Three things real quick:
1. The fact that there is literally only a 1 hour window of good light to get decent capsule wardrobe outfit photos inside my house + that it’s too darn cold to take them outside is killing me. I had hoped to improve my rate of outfit posts this season! Goals – schmoals, apparently.
2. This will be [by far] the latest in the day I’ve ever published a blog post. Although I have written quite a few well past even these late hours…
3. I completely spaced on getting an actual photo of this infamous ‘love cake’ when it was actually, I don’t know, a cake? And not 3 pieces left? Let’s just call a spade a spade… #epicfail
And we’re back…
Over the weekend I posted a photo on my Instagram defining a ‘love cake‘:
the love cake
[stressed th ee; unstressed before a consonant th uh;unstressed before a vowel th ee luhv keyk]
NOUN
1. a cake comprised of yellow cake and creamy chocolate frosting
2. a cake made with love by and individual and then given to that individual’s significant other to be devoured by, and only by, said significant other.
The tradition of me baking this ‘love cake’ for my, then boyfriend — now husband, began much like any other: a simple act of baking his favorite cake, just because.
Of course we were still in high school at the time, so when I brought this cake to his house a certain someone (ahem, his brother) thought that Nick should naturally share his treat. It was an entire cake after all. But as I continued to bring this cake to his house on many a different occasion, it became well known that this was a “special cake”, that Nick was very protective of, and would NOT share. Because, obviously.
And from then on it was coined: the love cake.
Of course that’s all anecdotal history and what you really want to know is how to make this bad boy, am I right? On with it then…
I’ve toyed with many a recipe over the years and I’m not convinced I’ve truly perfected it yet, but this one was by far and away the best yet!
Beware… the sugar!
YELLOW CAKE
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter (16 tablespoons), softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups buttermilk (note* halve amount if using whole milk)
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two or three round baking pans or a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick baking spray or by coating with butter and lightly flouring, shaking away any excess flour and discarding.
Cream together butter and sugar until a light yellow in color, about 2-3 minutes. Incorporate eggs one at a time, being sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next. Then, incorporate egg yolks the same.
Whisk together salt, baking powder, and all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl. Spoon half of the mixture into the butter, sugar and egg mixture and stir until combined. Add half of buttermilk, then add the remainder of the flour mixture followed by the remainder of the buttermilk. Stir in the vanilla.
Divide the cake batter between the baking pans or pour into the 9×13 baking sheet pan.
Bake until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes for two 8-inch pans, 30 minutes for two 9-inch pans, and 35 minutes for a 9×13 baking pan. Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 8-10 minutes in the pan placed on a wire cooling rack. Then, turn the cakes out on the cooling rack to cool completely.
View the original recipe at addapinch.com
CREAMY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk (note* I used whole milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.
View the original recipe at allrecipes.com
Do you have any special tradition foods like this that randomly caught on? Do share!
Note* Even in recipes like these when one could easily question the purpose of using organic ingredients (hello refined sugars), I still do. Call it personal preference, a lifestyle, whatever, it’s just the way I roll. ;)