Barbara Bush's funeral services, makes me smile for several reasons. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
*yesterday he was admitted to the ICU, doesn't surprise me that he
might go so shortly after her passing. They were a team in every sense
of the word. Life without her must be unimaginable for him.
I've been debating changing blog platforms to Wordpress, simply because Blogger is free and powered by Google and therefore there are no guarantees it will be around forever - think of seven years of blogging all gone should they decide to fold. Anyone out there have experience with Wordpress? Opinion? It seems like it might be more technical than I'd like. I am NOT tech savvy, and blogger has been relatively easy.
Another blogger with a much larger following posed the question - where are you from? I enjoyed reading the answers and learning where her many readers hail from and live now. So, I'd like to do that here. Years ago this blog had a lot more traffic as we documented the resurrection of The Old House. Now, on average, approximately 150 readers stop by here daily as you browse blogs and a handful of you leave comments on occasion, which I enjoy reading. If you're so inclined, in the comments, leave your city or state or town of origin, other areas you've lived and where you live now (just what you're comfortable with). I'd love to hear from you.
It's a new day, all - let's make it a good one. PS - the sun is SHINING here again today - Amen!
Born and raised in Northern California (San Mateo) and currently retired and living near Austin, Texas. Today is also our oldest daughter's 41st birthday.
ReplyDeleteLived my whole life in northern Illinois. Currently about 30 miles northwest of Chicago.
ReplyDeleteRaised in Jacksonville, Fl but live in Glen St Mary, Fl
ReplyDeleteI was born and raised in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. Went to university in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Ottawa, Ontario. Lived in Winnipeg until I was 40 and then moved here to Edmonton, Alberta.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe that Mountain Dew could make a delicious cake but life is full of strange and amazing things!
I'm sticking with Blogger. I don't think Google is going anywhere soon.
Grew up in Stratford,CT, raised our 3 children in Oxford, CT and now live in Woodbury, CT. We keep moving to places that have less traffic and are more beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love your Blog! Thank you...
ReplyDeleteKaren - Vancouver, Wa
Born in Colorado,grew up in Utah and Wyoming and now have lived 36 years in Southeast Iowa, with 4 years in Colorado and 1 in South Texas added to that. Have been a widow for 4 years which is how I ended up in Iowa married to a tall, dark, brown eyed,handsome genius dreamer. Love reading your blog about the house, your family, your animals, you and your take on politics!!! Take care
ReplyDeleteBorn in West Virginia , then Peters Township PA, then Sidney OH, then back to Peters Township, then to Greensburg Pa, with several moves within each city. Then as an adult, Del Rio Texas, Phoenix Az, Las Vegas NV, Latrobe PA, back to Vegas with 6 moves there. Finally landed in Henderson NV and this house where I've been for 25 years. Still miss PA and long to live somewhere other than here but life happens. <3
ReplyDeleteBorn and raised in Holland MI, have spent the past 25 yrs approx. 18 miles from there. Will never leave the west side of MI, as I would miss the "Big Lake" too much.
ReplyDeleteHusband & I recently sold our home and downsized to a small year round cottage on an island in Fairhaven Ma.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog !
Born and raised in Putnam County, NY. After college, Columbus, Ohio for 14 months and then Dallas for a year and half (both corporate moves for my job.) Met my Minnesota husband there, moved to Dutchess County, NY for 12 years then here in New London County, Ct for 21 years. We are on a 5 years to retirement time clock with one more move left to Heaven Knows Where? I think my husband wants to move to New Hampshire so he'll have "Live free or die" on his license plates!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh reading about the cake seeing as how I'm sitting here eat a piece (or two) of a coconut cake I made Sunday. No one is here with me today, so someone has to eat it right?
ReplyDeleteBorn in FL, lived Ohio, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Washington state, California.
Please don't change to wordpress!
xoxo
Love your writing, opinions, pictures, and recipes!
ReplyDeleteI was born in Madison, Wisconsin and have lived my entire life in Wisconsin. It’s a lovely State and I have family and many friends nearby which means I will probably live here for the rest of my life.
I live about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh, Pa (go Pens!) and have lived here all my life. Love western Pa,but feel my heart and soul belongs in New England! Will see where life leads me!
ReplyDeleteLiving in central Kentucky, but grew up all over as an Air Force Brat. I make a similar version of this cake and it is always a hit. My household gave up soda as well.
ReplyDeleteI moved over to Wordpress...and then moved back. It was expensive, I couldn't do anything on my own and I got hacked so badly that I almost lost my blog. Of course, there are plenty of people who move and love it. Just be sure to have a good security plug in so you are protected. There are obviously tons of great blogs on WP and a lot of people who feel it was a super move. It just wasn't for me. And I am a beach dweller in NY...born and raised by the salt and sea. Where is your cottage?
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, I always stop in and read your blog, but don't always comment. I live in south western Ontario, Canada. I have no experience with Wordpress, but good luck if you do decide to make the move. I was going to suggest you could Google anything you are not sure about, but that might not be the best suggestion! ha ha -Jenn
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteHI Karen!
ReplyDeleteYour cake looks wonderful -- great texture! And I loved that photo after Barbara B's funeral too. I feel for GHW -- that's so many years of partnership. The combination of already ill health and bereavement must be staggering for him.
Hate wordpress. If I absolutely have to I will work in it on Modern Creative Life posts but usually someone else will place those. It's clunkier, expensive, and more techy. Do you know Rita on Panoply? She has made books from her blogs -- there's a site where you can do that. It might be a way to keep your past posts (or your favorites of them) without having to switch platforms. I get the concerns but if it was me I wouldn't switch.
Home Sweet Home. That is and always has been Lansing, Michigan. But in the summer I go north to Otsego Lake near Gaylord, MI and spend as much time as I can there. I love being on the water, something landlocked Lansing doesn't offer without a road trip!
Cake sounds interesting . . .
ReplyDeleteNot much of a cake person, or cake mix . . .
I will probably pass . . .
I liked that picture from Barbara’s Funeral/gathering . . .
Keeping it real, I might say . . .
Born in Wisconsin, raised there and in Iowa, Lone Rock, Hampton . . .
Back to Wisconsin for college,UWP, marriage, children, Milwaukee, Baraboo . . .
Western Michigan since then . . , Montague, Muskegon, Twin Lake . . .
Hi Karen..
ReplyDeleteBorn and raised in Newark, NJ where my dad was from. My childhood summers were spent on Martha's Vineyard where my mother was raised. I've lived in Morris County, NJ for 43 years.
Hi Karen,
ReplyDeleteBorn in western Iowa, left when I was nineteen with a 15 month old, and a two week old baby. Those kids are now 36 & 35, been in the same area all these years. Lived on Lake Granbury where the kids graduated high school. Then moved back to Fort Worth.
Lisa in Fort Worth
That cake looks mighty tasty, Karen Ann! Born and raised in New York City and now living in the Catskill Mountains!
ReplyDeleteBorn in Battle Creek and except for one year in Cleveland(where we had our This Od House) have lived in Kalamazoo County Michigan.
ReplyDeleteGrew up in the country between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo After marriage we lived ten years in Kalamazoo, then 27 years on a small lake in the country where my husband grew up. Now back near Kalamazoo in a woody neighborhood which we call our deer park. We see deer almost every day and have had fawns born in our yard every spring. Three years ago twins and triplets.
We could live most anywhere but as someone else mentioned there is just something about being close to the big lakes you always would miss. My family rented cottages near Holland and Pentwater several summers and now we take the half our drive to South Haven quit often just to watch the sun set over Lake Michigan. We like to travel but Michigan will always be home.
I have been reading your blog for a couple of years. I wouldn’t change it if you don’t have to, you have a very nice blog.
Cyndee...Kalamazoo
Born in Manchester England, moved here to Wisconsin in 1979.
ReplyDeleteThat cake is drool worthy!
Jo.
That cake sounds interesting and delicious too. We used to use club soda for pancakes to make them extra light and flurry and Coca Cola makes an excellent sauce for ribs, etc.
ReplyDeleteI am born and raised on the east coast of New Jersey with a long stay in Utah in my 20-30's. I am home again by the seashore.
I also get far more viewers than commenters.
There is a way to download and print your blog for posterity, check into that and you can carry your posts over to other venues as well.
Born and raised in WV (shout out to Old Gray Mare) and lived in VA, NJ and retired to DE. Love your blog and your politics!
ReplyDeleteI was born in Buffalo, NY and have lived in Erie, PA, North Tondawanda, Youngstown, Ransomville, Niagara Falls back to Buffalo and now outside Rochester, NY...Can you tell my Dad was a cookware salesman? lol!
ReplyDelete