Clearman’s cooking came from father
Mandy Clearman’s passion for baking cakes began by learning from her dad, Earnest “Dink” Eakes, and grandmother, Catherine Watkins, during her teenage years.
“I remember my grandmother was always in the kitchen at her house, and it always smelled so good when she was making something sweet,” Clearman said. “She could make divinity, which I have not even attempted, and she made fudge and always wanted to make an orange cake during Easter time.”
Clearman inherited her dad's knack for birthday cakes, often baking different themed birthday cake creations for her nieces over the years.
“It’s funny because, for my children’s birthdays, I always go and order a cake,” she said with a laugh. “I love throwing them big birthday parties and they are always themed, so I only try to worry about the decorations and everything else.”
She is married to Justin Clearman and together they have two children, Madelyn Dean and John Preston.
Recently their daughter has joined in on the cake-making fun.
“Madelyn loves to crack the eggs and help stir,” she said. “It’s been a learning thing for her, and I teach her some math when measuring too.”
Clearman taught high school math for 12 years at Philadelphia High School and Sebastapol. She also coached softball at Philadelphia and later owned a candle business in town, J & M Entwined Designs.
She transitioned into full-time mom mode after having their second child and plans to return to teaching when her daughter starts school next year.
Madelyn and John Preston love her Hershey chocolate cakes and Justin’s top pick is triple chocolate brownies topped with miniature chocolate chips, but Mandy Clearman says her specialty is coconut cake.
Beyond cake, Clearman’s lemon icebox pie has been a holiday go-to over the years, and her chicken and dressing is a family favorite during Thanksgiving.
One of her cherished family traditions involves making Christmas cookies and candies with her mom, sister, and daughter. Clearman also makes red velvet cake and pecan pie for the Christmastime celebrations.
“The best part about baking is when people tell me how great my cakes are and seeing their happy reactions,” she said. “I also like putting all the ingredients together and adding a little this and that to change it up a bit.”
For Clearman, baking cakes is a loving experience she gets to share and enjoy with her family.
MAMAW’S BROWNIES
1 lb. box light brown sugar
1 ½ stick butter-melted
12 oz chocolate chips
3 eggs
2 1/3 c. s/r flour
1 c. pecans (optional)
Mix brown sugar, butter, and eggs.
Add flour little by little until all is mixed.
Add chocolate chips then pecans.
Bake for 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
LEMON ICE BOX PIE
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 envelope of Dream Whip Whipped topping
3 eggs (yolks)
3 lemon or 1/3 cup of lemon juice
Nilla Wafers (1 box)
Prepare Dream Whip as on box. Set in refrigerator. Separate eggs. Put egg yolks in medium bowl and stir. Add condensed milk. Stir in lemon juice, a little at a time. Fold in Dream Whip. Pour mixture into Nilla Wafer crust. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until light brown on the edge of the wafers. Let pie chill in refrigerator overnight for best results.
RED VELVET CAKE
Cake:
½ cup sugar
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 ½ cups oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cocoa
1 tsp. vinegar
1 oz. red food coloring
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Icing:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
1 stick margarine
1 cup pecans (optional)
Mix together and spread over cake.
PECAN PIE
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
½ stick butter, sliced
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tbsp. vanilla
2/3 cup Karo
1 frozen pie shell (pricked)
Beat 2/3 cup sugar and eggs together, by hand. Beat butter pecans, vanilla, and Karo. And to sugar and egg mixture. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce to 325 degrees and bake 30 minutes.