IAH Squirrel Bait Bundt Cake

3/4 cup butter
1- 1.5 cups sugar (white, raw, honey, something sweet at any rate)
1 tsp vanilla
4 bananas (the ones you otherwise would throw into the compost)
4 eggs
1/2 cup whatever yogurt you have on hand, plain or otherwise
1 Tbspn Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour (choose your preferred white/wheat ratio)
2 cups chopped nuts, walnuts if you have them, or almonds if you accidentally grab them first.

To top: honey, more chopped nuts. Toast the nuts if you are feeling inspired or obliged.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour bundt pan.

Cream together sugar and butter. Add in the vanilla, then bananas, yogurt and eggs. Mix together the dry ingredients (not including the nuts), and come to think of it, throw in some spice- cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves- the usual suspects. Mix the dries into the wets, then add in the nuts. Pour into pan (it's pretty thick), then even out with a wooden spoon or spatula. Put it in the oven for 60-75 minutes- do some chores, take a shower, check your email, etc... toothpick test it to make sure it's done. Flip it onto a wire rack to cool. I find it released pretty easily.

Once plated, drizzle honey on it, then sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Today was a library day. As I opened up the reading room in the town hall, I was greeted by the squirrel who has recently taken up residence in the building. He's already chewed at the door frame and pulled some stuffing out of the cushion on the window seat. He and I had a quick conversation about who had rights to the place, and finally, he ceded some ground and retired to a space behind some filing cabinets. I then had to decide whether to hold the coffee klatsch in the reading room- vermin included, or move the food into the library. Either option was cringe-worthy by mainland standards. Ultimately, I trusted the beastie to behave and set up as per the usual.

I did issue warnings as people showed up- anyone spleeny about animals could opt out of coffee and cake. The problem with verbal warnings is that people have to take you at your word. When the construction crew from the house next door appeared promptly at nine, they didn't believe me. To test my veracity, one of them banged on the squirrel's hiding place, which spurred him into action- he instantly streaked across the room, nothing but a brown blur of fur. He escaped to the space between another bank of filing cabinets and the stove top. I was putting on the water for tea at the time, and did not appreciate having a rodential bullet aimed in my general direction. There might have been a choice vocalization on my part. I am all for squirrels in nature, but not in close quarters. Can't imagine the squirrel was very happy with my company either. In the end he didn't even get any cake. I would feel bad, but he'd messed with Lisa's window seat cushion. And anyone on IAH knows better than to mess with Lisa. The rodent is on his own.

At any rate, that was the entertainment for the morning- well that and slapping together the aforementioned cake in a sleepy and non-caffinated fashion. I love baked goods that actually forgive improvisation. And, no lies- although I hate cleaning the pan, I love bundt cakes. So easy to make pretty.