Spoon Cake

Spoon cake is a delightful dessert that features a soft and moist cake-like batter topped with a luscious sauce. It's called "spoon cake" because it's traditionally served warm and spooned directly from the baking dish. Here's a recipe to guide you through making a classic spoon cake:

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the sauce:

• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, for chocolate spoon cake variation)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish or an equivalent size.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. The batter will be thick.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the hot water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder (if making chocolate spoon cake), and salt for the sauce. Stir until the sugars are mostly dissolved.
6. Pour the sauce mixture gently and evenly over the cake batter in the baking dish. Do not stir.
7. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the cake is set and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. The cake will rise to the top, and the sauce will sink to the bottom.
8. Remove the spoon cake from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.
9. Serve the spoon cake warm, spooning it directly from the baking dish into individual bowls or plates. You can enjoy it as is or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for extra decadence.

Spoon cake is a comforting dessert that combines the flavors of a moist cake and a sweet sauce in every spoonful. You can also experiment with different variations, such as adding fruits, nuts, or spices to the batter for additional flavors. Enjoy!