Thunder Cake

After creating our storm cloud, we gathered ingredients for thunder cake and items needed for a storm. The kids brought in flashlights for lightning and jars, buckets, frisbees and drums to bang on to create thunder. From our playground, we collected a thick dried grass that looked like skinny bamboo and sounded like rain when tapped together, along with pencils to tap together and a rain stick to create the sound of rain. All of these ideas came from the kids! They explored, noticed things and collected things they felt sounded like rain and thunder!

We mixed the ingredients to create the cake, put it in the oven, and while it was cooking, created our storm so that it could be true Thunder Cake. The flashlights would flash, we counted to ten and the thunder would roll. The flashlights would flash, we counted to nine and the thunder would roll... We did this until the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled at the same time! It was then we knew our Thunder cake would be perfect!

The kids frosted their cake and added the strawberry on top. We had our doubts about a chocolate cake that had tomatoes in the recipe, but we all agreed it was fabulous! And of course, the thunder was the secret ingredient!  I have added the recipe below from Patricia Polacco's amazing book!  I hope you enjoy it!

Thunder Cake!

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together one at a time:
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, separated
( blend yolks in. Beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in.) 

1 cup cold water
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes

Sift together:
21/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dry cocoa
11/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Mix dry mixture into creamy mixture. Bake in two greased and floured 8
1/2 inch pans at 350 degree for
35 to 40 minutes during a thunder storm. 

Frost with chocolate butter frosting. Top with
strawberries. 

(We made them in cupcake pans and cooked them for about 12 minutes)

ENJOY!!!