Episode: A Father Should Be…
Carrot Cake

“Me and my friends are Jem girls!” Actually, I don’t think most of my friends have any idea who Jem is. That is a crying shame. This show’s got it all: the clothes, and the hair, and the singing. I love it love it! And even though the show is chock full of drama, I don’t mind because all the situations are truly, truly, truly outrageous. I love Eric Raymond, but it’s impossible for me to take him seriously as a bad guy. And Jem and the Holograms are always being locked up or stranded somewhere. And everything that The Stingers do is completely over-the-top. (That’s why they’re my favorite!) Yeah, this show is definitely not about the typical rock stars. Well for one, there aren’t a whole lot of bands with a holographic projection computer meant to serve as an “ultimate audio-visual entertainment synthesizer,” like Synergy. And there aren’t a whole lot of rock stars who support a charitable organization to the extent that Jem and the Holograms do for the Starlight Foundation. Not only do they live with the girls, most of the money the band makes goes to support them. Yup, that means they are a big time rock band that isn’t rich. (When it comes to money.)

The Starlight Girls aren’t just there for show. They have their own problems to face and do play important roles in the series. Without them, there really wouldn’t be a Jem and she works hard for their sakes. When Ba Nee can’t handle being apart from her father any longer, Jerrica/Jem, the Holograms, Rio, and Riot and his dad’s connections all pitch in to find him. But before any leg work is done, Jerrica offers Ba Nee a great big piece of carrot cake to help cheer her up. When that doesn’t do the trick, she knows there’s a big problem. I’m fortunate enough to not know what Ba Nee’s going through, but I do act similar when I’m upset. If I’m offered something yummy like carrot cake and I turn it down, then it’s time for action.

Recipe makes 9 giant cake squares.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

4 eggs

2 cups carrots, grated

3 cups flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 X 9 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil. Add the grated carrots in small amounts, alternating with the eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Bake for about 1 hour. Remove the dish from the oven and cool upside down on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the dish and allow it to cool completely. Cut and serve!

It could be that Ba Nee likes carrot cake because of its connection to her father’s red hair, but I’m sure nothing in Starlight Mansion tastes bad. They don’t eat anything fancy, but it’s all made with love. Jerrica would go above and beyond for any of her girls, but Ba Nee has been pretty special throughout the show. She gets to sing her own song twice! And she is the only one in the entire series who has the ability to make peace between Jem and the Holograms, The Misfits, and The Stingers.

 

Tune in next week for more Cartoon Cravings!