CDPunt(igam) Writes

Unwrapping a candy and popping it in my mouth, I turn to see if my friend has arrived yet. There’s a couple canoodling in the corner, Josh and Winnie are playing chess as always, and other folks are mingling by the fire. Margaret is talking with our host, Jane. I can just overhear them as they pass by.

“I hate to be trouble, but if you have any other type of soap…”
Margaret has been hanging out with the hippie crowd lately. I’m all for saving the planet, but requiring special soap as a guest is a bit far. The peppermint hand soap in the guest bath felt appropriate for the season. I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn to see my friend, Linda.
“Randolf!” she says, throwing her arms wide for a hug. “How have you been?”
I scoop her up and spin her round, “Linda, you’re actually here. It’s so good to see you.”
“I’m famished. Should we go check out the snack table?”
We make our way to the dining room. The table is decked with a variety of treats. They’re all festive and themed for the coming Christmas holiday. There are cookies of every shape and size, Winnie’s famous peppermint bark, candies galore, and at the very end, a variety of cakes, including the one that I look forward to every year.
“Did you bring the hot cocoa cake?” I ask Linda as we fill our plates.
“No, not this year. Jane said that she wanted to try to make it.”
I place a slice on my plate and greedily gobble up a bite. “It’s different than yours, but still tasty.”
I offer her a taste. “Mmm, I see what you mean. I think it works. I might have to try that myself next time.”
“Yours is perfect. No need to mess around with it.”
We make our way to a quiet corner and catch up between bites. Our friends gravitate around us and the conversations ebb and flow. Someone suggests that we should play a round of Animal, Vegetable, Mineral. As we all gather in the parlor to start the game, Jane goes to find the rest of the guests to ask them to join in the fun. A loud scream comes from the dining room.
I rush in and there on the floor is Margaret with a small plate of treats broken beside her. I could see that she wasn’t breathing. Reaching down to check her pulse, I move aside her hand that lay grasping her necklace. The pulse is faint but still there.
“Josh, call the ambulance. Jane, tell me everything you put in the hot cocoa cake. Winnie, find Margaret’s purse.” I cover my mouth over hers and breath but it’s no use, her throat is closed. Where is that purse?
Winnie runs in, “Here it is!” she shouts as she thrust it towards me.
I dump the contents on the floor and find the thing I was hoping for. Opening the container, I take out the device inside and inject Margaret with the vial in her upper thigh. Within seconds, she starts to breathe again.
First responders show up and I step back from Margaret to give them room. Jane hands me her recipe with the changes. Exactly as I thought.

Can you guess what happened to poor Margaret?

Here’s Jane’s recipe for Hot Cocoa Cake

Cake:
1 box red velvet cake mix (eggs, oil, milk)
½ teaspoons peppermint extract
For the filling:
1 box (3.4oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
1¾ cup milk
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
For the whipped cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered hot chocolate mix (about 6 sleeves of instant hot chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare the cake according to the instructions on the box, combining the cake mix with eggs, vegetable oil, milk instead of water and peppermint extract.

Bake the cake in 9×13” for 18-22 minutes. Once toothpick comes out clean, remove from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.

For the filling:

Use the end of a wooden spoon or another round object and poke holes all over the top of your cake once cooled.

Mix the pudding with the milk, and peppermint extract. Before the pudding sets, pour it over the top of the cake and put the cake in the fridge to let the pudding set, about 15 minutes.

For the whipped cream:

Beat the heavy cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the hot chocolate mix and increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread whipped cream over the top of cake.

(Recipe adapted from BeyondFrosting.com)