The great thing about making a cake every week is that you have an instant birthday gift for all your friends. Who doesn't want a delicious homemade cake for their birthday? (Particularly one with a tea light instead of normal birthday candles?)
The recipe this week is Twilight Velvet Crumb Cake, which is actually a recipe off the Bisquick box. It was the first cake Dr. Robinson made by herself, at only 11 years old, and the cake her daughter baked to celebrate the day Dr. Robinson became a full professor. For those not involved in the academic realm of science, this is the culmination of all your work... college, graduate school, post-doc, assistant professor, associate professor, and finally, full professor. So being promoted to full professor is a huge accomplishment. Dr. R. notes that, while nearly 50% of all PhDs in the biological sciences have been awarded to women since the mid-1990s, only 8% of full professors are women. Based on my time in graduate school and some recent experiences, I hypothesize that this sad statistic is the result of an environment which does not allow most women to flourish. Academia in the sciences can feel like the "good ol' boys club;" it helps those who are already ahead and presents increasing obstacles to those who are behind, and a large percentage of the time, it is truly not what you know but who you know. The intense competitive nature can be oppressive for those whose personalities tend toward nurturing. The need to be available and have access to e-mail at all hours of every day can be a deterrent for those women who want to be mothers. And the demand to constantly be "tougher," depending on whose definition of "tough" you go by, can turn the warmest person cold, or the most independent person utterly complacent.
But I don't remember Dr. Robinson being any of these things. She was a scientist, but also a mother and a friend, she cared about her students, she made time to bake a cake every single week. And she was still successful, still reached the ultimate goal. I don't know how, but she overcame all of the obstacles and came out not only an academic scientist but also a whole person. I usually don't feel like there is room for both of these things in this life. I want out of the world of academia because I feel trapped, I feel like this lifestyle doesn't allow one to be whole, well-rounded, and happy and still be considered successful. Whatever her secret is, I want it. However, I think it's one of those things that has to be learned, not told, not given.
But we were thinking of happier things this Cake Day. It was Tim's birthday, and the inaugural run of the KitchenAid! Probably overkill for this simple cake, but totally worth the excitement (check out the mad mixing action in the photo). The name is
appropriate, because the cake itself is velvety in texture. The topping is the best part though: coconut, pecans, brown sugar, and butter make a golden, crunchy, sweet crust atop the soft, crumbly cake. It would be excellent with coffee for breakfast, but also went perfectly with our pizza and football dinner celebration. An all-occasion cake, I guess... and Maureen said it might be her favorite one yet! I guess that means I'll have to make it again some time. Who would have thought a simple recipe off a box of Bisquick could be so good?
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