Welcome Home, Willows Tea Party!

Today is the day! Many Wind-in-the-Willows lovers all over the world are having a Tea Party today! We're welcoming the Willows Three back to their home in Colorado with Pom Pom. Click over and check out her party today.
Here's the watercolor I painted over a year ago, of Mole, Ratty, and Badger. They had their tea party outdoors by the river.

Tea and cake was on order for our partying today, so I made a half-cake from a recipe given to me on Tuesday by a church friend. She brought this Pineapple Nut Cake to church, and Julia and I loved it.

Such a quick cake! I whipped up the ingredients in a jiffy.

It turned out so well, and I prefer to have only half of a cake around the house. Not so much temptation.

Julia and I pulled out the pretty cups and saucers in honor of our world-traveling friends. The yellow roses cup was given to me by Adam for Christmas many years ago in Iowa. The shamrock cup belonged to my mother, who gave it to me. It was a birthday present to her many years ago from a dear friend, because my mother's birthday is on St. Patrick's Day.

Here's our cake. I ate two pieces; Julia ate three. Yummm.

We were, unfortunately, not in the mood to deck ourselves out in frocks, as Mags recommended. As a compromise, we each put on an apron. Does that count? It's been a busy day; we've been dashing around and I only barely had time to make the cake!

A lovely cup of black tea:

Phuzzy Photo, sorry. I was trying to show you how amazingly moist and dense this cake is.

My apron is floral and feminine. Under it are gray sweats and black slacks. Not feeling frockish today :)

Here's the recipe for the Pineapple Nut Cake. This is the full-size recipe:

Mix all ingredients together by hand:
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar (I used less.)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, with the juice
1/2 cup pecans

Bake in greased 9x13" pan at 325º for 40 minutes or until tested done.

Icing:
Mix together and frost while cake is still warm:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick soft butter
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup pecans (opt.)

I had no pecans, so I used some chopped, sliced almonds instead, and it was good, although pecans are always better. Notice this is a fat-free cake; the juice from the pineapple is the liquid. It's a moist cake with a great flavor.