Kenya Cake Recipe

I have a dear friend, Elizabeth who lives in Kenya on Mfangano Island.  She recently shared this story of what it takes to bake some wedding cakes with me.

 "I do not bake wedding cakes, I do not have what it takes to do so. I bake cakes just for eating in the house using local fire and doing so quite manually. I feel very challenged to do this yet everyone is looking up to me. I tried to refuse several times but finally gave in. Pray that all will go well."

The following are some of the steps that it took to make the cake that I found interesting.

1. Measure and put I levelled cup of sugar into a plastic bowl. (Use a tea cup in case you do not have a measuring cup).

Jiko open oven

2. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything in the plastic bowl going only one direction either  clockwise or anticlockwise to ensure proper aeration. Add flour and milk alternately. 

3. Grease an aluminium pot with margarine up to the level you expect the cake will rise.

4. Cover the pot with an aluminium lid and put/spread red hot coal on it. It should be measured "off head" to the intensity of the required oven heat. You can only approximate. It is very challenging to be exact on this.

5. Leave barely no coal (very little fire) on the "jiko" local open oven and rest the pot on it.

6. Keep checking the coal to ensure it does not go off and that it is not too much.

7. Bake it for about 25-30 minutes. If all goes well, there should be a lovely scent to indicate that the cooking is okay. Without this scent, there is a likelihood of a problem.

8. Note that too much of anything will cause it to crack. If air enters the pot after the baking has began this will also cause a crack.

 She added, "The wedding went on well and the cakes were nice. I kept blowing the coal so that it does not go off."

This story also reminded me that it is God's job to regulate the coals in our lives.  He knows how much we need to grow and become what He has intended us to be.  Can't you picture God checking the coals, adding more when needed, watching the time, waiting for the perfect aroma? 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Father, thank you for knowing exactly what is needed to cause us to grow and become your perfect creation. Help us to have joy in the midst of difficulties putting our trust in the you, the one who controls the coals.