Wednesday, July 16, 2008

One Year Ago ...

......today, I entered the foodie blogosphere and it has been a blast. Foodies Rock!

My first post was a lemon and fruit dessert, and in honor of my "birth-blogday" I am going with another great lemon and fruit dessert. My dear friend Janie An Obsessive/Compulsive Plant Collector knows I collect cookbooks, especially the vintage ones and she sent me two cookbooks from the 40's, Meta Givens (1947) I immediately found a Butter Sponge Layer Cake and Lemon Butter Jelly that I had to make. I spread the lemon butter jelly between the two layers of cake. The food critic and I are not much for those too sweet creamy frostings, a light dusting of confectioners sugar and some locally grown raspberries are just to our taste. I have transcribed the recipe exactly as it is written. If you are looking for that perfect cake to make for summer fruit shortcakes, look no further. This cake is delicious, moist and light.

Butter Sponge Layer Cake

Looks like pie, tastes like cake

Recipe:

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder or 1 1/2 tsp.
tartrate or phosphate type
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
3 eggs, room temp
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar

Line bottoms of two 8-inch layer cake pans with waxed paper, grease paper lightly. Start oven 10 minutes before baking, set to moderate (350 degrees).

Sift flour, measure, resift 3 times with baking powder. Scald milk in top of double boiler, remove from heat, add butter and cool to luke warm.

In a 3-qt mixing bowl, beat eggs with salt and vanilla until thick and lemon-colored, gradually add sugar and beat until thick and spongy. Then quickly stir in milk. Add flour all at once, then beat until batter is smooth. Turn into prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pans on cake racks 5 min, then turn out on racks, loosen paper and turn right side up to cool.

Lemon Butter Jelly

This rich, lemony filling made with whole eggs or yolks keeps well. It may be made 3 to 4 days before using. Delicious for layer cakes, filled cookies and tarts.

1/2 cup butter
3 eggs or 2/3 cup yolks, beaten
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 3 lemons
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind, pkd

Melt butter in top of double boiler. Blend sugar and flour, add eggs and beat well, then stir into melted butter. Now stir in lemon juice. Cook over gently boiling water, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and clear, from 10 to 12 min. Remove from heat, stir in rind. Cool, then pour into a clean jar. Cover and store in refrigerator. 2 1/2 cups filling. Enough to spread between and over tops of three 9-inch layers of cake, or fills fourteen 2 1/3 inch tarts.


May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace
...May your troubles grow less as your blessings increase!


23 comments:

Theresa said...

That looks so refreshing. Can't wait to try that!

Beth said...

Happy birth blogday!! This looks lovely and light - the lemon curd (as we call it in England) looks fantastic. Its making my mouth water. It hubbys cricket (another quintessentially English sport) tea tomorrow and I logged on to find some more inspirationfor things to make for it - just been inspired!!

janie said...

I am so glad you have those cookbooks. They were my Mama's, and she would be so happy that you are using them. She certainly used them.

This sounds delicious. I too, love the lemon curd. I might have to try this.

Happy Blogbirthday!

Janie

OhioMom said...

Oh Janie, I am doubly honored that you entrusted your Mama's cookbooks to me, I absolutely love them and have been going through and bookmarking other recipes I want to try ... (((Janie)))

Theresa this cake is soooo good, it needs nothing, I could eat it just plain.

Beth, thank you, the lemon butter jelly (curd) is so good and I like that it makes enough for more than one dessert.

Lucy said...

C O N G R A T'S !!! (((((((Linda)))))))

What a wonderful cake you have there!! Looks so perfect for an anytime cake! However, with the current heat-wave, that looks light & certainly a refreshing filling .... you're rocking!!

Looking forward to another year of goodies ;-)

OhioMom said...

Lucy

Thanks for your kind words :)

This cake is perfect for fruit/lemon and creme fillings.

shambo said...

Congratulations on your first year! The lemon curd looks so good in that cake. What a lovely dessert!

OhioMom said...

Thanks Sue, it has been a fun year.

******* said...

A very happy blogoversary to you my dear :) I've enjoyed getting to know you!

OhioMom said...

Thanks Maryann ... it has been a pleasure for me to meet and get to know you also, I absolutely love your blog posts and always look forward to what wonderful story your will share with all of us next.

EAT! said...

Amazing - all things lemony are a welcome treat at our house. I guess I'll be stocking up on lemons.

OhioMom said...

Hi EAT

Yes, isn't it amazing that such a tart little fruit can also be so sweet ?

giz said...

I love the deceiving quality of it - looks like one thing and tastes like another - very cool. And it looks really good and beautifully presented.

OhioMom said...

Thank you Giz :)

PGL said...

Happy Blog B-day Mom! I love that lemon dessert. Looks so delish! You know your oldest grandkid loves lemon. ;)

OhioMom said...

Thanks baby, as long as he doesn't want lemon meringue, then he has to go to Lucy's house because mine are pitiful.

You can make this lemon curd up and store it for several days, even buy those little pre-baked mini pie shells and instant lemon dessert from my grandson.

Michelle said...

WOW...one whole year!!!

Congratulations for a job well done!

OhioMom said...

Thank you Michelle

lifeinrecipes said...

Happy blog-birthday to you! Lemon mught be my favorite dessert flavor. Your cake is beautiful and delicately
appetizing.

OhioMom said...

Thanks so much, lemon is a favorite of mine too ... :)

bee said...

wis you many many more years of wonderful blogging.

bee

OhioMom said...

Thanks Bee ... and here is too all the wonderful bloggers who inspire me in the kitchen :)

Jerri - Simply Sweet Home said...

Your cake looks wonderful.