Mistakes, Cake, and Christian Children's books

C.S. Lewis is considered by some to be a prolific Christian apologist. His treatment of the battle between the forces of good and evil from the devil (Screwtape and Wormwood) perspective is fascinating and a bit self revelatory. His explanation of love in The Four Loves is eye opening to say the least. My favorite of his works, however, is the series revolving around the magical kingdom of Narnia and the people whose lives are affected by up close encounters with life and the relationships they develop with each other. I don't remember the first time I read these but I remember loving the stories even before I could understand the Christ centered symbolism.

In looking for a food item in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (which I still read as the first book in the series) I came across sugar topped cake during the meal with the beavers on their dam. A quick internet search suggested that a streusel topped coffee cake would work just fine to satisfy my sweet tooth. As you can see from below it did not turn out as I would have hoped. It was in fact very chewy and the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture ended up on the bottom instead of the top. I don't know what i did wrong but it tasted OK.

I went with it though because if I learned anything from this book series it's that mistakes will be made. Some mistakes are costly, some are negligible, but everyone of us makes them. In the books Aslan pays the price for Edmund's folly, in real life Jesus Christ paid the price for everybody. I am still going to try to avoid making mistakes but when I do make them, I know there is a way they can be righted. So in the spirit of Edmund Pevensie I give you sugar topped cake...

Or as the America's Test Kitchen calls it..
Quick Cinnamon Streusel Coffeecake

Ingredients

• Streusel

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup pecans, almonds, or walnuts, chopped coarse

• Cake

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk or whole plain yogurt
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar (7 ounces)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
• 3 large eggs
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

easel.ly

     Aparently its not supposed to look like this,
good luck with yours
and enjoy
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe