It sounded good. So I tried it...

Well, I've not eaten it yet. It did, after all, just go into the oven. But this recipe sounded sooo good. Plus, I have a pot-luck in two weeks, and I am bringing dessert. I wanted something standard (my cream cheese pound cake), and something a little different, too.

I found this recipe at the Community Cookbook, at Suzanne McMinn's "Chickens in the Road" blog.

Southern Praline Pecan Cake
1 box butter pecan cake mix*
1 container coconut pecan frosting
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 to 3/4 cup oil, depending on how moist you want it
* (I used 2/3 this time. I tried using butter instead, and the flavor is good, but the batter takes longer to cook.)
1 cup water
* (I've tried milk instead, but it took longer to cook. Maybe it was the butter.)
1 cup chopped pecans, divided*
(I added 1/4 tsp baking powder this time, to help it rise.)

Combine all ingredients except pecans in a large bowl; mix until combined. Stir in half the pecans. Sprinkle remaining pecans in a lightly greased 10 inch Bundt pan; pour batter over pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serves 8-10.

It sounded so abso-flippin-lutely delicious, that I just had to try it. Being Southern and all that, you know. I do think that if it turns out half as good as it sounds (and as the reviews made it out to be), I may add a smidge of brandy or rum flavoring the next time. Just a hint. There are a few more cakes over there that I am thinking I will try. I need to check out the rest of the cookbook, too, since I'm sure there are more delicious recipes over there I'd like to try out. But you know me--even though I am not supposed to eat much of them, I do love to bake, especially sweet things. And since my friend hostessing the potluck specifically asked me to do dessert (did my Southern Girl heart good to have her tell me I do delicious cakes!), well, I just couldn't resist saying yes!

I'll update you later on whether the cake tastes as good as it sounds. The batter smelled good going in, so I am praying the cake smells/tastes good coming out! El Husbando is at Mass (hopefully, praying for me right now!), so this will be a pleasant Sunday surprise for him to enjoy with some coffee.

And, while you may have a few minutes to relax, I'd suggest heading over to Suzanne's blog, http://suzannemcminn.com/ Oh my word, I like her place. Although I could probably do without the goats. LOL. She lives in West Virginia, writes novels, and has a whole passel of animals milling around the place. Go take a look-see. You'll find a lot of good reading...today's Pear post was...oh my word, I had to tell the children I couldn't explain why I was laughing so hard...lol

I will post pics when the cake is done, and once we cut it, so you can see the inside, too. Cause even though you aren't here to enjoy it in person (drat! I do love company!), you can eat a piece vicariously with me. Maybe I'll even pull out some of my good, but mismatched "let's have a sit and a cuppa" plates, some good old fashioned silver plate flatware, and some pretty damask napkins. And I can enjoy that, too--since there isn't much of a chance I'll get to do that for real any time soon--sit with a friend, and enjoy a leisurely afternoon 'tea', without "Twinnus Interruptus" multiple times! LOL.

Hoping your Sunday is a blessed one!