Another week has gone by and it’s time to pen another column. Everyone has gone to bed except me. I stayed up later to get organized for another day of cooking and baking recipes for the upcoming cookbook. The photographer will come tomorrow and take photos of the dishes we prepare to put in the new cookbook. This will be the third photo session. One more will need to be done to finish it up.

I had daughter Loretta and Dustin’s two little boys here this afternoon while Dustin went with Loretta to her six-week checkup at the doctor. Byron is now six weeks old and seems kind of fussy at times. It is hard to get him to burp after a feeding, which I think brings him discomfort and makes him fussy. Denzel is quite the busybody. I folded the laundry, and pretty soon he was crying because he managed to put the laundry basket upside down on top of him. He couldn’t figure out how to get it back off. Dustin said at home Denzel will empty the toy box and scatter them all around the house. Then he’s bored and heads for the cabinet door to empty all the Tupperware containers. If by chance someone leaves the bathroom door open, he unrolls the toilet tissue. He just loves to see what he could get into next. Such a little busybody, but ever so precious.

Grandsons Timothy (T.J.), Ryan, and Curtis go to school a few days a week. They all love it! One day their teacher asked Ryan which hat is his and which is Curtis’. Well, Ryan takes one and smells it, then shakes his head no. Then he smells the other one and shakes his head yes, that it’s his. I have no idea how he knows which is his by smelling it. One day Curtis came home from school barefooted. Somehow he slipped past the teachers without them seeing that he had taken his shoes off. I am sure this is the first of many adventures those ornery little boys will have. Haha!

On Friday, daughter Lovina made and decorated two cakes. One was for granddaughter Abigail, 7, and the other for grandson Curtis, 4. Curtis will have his fourth birthday on September 22. He is a sweet blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy and always has a big smile for me.

Abigail is growing up so fast and was really helping Lovina after she came here off the bus. We had Allison, 3, and Andrea, 18 months, here Friday while daughter Elizabeth took T.J. to his asthma doctor.

Then Friday night everyone came for family night. We had a nice evening together.

On Saturday morning we had a nice surprise when Joe’s 77-year-old Uncle Solomon from Dundee, Ohio, showed up for a visit. Last Saturday we had a surprise visit from Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty from Geneva, Indiana. Uncle Joe is 81 and a brother to my dad. Solomon is a brother to my husband Joe’s dad.

Son Benjamin has a broken leg from a buggy/horse mishap. The buggy had him pinned underneath, and after going to the emergency room and getting an x-ray, he found out it showed that he has a broken leg. Wednesday he will see the orthopedic doctor to have a cast put on. He has a temporary cast on now. It is still quite swollen and painful. We are so thankful that his horse was patient and didn’t keep going and waited until someone could lift the buggy off him. Benjamin is not one to stay quiet, and there will be some challenging weeks ahead as he has to stay off his leg. If anyone wants to send him a card to pass his time, it would be appreciated. God’s blessings to all!

Pumpkin Spice Cake
3 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Maple Butter Cream Frosting
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons maple flavoring
2 tablespoons milk
Dash of salt

Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in small bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat in pumpkin, milk, water, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Spread batter evenly in prepared cake pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

For frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add flavoring, milk, and salt; mix well. Assemble cake with frosting between layers and on top of cake, leaving sides unfrosted. Garnish with nuts if desired.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here