Sunday, Jul. 12, 2009

Harriet Cake: If she bakes it, they will come

LEBANON -- People will pay a pretty penny for a "Harriet Cake," whether the cakes are raffled during performances at the Looking Glass Playhouse or sold at a Lebanon restaurant.

Harriet Church earns mostly praise and loyalty though for her scrumptious baking from a fan base that includes theatergoers, friends, family and the occasional celebrity.

Whether it's Deep Dark Chocolate, carrot cake with cream cheese icing or Cinnamon Streusel Pecan, each of the 56-year-old baker's confections is simply called "Harriet Cake."

Harriet is a former registered nurse who was raised in Florissant, Mo. Her husband, Harrison, is the owner and publisher of the Lebanon Advertiser, located just a couple doors from the playhouse in downtown historic Lebanon. They have been married since 1988.

Harriet's way of congratulating a cast of community actors, supporting her church or acknowledging the talents of people she admires is done using pan, batter and spatula.

"I've always preferred baking, much more than cooking," she said, wearing a pink apron and slathering chocolate icing on a chocolate cake. "This frosting won't run. The cake is very moist. You can leave it out or freeze it up to six months. You need a glass of milk with it."

Harriet keeps her cakes simple: She prefers baking in 9-by-13 or Bundt pans. "I rarely do a layer cake."

She got involved in the community theater in 1994. Since then, her cakes have garnered such a reputation that actors and crew look forward to one at every cast party.

"For 'Titanic,' I made an iceberg cake. It was icy blue with rock candy. ... For 'Annie,' it was a dog cake and the little kids at the cast party liked it so much they didn't want me to cut the cake."

Bruce Vick, who played Arthur in "Camelot" in May 2008, still has a memento from that musical's cast cake.

"I think Harriet's cakes are special not only because she's a wonderful baker, but also because of the thought she puts into her decorations. ... 'Camelot' is a great example. She decorated it with all sorts of little trinkets, including a crown. I still have it. Arthur was my favorite role of all time and that little crown makes me smile every time I see it."

She also bakes cakes as fundraisers for shows. Raffle tickets sell quickly when a Harriet Cake is offered at intermission.

"The Maloneys have had the honor of winning one of the Harriet Cakes," said Karen Lee Maloney, who often helps Harriet sell the $1 tickets to theater patrons. Her husband, Jim, held the winning stub just once. "Needless to say, we brought home this prize cake and both enjoyed it very much."

Last fall, Harriet made a different cake for each of the eight performances of "The Sound of Music" and set a fund-raising record for the theater's raffle.

"We raised $2,300," said Harriet, who played a housekeeper in the musical.

"Sometimes I was making cakes at night after the show," she said, laughing. "I'm not a morning person."

She also shipped a cake east to Stowe, Vt., for the von Trapp family, around which "The Sound of Music" was created. She kept a thank-you letter from Johannes von Trapp, the youngest of the children, who called the cake "delicious" and "wonderful."

Harriet celebrates history and special events by sharing her baked treats.

She makes cookies and passes them out during the Indianapolis 500 time trials she and Harrison attend annually.

Celebrating Lebanon opera singer Christine Brewer's 2008 Grammy, "We made her a whole meal and delivered it. ... She writes for the paper now, so she gets a cake at Christmas."

When the Muny performed "Meet Me in St. Louis" about a decade ago, Harriet handed homemade dinner rolls to the first police officer she encountered at a crosswalk. Her motivation: "In 1904, my grandfather was a St. Louis policeman and he was a bodyguard for (Teddy) Roosevelt at the World's Fair."

About 1 1/2 years ago, she expanded her baking horizons when she welcomed Don and Katy Huffmon's business to Lebanon by baking them a coffeecake. The couple opened Uncle Huffy's BBQ downtown and now Harriet makes two cakes a week for the eatery, which is open Thursday through Sunday.

"We heard she was the premier cake baker in the area, and I'd known her husband, Harrison, for years," said Don Huffmon. "Her cakes complement our barbecue and what she makes is at her discretion. There's usually some kind of theme. Last week, it was red, white and blue: Red Velvet Cake and Blueberry Pound Cake. ... We have people who come in just for her cake."

When Harriet sits down for dessert, she prefers something uncomplicated.

"My favorite is yellow cake with chocolate icing."

Harrison, she said, prefers anything chocolate, but "he loves my pecan pie."

Baking tips:

If you don't have a cooling rack for your cake, use an upside down muffin tin.

Check expiration dates on ingredients, especially baking powder.

Before removing a Bundt cake from its pan, make sure it has cooled completely.

Regular bleached white flour is her choice for making cakes.

Make sure you have a timer -- and that it works.