Smith Island Cake for Mother's Day

It started, coincidentally, with a trip to the airport to pick up my mother and father.  Turns out, it was an unnecessary trip, as a breakdown in communication resulted in my brother arriving at the airport just after I did to pick up the very same mother and father.  We should talk more.

But it was not a complete waste of time, because my daughter Sarah and I discovered a department of tourism brochure rack, and picked up a recipe for a Smith Island cake.  So when Tina suggested we have our mothers over for lunch on Sunday, I decided to make good out of the mistaken trip to the airport.  The girls and I would make a Smith Island cake for Mother's Day.

This was a feat attempted only once by my wife.  She explained that it is labor intensive and a nuisance, as the cakes typically have at least 8 layers.  That's the whole point, I explained.  That's what makes it special.  If it were easy, everybody would do it.

So with the recipe in hand, Sarah and I whipped this thing up.  It went amazingly well, until we got to the chocolate icing, which apparently seized (cooks will know what that means...  I will spare you the horrible details.)  After a second fresh attempt, we got the same exact results. 

We reminded ourselves that if this were easy, everyone would do it.  This is what made it special.

Tina came to our aid, and discovered a way to rescue both failed attempts at chocolate icing with the use of some whipping cream and a blender. 

And then, it was finished.  I saw that it was not exactly good, but acceptable.  But it's the thought that counts, right?

Happy Mother's Day Tina, Bette Lou, and Ruth.  Hope you appreciate all the work we put forth to honor you on this special day.  It isn't every son and granddaughter who would go to such great lengths.