Dear readers, I have a special treat in store for you today.  This is a cake that I save for special occasions because it is so close to my heart.  It’s a perfect way to celebrate spring, whether it’s Easter, Mother’s Day, or a special family event.  Daffodil Cake – a light and lemony angel food cake marbled with beautiful batters and topped with a citrusy glaze.  When you make this cake for someone, you will make them feel truly special and loved.

This cake always reminds me of my dear Auntie Gladys.  The first time that I made it, I was about ten years old and she had come to town to visit us.  She raved and raved about how wonderful it was, and over the years she continues to ask whether I have made one lately. So when I made it for my mother-in-law, my mom, and my grandmother this mother’s day, I thought fondly of my sweet Auntie Gladys in California.  If only she were closer, I could have made one more for her!

Daffodil Cake
from my trusty old Betty Crocker Cookbook

1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons of sugar
12 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

Lemon Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the cake flour and the 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

In a large electric mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, ,beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt for about 60 seconds, until foamy. Add the 3/4 cup of sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Gently fold the vanilla and lemon zest into the meringue.

In another electric mixer bowl, beat the egg yolks for about 5 minutes, until they are very thick and lemon colored. Set aside.

Sprinkle the flour-sugar mixture, one quarter at a time, over the meringue, gently folding the flour in just until the dry ingredients disappear. Pour half the batter into the bowl with the whipped egg yolks, and fold gently together.

Get out an ungreased tube pan, about 10×4 inches. Spoon the yellow and white batters alternately into the pan, and gently cut through the batters with a knife to swirl.

Bake on the bottom shelf of your oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched with a finger. Invert the pan on its funnel and let the cake hang until it is completely cooled.

While the cake is cooling, it’s time to make the glaze. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and add the lemon zest. Add the lemon juice one tablespoon at a time to the powdered sugar, whisking vigorously until the mixture is smooth.  The mixture will thin very quickly as you add the juice so go slowly and stop when you get to your desired glaze consistency.

Carefully remove the cake from its pan and spoon the glaze over the top.  Enjoy!

What better way to ring in the new year, dear readers, than to share one of my very favorite family traditions with you.  Every Christmas, Nanny makes her famous tarts!  They are really a unique little treat: flaky pastry filled with jam and topped with buttery yellow cake.  We usually serve them along side our usual pies for dessert at our big Christmas dinner.  But they are also excellent with a cup of coffee for breakfast, or – my personal favorite – in the afternoon with a cup of Earl Grey tea!

Nanny’s Raspberry Tarts

Batter:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups milk

Pastry:
2 cups flour
1 cup shortening
about 3/4 cup ice water

Filling:
Seedless raspberry jam

First, make the batter.  In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and the flour and the baking powder.

Next, add the flour and the milk alternately to the creamed mixture, starting and ending with the flour.  It usually takes about 3 additions of each.  Beat the batter until very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Set the batter aside, and make the pastry.

Sift the flour into a bowl.  Add the shortening, and cut it into the flour using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles course crumbs.

Next, add the ice water.  Sprinkle it all over the mixture and use your hands to work it in until it all comes together in a ball.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll the crust out very thin, to about 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut the dough into about 3-inch rounds, and fit the dough into your tin the same way you would fit a pie crust into a pie dish!

These are Nanny’s tart tins.  They came from her mother (my great-grandmother) in England.  They really resemble sort of a slightly deeper-than-usual mini muffin tin.  Nanny has always used this old tea cup to cut the crust, as it is the perfect size to fit her tart tins!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble the tarts, place about a tablespoon of raspberry jam into the bottom of each crust.  Then top the jam with a spoonful of cake batter, sealing to the crust around the top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops turn golden brown.  Enjoy!!!

The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer’s day;
The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away.
The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore
The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and vowed he’d steal no more.

-Lewis Carroll

Well, dear readers, this is a *first* for me.  I am loathe to share any recipes with you here that involve cake mixes, pudding mixes, and the like – even if they are doctored up quite a bit.  I don’t know why, but I just tend to be of the mind that these creations cannot compare to a from-scratch style of cake.

With that disclaimer, I will tell you that the recipe I am about to share with you is a wonderful family recipe that comes to me from aunt, through my lovely cousin, the Meat Lady.  And I must admit, the cake she made for us was surprisingly delicious.  It is moist. tender  and flavorful, and the topping is absolutely to-die-for!

So without further ado, I give you . . . Devil’s Food Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting!

Devil’s Food Pound Cake
from my cousin, the Meat Lady

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 box chocolate instant pudding mix
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease well a bundt pan.

Blend all ingredients together for 2-3 minutes, and pour in the prepared pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then flip pan, and cake should fall right out. Frost as desired.

Peanut Butter Frosting
also from the kitchen of my cousin, the Meat Lady
1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Using an electric mixer, blend all ingredients together until light and fluffy. Next, put the mixture in a small saucepan over very low heat, until it becomes slightly runny.  Remove from heat and spoon over the cake.  Garnish with crumbled pieces of chocolate-peanut-butter cups!

Frozen Lemon Cake
adapted from Nanny’s recipe

1 cup crushed graham crackers, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs, separated
1 lemon (all juice and all zest)
½ cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar, divided

Combine 3/4 cup of the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter, stirring until a crumbly loose mixture forms. Line the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan with the mixture.

In a bowl set over hot water (not boiling) mix egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar.Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. At this point Nanny’s instructions say “Keep cool.” – this is because it will take about 10 minutes for the mixture to thicken. Cute. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Beat egg whites until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until glossy, stiff peaks form. Next, beat whipped cream until fluffy, and gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar. Then, gently fold all three mixtures together.

Spread the mixture in the pan over the prepared crust. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of crushed crackers. Place in freezer for at least 3 hours. When you’re ready to serve, remove from the freezer, and cut into squares and plate them. Then allow to melt ever so slightly – about 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately.

I discovered this recipe when I was in college – it is the perfect comfort food. It will make you feel cozy and warm with just one bite. I’ve tweaked it over the years to make it a bit softer, more chocolaty, and more delicate – sublime.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake
adapted from AllRecipes.com

1 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup butter
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
A pinch of cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease well a 8×8 inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats, butter, and boiling water. Set aside to cool.

Beat together the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla; add to cooled oat mixture, mixing until completely combined.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon. Add to wet ingredients and mix well. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Big Brother’s Birthday Cake

Cake
2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup milk
5 egg whites

Lemon Curd
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup cold water
6 egg yolks (save 2 whites for the icing!)
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

White Mountain Frosting
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoons vanilla

For the cake:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour two 9-inch round pans with butter and flour (seriously, don’t skip the flour!).

Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat the butter in with an electric mixer. Add the sugar and the vanilla, and continue to beat until fluffy. Gradually add the dry ingredients and the milk, alternately, starting and ending with the flour.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans, like so . . .

Then bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake springs back when gently touched near the center.

For the lemon curd:
Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the water and whisk in the egg yolks, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, boiling the mixture for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Strain the mixture and cool to room temperature.

For the frosting:
In a small saucepan, combine the corn syrup, sugar, and water. Cover and apply medium heat until the mixture reaches a rolling boil. Do not stir, but uncover and continue to boil until the mixture reaches 242 degrees on a candy thermometer and/or the mixture spools 6-8-inch threads when drizzled from a spoon.

Meanwhile, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Very gradually stream the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites, beating constantly, until thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until desired consistency is reached.

To assemble the cake, put half of the lemon curd over the first layer. Top with the second layer, and ice the entire outside with the frosting. Serve with the extra lemon curd on the side.

Don’t you just love how shiny and gorgeous the icing is?

Sources: The cake and curd recipes come from my sister-in-law. The frosting is from my tried and true, vintage Betty Crocker cookbook.

O, mon dieu, chers lecteurs. This is a fab find!

I’m at home alone (with the dogs) tonight – hubby’s away at a leadership conference. I decided to make dinner easy – boiled gnocchi with Newman’s Own tomato sauce . . . garlic toast on the side.

What do you crave after eating Italian? My mom and I always have a taste for chocolate! But here I am, all alone. It would be wasteful (right?) to make brownies, to go out and get a pint of ice cream, to open a new box of Oreos . . . What’s a girl to do in this kind of emergency???

Enter . . . Emergency Chocolate Cake.

Moist, fluffy, chocolaty heaven. A mug full of cupcake. Satisfaction, in two minutes flat.

I think I may have another . . . this time with a pinch of cinnamon perhaps?

Emergency Chocolate Cake
I got this from the Rookie Chef, who got it from One Particular Kitchen

2 tablespoons cake flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 (slightly heaping) teaspoons cocoa powder
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons of milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons oil

Spray the inside of a microwave-safe coffee mug with nonstick spray. Measure the ingredients into the mug and stir with a fork until smooth and no lumps remain. Microwave on high for 60 seconds.

That’s it!!!

You can eat it with a fork straight out of the mug (as I did) , or turn it out onto a plate and top it with chocolate syrup or whipped cream. Perfection!

Cloud Cake
from the Care Bears Party Cook Book

1 pound cake
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup raspberry jam or fresh berries with their juice
Frozen whipped topping or fresh whipped cream

Slice your pound cake loaf horizontally and remove the top half. Pour half of the orange juice over the bottom half of the cake. Then spread with raspberry jam or fresh berries and juice. Replace the top of the cake to make a sandwich. Pour the remaining juice over the cake. Top with whipped cream and more berries if desired.

Red, White, and Blue Cloud Cake

2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups blueberries
1 loaf-sized pound cake
Frozen whipped topping or fresh whipped cream

Combine the strawberries and the sugar in a bowl. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Stir the strawberries again – they should be nice and juicy. Set aside.

Cut slices of pound cake. Top with the strawberries and juice. Top with some blueberries. Add some whipped topping, and then decorate with extra fruit on the top. Serve immediately – enjoy!!!

I love my mom. So when she told me she didn’t need me to bring dessert for her Mother’s Day brunch last month, of course I didn’t believe her. Instead, I surprised her with one of our long-time favorite recipes, in cupcake form!

This is a fabulously moist and fluffy carrot cake – perfect for a brunch, for Easter, for Mother’s Day, or for any day! These tender little cakes will melt in your mouth – especially when you top them with classic cream cheese frosting.

Classic Carrot Cake
from my mom’s friend Sue

1 1/3 cups oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups finely grated carrots (3-4 large carrots)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13″ pan or 3 round layer pans or line 24 cupcake tins.

Blend oil and sugar. Then beat in eggs one at a time. Sift in the dry ingredients. Gently fold in the carrots. Pour batter into your prepared pans. For 9×13″ pan, bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. For layers, bake 18-25 minutes. For cupcakes, bake 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool completely on racks before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream all ingredients together until smooth. Ice completely cooled cakes as desired.

Pictures taken by my super-cute mom with her brand new camera,
a present from dad on Mother’s Day!

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 round 9″ cake pans.

Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into cupcake tins until 2/3 full. Bake for 23-35 minutes. Cool on racks.

Whip the cream until it reaches a good spreading consistency. Spread the raspberry preserves over the top of the first layer of cake. Gently place the next layer on top. Ice the outside of the cake with the plain whipped cream. Decorate the top of the cake with the fresh berries, and serve immediately. Enjoy!