A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen

Lemon Butter Glaze, a sweet citrus syrup with flecks of lemon zest was a welcome flavor to a traditional Southern Pound cake. What started out as a simple Southern Pound Cake ended up being a mistake, then turning into a whole lot more.

There can be a lot of pressure in the kitchen, especially when you realize that you just made a mistake and you can’t turn back. The first words you say out-loud are, Oh my God, not a flop. Then you think, I hate failure. I hate defeat. I need a win. I need a win bad. Please God, don’t let this be a flop, I can’t take another mess-up.

Then as fast as you feel success slip through your fingers. Whatever it is that you were making turns around. It looks like you have a win. The recipe is not flopping. You are not a failure. It is going to turn out beautiful. It is going to taste good. Then you realize that you just learned a lesson.

You learned how to call out to God, even in the kitchen. You learned that if you measure your success the way you measure everything else in the kitchen expecting it always to turn out the way you want; you will be disappointed. Disappointed often. Sometimes those things that seem to be a mistake turn out better than you had planned, that is a good thing. In fact these little cakes turned out so well I have decided to enter them in Julia’s annual Easter Cake Bake.

I have been here before many times. Why does it amaze me despite the familiarity? God is just using the kitchen as a vehicle to transform me. A pound of flour, butter, sugar and a few other ingredients and I am being taught about life, myself, my faith and how to make a better Southern Pound Cake.

What was supposed to be a pound cake in a large bundt pan turned into something else and not by choice. My cake became a celebration of Easter. Not having a large bundt pan as well as not having the energy to go to the store once again for the 50th time; I used miniature bundt pans. A great sollution despite their overflowing all over the place. Once again I was able to salvage the dessert. With a little determination I got the cakes out of their pans after all. I then made the Lemon Butter Glaze and poured it over the cakes. They just looked alright which led me to make a simple butter cream to frost them with. They still looked alright, which led me to crack open a coconut I had bought earlier in the week.

This was fun and very cathartic, hitting this coconut with a hammer no less. But then, as the clock hit 9pm and being left with the task of scooping out the coconut, then peeling the brown layer off with a dull knife. Not to mention grating the coconut. I wisely decided to call it a night. I knew a good night sleep would render me awake with a fresh attitude.

After my early morning coffee, back to the cake to finish frosting and covering them with the fresh coconut. It still looked ho hum. In a moment of quiting, I turned my attention to the grapes on hand and figured out what to do. Sugaring the green grapes was perfect. Three grapes in each cake nested amoungst the coconut and I was done. They looked pretty enough actually. They tasted scrumptous enough actually.

Yes, they came out after a few saves, and changed plans. I wonder if God is saying, Yes………….about me? Well, these really did come out so well that I have a sneaky suspicion that this recipe is going to be used in Heaven along with my popovers.

Frankly, I am not sure how I ended up making two cakes in a week. That is two cakes more than I usually make in a year. My explanation is this. I am learning to be a Southern Lady. Rumor has it that Southern Ladies make lots of cakes. Perhaps even a cake a day for a big household, which I don’t have. At the very least a cake a week is justified, so that something fine and elegant is on hand should a visitor stop by for a spot of tea. So I went for it, as I am expecting the office angel to show up any day now.

Should you want to make these small Easter cakes. Whip up a good simple butter-cream and cover with coconut. Top with sugared grapes.

Lemon Glazed Southern Pound Cake

Adapted from-Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock; The Gift of Southern Cooking

1 cup unsalted cold butter
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9 inch or miniature bundt pan.
• Put the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium-low speed for 5 minutes, until butter becomes waxy and shiny.
• With the mixer running, slowly and the sugar and salt.
• Continue mixing, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally, until the sugar and butter become light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition, making sure the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
• After incorporating the third egg, add 2 tablespoons of the flour, in order to keep the batter from separating.
• Add remaining eggs, and then, on low speed, add the remaining sifted flour in four additions, taking care not to over-mix.
• Once the flour has been incorporated, gently blend in the vanilla and lemon juice.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, and gently drop the pan on the kitchen counter to deflate any large air bubbles.
• Put the cake into a cold oven and turn the temperature to 225F. Cook for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 300F and bake 20 minutes longer. Finally, increase the temperature to 325F and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes longer, until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  Begin testing after 20 minutes at 325F.
• Remove cake from oven, and allow to cool on rack in pan for 5 minutes.
• Run a spatula or knife around sides of cake to loosen, turn cake onto rack to cool.

While cake is cooling make Lemon Glaze:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1/8 tsp salt

Put lemon juice, sugar, butter and salt in a small non-reactive saucepan, and simmer over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and spoon the warm glaze over the cooked cake.

Store in an airtight container, cakes will keep for up to 1 week.

Cooks Note: If you decide to make the miniature version, this recipe makes 8 cakes. I did not bake in a cold oven. I baked for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven 325F.