Wende’s soulful confections rock the Groove Room

For North Leasider Wende Rapson, the Groove Room at St. Augustine’s Church is a family affair. (See Steve Hardy’s article on page 10).

Since 2015 the Groove Room has offered local live music in a relaxed setting while at the same time supporting the Flemingdon Food Bank. It’s Leaside’s own coffee house.

Coffeehouses have a long and musical history in Toronto. During the ’60s, Bohemian Yorkville boasted several, like The Purple Onion and the Riverboat, crowded intimate places full of cigarette-smoking patrons where Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot honed their folk and blues. The Groove Room is like that, only less smoky and sweeter. The sweet part is thanks to Wende.

“The Groove Room was my husband Mike and his then guitar instructor Kevin McLoskey’s brainchild; the offering of home-baked goods was mine,” explains Wende. “Groove Room sessions are held the second Friday of every month except March, July and August; for the first few years we offered store-bought pastries along with coffee and tea.”

That changed in 2017. “That’s the year I retired,” says Wende, “and I found I had time on my hands. I decided to learn to bake to offer patrons freshly baked pies, cakes and cookies.”

Wende hails from Timmins and came to Toronto to study law. She began her legal career as in-house counsel briefly with the provincial government and then with General Motors and the Royal Bank. With a busy career she didn’t have time to do much baking. Plus, she didn’t grow up around pastry chefs. “My mom was a great cook but what I’d call a ‘utilitarian’ baker – anything she could make in one pan!” Wende explains that her mom was of the generation that marvelled at processed food breakthroughs of the ’60s – “I remember a lot of Cool Whip in the fridge.”

Folks come faithfully to enjoy the live music and sample Wende’s wares. “I like to challenge myself, so I have started baking thematically: Hungarian, Mexican and New Orleans Mardi Gras featuring King Cake. My daughter Mackenzie is a great baker and so she has been an inspiration and a guide.”

Wende enjoys catering to all generations as well as to those with dietary restrictions. “There are always cookies for the kids” as well as gluten-free offerings for those with gastric sensitivities. This month’s featured recipe is her famous gluten-free Black Forest Cake. She remembers being at staff social functions with a dearth of gluten-free treats. Some people had gluten sensitivity while others chose not to eat gluten for their own reasons but in either case she empathized with them.

She tests out new recipes on her family. “If Mike eats it and doesn’t know it is gluten-free, then it’s a hit!” she jokes.

Musically, the Groove Room serves up as much diversity as Wende’s confections: bagpipes, percussion, heavy metal, piano and once a family singing Baltic folk songs. You are never sure what you will hear.

The next event is April 10 at St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church at 1847 Bayview Ave., starting at 7 p.m. “The policy is ‘pay what you can’ and attendees are very generous,” says Wende. Last year they raised over $3,000 for the Flemingdon Food Bank.

Attend the next Groove Room, meet Wende and Mike as well as Mike’s brother Marty and even Mike’s mom, who help with setup and takedown. Enjoy the good vibes and sample Wende’s wild blueberry pie or gluten-free offerings with a good cup of coffee or tea. You are bound to leave comfortably nourished in body and spirit.

Black Forest Cake

Makes one three-layer, 9-inch cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (for a gluten free cake, use cup-for-cup gluten free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour, Cup4Cup, or any homemade blend of your choice)
• 2 ¾ cups white sugar
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 ½ cup strong, hot brewed coffee
• ¾ cups vegetable or canola oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cherries:

• 1 – 15 oz can of dark, sweet cherries in heavy syrup
• 1 tbsp. cherry liqueur, such as Kirsch

Whipped Cream Frosting:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• ½ cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line the bottom of three 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Put flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on low until blended.
3. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix on low until blended.
4. Slowly stream in the hot coffee while continuing on low speed but don’t over mix. The batter will be thin.
5. Once blended, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
6. Divide the batter evenly into the three prepared pans.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for about 10 or so minutes before removing from the pan and placing on wire racks to cool.

Cherry Syrup and Cherries

1. Strain the juice out of the can of cherries into a small saucepan. Add Kirsch (if using) and reduce over medium high heat until between ¼ and ½ cup of liquid remains.  Set cherries aside on a strainer so any residual liquid drains off.
2. Cool the syrup to room temperature.
3. Cut cherries in half retaining some for garnish on the top if desired.

Whipped Cream

Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.  Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Assembly

1. Place a layer of cake on a serving dish. Brush with syrup.  Spread a third of the whipping cream on top of the layer and top with half the halved cherries.
2. Place next layer on top of the bottom layer and repeat.
3. Place the third layer on top and spread the remaining whipping cream on it. Garnish with reserved cherries and other chocolate decorations.