The Sandpoint Eater

She’s back!

By Marcia Pilgeram
Reader Columnist

There are people who become attached to their cars, their favorite old chairs or a well-worn pair of shoes. Me? I have a soft spot for an electrical appliance.

My 1979 KitchenAid mixer is home again, and I can hardly tell you how happy that makes me.

She has been out of commission for about five years. Five years. My children had all pitched in to buy me a new mixer when the old one finally wore out. It was a thoughtful and generous gift, and I tried very hard to love it. I really did. But it wasn’t the same. The new one never seemed quite as sturdy or capable. Although I kept most of my disappointment to myself, I missed my old friend dreadfully.

That original mixer came into my life as a gift from my husband during our first Christmas as a married couple in Montana. I could never have imagined then how much of my life would be stirred, beaten, whipped and mixed with her help.

Over the years, she has been there for wedding cakes for our daughters and the young women who became like daughters. She has helped prepare desserts for baptisms, trays of Christmas cookies, gallons of eggnog and countless other holiday treats. She has stood by through celebrations large and small, most happy and a few sad, quietly doing her part while the kitchen filled with the sweet aromas of butter, sugar and vanilla.

I suppose that is how an appliance became more than an appliance. She became part of my story.

When the old girl finally gave up the ghost, I thought perhaps our working days together were over. Then, not long ago, a friend mentioned that she had found someone who repaired KitchenAid mixers and was delighted with his work. She passed along his contact information, and I was thrilled when he came to pick mine up.

Of course, nothing is ever quite as simple as we hope. My mixer’s problem turned out to be more complicated than expected. His first repair attempt didn’t solve it; and, eventually, he had to replace the motor. It wasn’t inexpensive, but by that point, I was invested in this reunion. And now? She’s mostly all better.

I cannot adequately describe the joy I feel when I walk into my kitchen and see her sitting there. I know it may sound ridiculous to be so attached to a machine, but I suspect some of you understand. We surround ourselves with things that carry memories, and sometimes those things become a sturdy little bridge to the people and places we love.

My mixer takes me back to a young bride’s first Christmas, living and working on the family ranch, where I faced a few cooking (and life) failures while juggling the chaos of cows and young kids. I am reminded too of the many occasions when feeding friends and family was the way I showed my love. Every scratch and familiar sound seems to belong to a chapter of our family history. 

At this stage of our lives, I find myself wondering which of us will last longer! I hope we both have plenty of miles left. There are still cookies to bake, cakes to frost and myriad reasons to gather around my table.

So, welcome home, old friend. Your motor may be new, but your place in my kitchen has never changed.

I’ve even bought some appliance touch-up paint and carefully covered her worn spots and rust patches, giving her a little cosmetic refresh to go along with her new lease on life. A girl deserves a little pampering, after all.

Now, we’re both anticipating next month’s 12-hour bake sale at Super 1 Foods, and visions of Christmas cookies are already dancing in my head.

Meanwhile, our reunion calls for something seasonal and special. With autumn on my mind and a chill in the air, I whipped up a pumpkin cake with maple frosting. Here’s a helpful hint from one baker to another: If you whip up the frosting first, you don’t even need to wash the mixer bowl before you start on the cake batter.

You’re welcome!

RECIPE:

Brown butter pumpkin cake with maple cream cheese frosting

This tender, warmly spiced cake is just right for a crisp fall afternoon and will serve your guests well into winter. The maple frosting makes it company-worthy. Take the time to brown the butter — those golden-brown flecks add an extra dimension of flavor. Yields one 9×13-inch cake.

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake:

• ½ cup browned butter, softened

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup packed brown sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

• ⅓ cup milk

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp salt

For the frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• ¼ cup browned butter, softened

• 3 tbs pure maple syrup

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter (for cake and frosting) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown with little brown flecks and a nutty aroma. Watch carefully — it can burn quickly. Remove from heat immediately, and place in cold water bath. Stir until thickened. Set aside. 

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Using your mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the pumpkin and mix until combined.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer in two additions, alternating with the milk. Mix just until combined.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 30-38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Prepare frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the maple syrup and vanilla, then gradually beat in the powdered sugar until fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake.

Garnish with chopped pecans.

Store leftover cake in refrigerator.