Cake

[mixfinder]

I have been craving cake and after desperate attempts at making cake using mixes while staying at a friends house, I was hot to bake when I finally got home from the hospital. Something I never do is use a recipe and I am amazed at how laborious it is to read and cook from a recipe. Recipe names are stupid and drive me crazy, a short trip. Here's the picture and why in the world would anyone call this "Tomboy" cake.

 

[mixfinder]

Long Story Short

Its a butter cake using ground almonds in addition to flour with the addition of beaten egg whites. The cake shows three layers and the recipe directs using 4. I used three.

 

[mixfinder]

Even Steven

I used a scale to be sure each pan had the same amount of batter. These are Corning Cornflower cake pans. I have two and have been looking solidly for the 3rd. (When I was putting them away one of the corn flower cake pans hit the floor) Must be the sign to go back to aluminum 9 inch pans.

 

[mixfinder]

Step 2

The cake has an apricot spread with a lemon curd filling. I'm liking all these steps. Curd is cooked in a double boiler.

 

[mixfinder]

Yippee Two Appliances

The warm curd is put in the blender while cold butter is added making the curd ready to use without cooling.

 

[mixfinder]

But Wait There's More

Whipped cream is folded into the curd and layered over the apricot spread as you stack the layers. I found aseptic pack whipping cream at Trader Joe's. Its .99 cents a cup, has unlimited shelf life, whips very stable and is great to be sure you never run out of whipping cream. I buy it by the case and keep it in the garage fridge so its ready to go at a moment's notice.

 

[frigilux]

That cake looks great, Kelly. Good choice! With the exception of some yeast breads, there's no way I could bake without a recipe. Glad to see you are back in the kitchen, your natural habitat.

 

[mixfinder]

The Grand Finally

The cake is then topped with meringue icing. Instead of water in the sugar syrup I used lemon juice which keeps the meringue soft and never sticky. Not wanting the edges of the cake to dry I frosted the sides as well.

 

[mixfinder]

In The End

It was good, company raved, but it was too confused and too sweet for my taste. Last night I made a custard pie for dessert and finally I have something that tasted good.

 

[xraytech]

The cake looks great Kelly, as do the pies

What I really love are the cornflower cake pans, never knew they made them, now I must search for some,

 

[gfm8959]

Kelly it was so good to see one of your baking projects again-- I really have missed them! I've also discovered the TJ's heavy cream and it really is great to have on hand. I have used it for ganache and homemade ice cream. Keep the pics coming!

 

[norgeway]

I love that cream too

Trader Joes is great, Great seeing you cook again,glad you are feeling better!

 

[retropia]

Those look amazing! I liked your line "desperate attempts at making cakes using mixes," LOL - it made me think it could be a new type of reality TV show, "Desperate Bakers."

"On today's episode of Desperate Bakers, teams scheme to create a dessert using a box of graham crackers, a tub of Cool Whip, and a package of Lime Jell-O. What will the judges have to say?"

I admit to using cake mixes, because my attempts at making cakes from scratch have been unsatisfactory. However, I do make all of my icings from scratch. I've never attempted meringue.

 

[mixfinder]

Abort Mission

I had 5 good days in Missouri and we went to a petting farm and u-pick fruit attraction. We picked the equivalent of a gallon of berries. I about fell out of my shoes when the clerk told me the berries were $51.87. The infectious disease doctor has wondered if this is where I got the original bacterial infection. We has the neighbors for dinner. Turkey on the Weber.

 

[mixfinder]

Dark Shadows

Sara and Mike have a nice home but it is dark. I had never seen cabinets like these. They are stained dark but the wood is rough hewn and then topped with a shiny finish which accentuates the imperfections

 

[mixfinder]

Money Money

I promised to help Audrey make a baked sale to raise money for a dog. It was at the height of feeling bad, but I wasn't going to disappoint her. She made $197.00 and the dog hunt will begin in earnest after school starts and life settles down. We made Cinnamon Rolls, Black Bottom Cupcakes, Hand Pies with Caramel sauce, Whoopie pies, Drop Doughnuts, Raised Potato doughnuts, Cookies and offered coffee free. I'm very glad I finished it and didn't wait another day.

 

[mickeyd]

Tomboy, I'm with you on that. Overkill.

The pies are divine. Looks like blueberry or black raspberry oozing. Nothing better for end of summer. I was surprised you didn't Kellify the entire recipe your own way, like your trick of using lemon instead of water to keep the meringue soft.

But you're after my heart with the unseen and hopefully eaten totally by you custard pie. Gram always made them, topped with a layer of nutmeg. How I'd love a piece.
Ain't nothin' like Custard Pie. What memories. Thank You.

 

[mattl]

Great to see you baking again.

 

Tell me more about the frosting.  Actually please post the recipe, always on the lookout for something unique and you always seem to come up with it.  Never thought of using lemon juice in a meringue frosting, is the taste strong or subtle?

 

Had a little get together Sunday, and I was talking up your pie crusts.  One of my cousins said he had made 5 different pie crusts last week trying to find one he likes, and while his was quite good, he made a blueberry pie, from my experience your recipe is better.  Only crust I make now --thank you.  I made my chocolate cookie icebox cake, it's been my go to recipe for the summer, and it was good too.

 

I think being back home in your kitchen cooking and baking is some of the best medicine for you.  Keep it up - along with those platelet  cells.

 

[appnut]

YAY. I have tears in my eyes!!!