Yay! Argh. Huzzah! Ugh, etc.

I haven't been around very much lately (no, really? Duh.) because I've been using practically every spare moment to work on editing Knife.

I'm up to Chapter Nine now (nearly halfway there!), and as of two days ago I was really feeling quite exhilarated about the way it was turning out. I've had some great comments and criticisms from a friend who's reading the story for the first time, and I've found her help invaluable in getting the book into shape.

That being said, Chapter Nine is driving me insane. It's one of the most important chapters in the book, and I was never quite satisfied with it; although I think I'm moving in the right direction now, I can't look at the thing any more without grinding my teeth. I may be here a while, folks...

The Bestest. Cake. EVAR.

I suddenly remembered what else I was going to blog about. I made a cake today, from a recipe I got at Coffee Hour (a monthly women's Bible study). It is, without a doubt, one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten -- and I don't say that lightly, because I am usually all about the chocolate, but this has no chocolate in it whatsoever.

It's a Poppy Seed Cake recipe, incredibly simple to make, and it ends up rich and moist with this incredible chewy outside, and my four-year-old (who is quite the picky eater) is so crazy about it that he would eat the whole cake if I'd let him. When they served it to us at Coffee Hour, he had three pieces and then insisted that I bring home the recipe so we could make it ourselves.

So, without further ado, the recipe:

POPPY SEED CAKE
1 package yellow cake mix
2 large vanilla instant pudding mixes (6 servings)
4 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Lightly grease and flour bundt pan (or two loaf pans). Blend ingredients and beat according to the package instructions. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Let cool, invert onto cake plate and dust with icing sugar if desired.

I don't know whether it's the pudding mix or what, but like I said, this cake is fabulous. I'll definitely be making it again.