Picture it: you are 40 weeks and 2 days. You had a prenatal appointment 2 days ago where your doctor declared you to be 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. The mild, rhythmic cramps had been going on for several hours and seemed to get stronger over time.
They’re not so strong that you can’t handle them, but they’re enough to make it hard to fall asleep. And, you just pulled the baking supplies out of the cupboard. It might be 11:30pm but you’re about to bake a Groaning Cake.
Just a moment! Bake in childbirth? Yes!
I got. It seems like the most counter-intuitive thing to do. The truth is, though, it’s actually the perfect thing to do. While you’re in early labor, a small project that doesn’t require perfect attention to detail and doesn’t have a lot of steps is a perfect distraction technique for crafting.
But, what is a Moaning Cake? It is a traditional sweet bread or round cake baked by women workers. It is usually a spiced cake because it is believed that the spices, which can be smelled while one is in labor, will ease the discomfort of the laborer.
One of the great things about Groaning Cake is that the recipe is infinitely adaptable: you can throw any extra ingredients you want in it and they all work well. You can ice it, or not, or eat it with butter or preserves, or have a slice or 5 plain! The version I made for you has lots of fiber to help your body after giving birth. There are fats and proteins in there too, to give a new mother energy after the ordeal of giving birth to a baby.
I have developed – and tested – a recipe just for you. It includes suggestions for personalizing your Groaning Cake and features a maple cream cheese icing that will have everyone drooling.
Suggestion: make a test cake.
You know, just to make sure the recipe works for your taste, your oven, etc.
Mix all the wet ingredients with the mixer and mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
One slice of this delicious cake may not be enough.
Time given to fix
15 minutes
Cooking time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
cake
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1 cup pumpkin puree, not pie filling
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1/2 cup softened butter
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1/2 cup white sugar
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1/2 cup brown sugar
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2 eggs
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1 tsp vanilla essence
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1 cup flour
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1 tsp baking soda
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1 tsp baking powder
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1 tsp butter for greasing pan
Spices
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1 tsp nutmeg
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1/2 tsp cinnamon
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1/4 tsp cloves
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1/4 tsp allspice
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Or
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2 tsp pie spice mix
Additives
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Choose 2
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1/2 cup chopped walnuts
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1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
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1/2 cup chopped pecans
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1/2 cup chocolate chips
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1/2 cup chopped dates
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1/2 cup raisins
Icing
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3/4 cup icing sugar
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1/4 cup butter
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1/4 cup cream cheese
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2 Tbsp maple syrup
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1/4 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a stand mixer, cream sugar and eggs together and add all other wet ingredients: pumpkin, vanilla and egg.
- In a separate bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices and then mix to combine.
- Add 2 types of additives to the bowl of dry ingredients.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined.
- Grease a loaf pan or 9 inch round cake pan.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 1 hour.
- Check for doneness with a clean, dry knife.
- When done, set aside to cool. Can be placed in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
- To make icing: in the mixer cream together cream cheese, vanilla, maple syrup. Add icing sugar slowly. Scrape down the sides to make sure all the ingredients are well mixed.
- When cool, ice the cake and serve.
