National Cake Day + A Whole Foods Giveaway

It's National Cake Day - gotta love it!

You've also gotta love today's giveaway! Many thanks to Whole Foods Market for its generous offer of a $25 gift card, so that one lucky reader can try some of their new products!!!

"This month, Whole Foods Market is debuting more than 30 NEW frozen foods under our Whole Foods Market™ line (appetizers, entrees and desserts – oh my!). With gourmet flavors at value prices, these items offer easy dinner and entertaining solutions -- just in time for the holiday madness ....

Be prepared to change the way you think about frozen foods. Taking cues from cuisines around the world, Whole Foods Market’s offerings include everything from Tandoori Chicken Samosas and Vegetable Egg Rolls to Wood-Fired Buffalo Mozzarella Pizza with Cherry Tomatoes and Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. We have decadent dessert options, too, like Chocolate Lava Cakes and Caramelized Panna Cotta for a sweet finish to every meal.

While we all love to cook and prep homemade meals, it’s nice to have tasty alternatives for those nights when you just want to kick back and relax without the greasy takeout or the restaurant check. Plus, as with all Whole Foods Market products, you’ll find absolutely no artificial flavors, bleached flours, hydrogenated fats or high-fructose corn syrup in these new products. In short -- your personal chef has arrived!"

So, who's ready to win???

Here are the terms:

- Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite kind of cake is and how you intend to celebrate today's holiday. Only one comment, please; extras won't count.

- Be sure to provide your email address in the comment, so I can let you know if you're the winner.

- The giveaway begins as soon as this post goes up, and will end on Monday, December 3 at 9 a.m. EST. I'll use Random.org to pick a winner, then send an email to let you know you've won.

- If I don't hear from the winner by 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday, December 4, I'll go back to Random.org to pick a new winner.

- Once the winner has been established, I'll need to get a mailing address to send you the gift card. Then you can shop your little heart out!

I think that's it - I don't have either the time or the inclination to see if folks are sacrificing their firstborn on Twitter or Facebook, so giveaways are always simple here.

Whether you use your gift card to buy the new frozen items or to buy the ingredients to make this lovely cake (which was a huge hit at my Thanksgiving dinner), free food is always welcome!

Pumpkin Streusel Cake
(adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe)

Remember what Julia Child once said: "A party without cake is really just a meeting."

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2-1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9"-square baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and brown sugar; stir in eggs and pumpkin. Mix in baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and flour. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Streusel:
1 packet Maple & Brown Sugar instant oatmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon; pour butter over everything and stir to mix thoroughly. Sprinkle streusel evenly over cake batter.

Bake cake for 45 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons apple cider

Whisk together confectioners' sugar and cider; drizzle glaze over cooled cake and let set.

Makes 9 generous servings or 12 more reasonably sized ones.