#19 - You Put Refried Beans in What?!?!?

It has been almost a month since I've been able to log a new experience, and I was beginning to fear that July would be gone before I would have the chance to add to my adventures.  I've been busy remodeling a bathroom (and while it looks fantastic, none of the remodeling counts as a new experience for me), we recently received a new foster placement that has involved a huge amount of transportation, and I headed back to Pittsburgh for a week to help care for my mom and dad following some minor surgery my mom had.  I did have two new adventures planned for this month that require some minor traveling, but between the transportation demands of our foster daughter and some very recent and significant car problems, I'm not certain I'll fit either one in during July. Stay tuned on those.

 I was so desperate to come up with a new experience for July that I actually considered cleaning my oven, but then I thought of something even better.  (OK, I'm joking about never having cleaned the oven---at least I think I am---hmmm, now that I think about it, I'm not sure I actually HAVE ever cleaned it.  I know my mom has done it for me a couple times.  Well, if I find myself at adventure #39 and stuck for one more, I may have to revisit the oven cleaning idea!) Anyway, as I was sorting through some of my cook books, I suddenly remembered one of those "someday I'd like to..." projects.

About 7 years ago I purchased a cookbook called "Wholly Frijoles." The entire cookbook is devoted to beans. As you might imagine, it includes many recipes for soups, dips and casseroles. However, I was surprised to find an entire section devoted to cakes and other desserts!  Yep, bean cakes (even bean fudge--I'm serious). My first reaction was the same as yours----Grooooosssss!  But, I was also very intrigued by the idea.  The book says that adding beans to a cake increases the moistness and nutrition of  "the delight."  Every time I opened the cookbook to make a soup or casserole, I always found myself thinking, "Someday I'm going to try one of those cakes."  Tonight was the night.  

I decided on "Spiced Bean Cake" which includes 1.5 cups of refried beans.  Aside from the beans, the recipe is pretty standard for a spice cake: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, raisins and nuts.  I must admit, it WAS strange to add beans to a cake batter!  Here's proof:

There's not much else to say. I prepared the cake as I would any other cake.  It looked and smelled good as it was baking.  The icing recipe included whipping cream, and I have a general cooking rule of thumb that any recipe involving any type of cream is bound to taste great.  So, after the cake had cooled and was frosted, the kids all waited on my reaction to the taste before they would even consider trying such a strange confection.  The cake tasted.........insert drumroll here.....DELICIOUS!  As was say in the Cox household, "that recipe is a keeper."  In a blind taste test, no one would ever guess there are beans in the recipe.  The cake was very moist, and unlike what I expected, quite light in texture.

Here is what the final product looked like.  If anyone wants the recipe, shoot me an email.  I was happy to come up with a project for July, simple as it may be, and to knock off another "someday I'll do it" goal.