I’ve been rather busy lately and that is good. The added blog entry each day has kept me focused in the midst of everything and I appreciate how much easier it is to write if you are writing all the time. I’m not saying each entry is going to be amazing but the words come a little easier if you’re always accessing them. Practice is essential. I can call myself a writer but I need to practice the art of writing to make it true. I’ve always wanted to write a book on the practice of faith because I think there are too many out there who discuss what faith is, and what we should believe but too few talk about how to live a faithful life daily. Practice is essential. We can say we are Christians but we need to practice Christianity for it to be true and how exactly do we do that?  I digress…

In today’s reading for the Lent Project we meet Jesus practicing his faith, acquiring knowledge and sinking into his calling and purpose. He’s twelve at this point. What were you doing at twelve? I was in communicants class learning things like “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” I had a purple jean skirt I remember to this day, I read Gone with the Wind for the first time and spent loads of time baking in the kitchen. I had no idea what my calling and purpose was. I was just a girl living a typical pre-teen life. Jesus at twelve is already practicing. He’s already preparing for what he will become and is passionate about it.

We should all be this passionate about God. We should want to know him, study his word and really sink in to our faith and practice.  I’m positive I could do a better job with this. Lately I’ve been rushing through my morning meditation times. I’ve noticed it getting shorter and shorter but have justified it as I’ve spent a large portion of the day reflecting on the word through questions from the Lent Project. It’s better though when I begin in peace and prayer. Bed is nice but a better start to the day is nicer. When I was 12 I may have memorized passages from catechism but I didn’t fully understand them at the time. I have a better idea of what it all means now. If Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever than surely I must make God a priority. Surely I must make my time with God come first.

I got up early this morning and that was a great thing. Getting up early, sinking in and having that extra time to really wake up and focus set my day up in a positive way. I’ve gotten a lot done and was even able to make a Hot Milk Cake for snack this morning. I thought of the Hot Milk cake when I was wondering what I did when I was twelve. I regularly made this cake and it’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a slice. I’m including the recipe here because it was good. I may not have been as focused as Jesus at twelve but I could make a good cake. Here’s the recipe for your enjoyment:

Hot Milk Cake

This may not be the prettiest cake that you’ll ever make but it is ridiculously gooey and delicious! The topping melts right into the cake and is so amazing.  I can’t even describe it in words.  I’ve made some changes to the original recipe as I didn’t have some of the ingredients on hand but it’s still good and extremely decadent.  It’s also really easy to make.  It makes a great week night treat!

Ingredients: 

Cake: 

1 tbsp butter
1/2 c milk
2 eggs {I used 3 tsp corn starch mixed with 3 tbsp water for our egg allergy}
1 c white sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 c flour {I used whole wheat pastry flour but AP works too}
1 tsp baking powder

Topping:

1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c brown rice syrup
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp milk
1/2 c dried coconut

Instructions:

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the milk and butter together until melted.  Set pan aside.
In a large bowl beat the eggs (or corn starch mixture) together until well combined.
Add vanilla and lemon juice to the egg mixture.  Set aside.
In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking powder.
Add flour alternating with milk to the egg mixture.
Combine well and pour batter into a greased 8×8 pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

For the topping:

In a small sauce pan while the cake is hot melt together the maple syrup, brown rice syrup and butter over medium heat.
Once melted turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the boiling mixture continuously for 90 seconds watching to ensure it does not boil over.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, milk and dried coconut.  Pour over the cake and broil in the oven until bubbly and golden.

Extra Information:

Make sure you watch the cake while it’s under the broiler.  You don’t want to burn the lovely, crispy topping.