When a friend of mine recently asked me to help throw her a baby shower, I had many questionable suggestions-- like making it race-car rather than baby themed (accepted) to making a baby-shaped red-velvet cake with gooey red filling, except the diaper part, which would have brown icing filling (rejected).

But one of the things she was most excited about was my suggestion that I make a meatcake. That is, a cake made of meat, an idea I had found (like so many nutty ideas) on the interwebs. I took the concept, but created my own recipes--two, since a non-red-meat eater needed turkey. It may sound peculiar but the result was delicious and even rather spectacular. If you want to try it yourself....

Beef/Pork Meatcake

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/3 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 head garlic--split in half, roast one half, then chop the other half
1/3 cup sauteed onions, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 box cheese-flavored mashed potatoes
As much butter, milk and water it tells you it needs on your particular box of mashed potatoes
1/2 cup red onion & pepper relish

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Mix meats, egg and milk in large bowl. Isn't the feel of handfuls of cold meat and raw egg delightful? Add breadcrumbs and keep mixing. Mix in everything else. Put in two round 8" cake pans, spreading as evenly as possible. Cook in oven for one hour (or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, if you happen to have one of those things). Remove and let sit for 15 minutes. While it cools, mix up mashed potatoes, according to directions, although you may want to add some spice to taste. Proceed to frost meatcakes with the mashed potatoes just like they were non-meaty-cakes, putting the red pepper and onion relish in the middle along with the mashed potato frosting.

Turkey Meatcake

2 lbs. ground turkey
1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/3 cup red peppers
1/2 cup red onions
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/3 tsp. white pepper
1/3 tsp. black pepper
1 box sweet potato mashed potatoes
As much butter, milk and water it tells you it needs on your particular box of mashed potatoes
1/4 tsp. ginger
salt and pepper to taste
H&P Curry Catsup

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Mix meats, egg and milk in large bowl. Add breadcrumbs and continue with the mixing. Mix in everything else. Put in two round 8" cake pans (actually I suppose they could be square), spreading as evenly as possible. Cook in oven for one hour (or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees la la la). Take out of oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. While cooling, mix up mashed potatoes just as the box tells you, adding ginger, salt and pepper. Proceed to frost meatcakes with the mashed potatoes just like they were non-meaty-cakes, spreading a coat of the curry catsup between the layers along with the mash. Use more catsup to draw a design on the top, perhaps a picture of a turkey or a friend's name or a target, whatever strikes your protein-laden fancy.