My husband and I have become the kind of people who dress for dinner. Strange things happen in quarantine. Yesterday we both spent all day schlepping around in weird clothes. My Dear One was working from home, so he was wearing the traditional work at home wardrobe of pajama pants, ratty t-shirt and unshaven face. I was cleaning and organizing and dressed accordingly. But Friday is Shabbat and we felt that we should make an effort. I had made a foray out earlier to get supplies, and so we cleaned up a little in honor of the day and the delicious meal that was to follow. Nothing fancy, but still…
I had made what my mother used to call a “pudding cake” in the morning. Mama would make a single layer of yellow cake that we were allowed to eat warm with butter and a glass of cold milk. I used a buttermilk country cake recipe from The Cake Bible that I have tweaked somewhat. I had buttermilk to use up and enough eggs to make it worthwhile.
Here’s how:
Ingredients:
2 large eggs (the original recipe calls for 4 egg yolks, but I find that makes the cake too heavy)
2/3 cups buttermilk
1 ½ tsp vanilla
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
Get up in the morning and put the eggs, butter and buttermilk on the counter, then go away and do stuff. I hate to keep harping on this, but if you try to bake a cake with cold ingredients you will be disappointed.
While you wait for the cold ingredients to come to room temperature, get a 9-inch spring form pan, or a 9- inch layer cake pan and butter it. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper, butter it again and then flour the pan. Don’t get cocky, your cold stuff is still not ready. Be patient. Do some chores.
When you finish your chores:
Preheat the oven to 350 F
In a medium bowl lightly combine the eggs, ¼ of the buttermilk and the vanilla.
If you have a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix on low speed for thirty seconds. If you are using a hand mixer put the ingredients in a large bowl and do the same. Add the butter and the remaining buttermilk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, then increase to medium (high if you are using a hand mixer) and beat for about a minute and a half. This will give your cake volume. You should see the mixture become smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg mixture in 3 batches beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. If it’s a layer pan, it should be about half full. If it is too full, pull some batter out and make a cupcake. If you overfill the pan you will end up cleaning your oven. (Don’t even ask me how I know, just don’t do it).
Bake 30-40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a rack then remove from the pan.
You should have something that looks like this. I sprinkled some confectioner’s sugar on top and served it with fresh raspberries it was delicious.
My DH had asked me to get salad makings since he was tired of cooked veggies as am I. So I made a Spanish frittata with potatoes and onions and we made a giant salad. That, a glass of wine and some tea with our cake made it well worth getting dressed for. Here is a picture of the frittata in the cast iron skillet. That is the only way to make a really good frittata. Yes, I am opinionated about cooking, No, I do not think that is wrong.
After dinner, I discovered once again why I like my husband. We watched a weird little indie movie on Netflix. It’s called Justine. Check it out if you get bored. I found the female protagonist annoying beyond redemption which led to a spirited discussion between me and hubby about what constitutes weakness. We still have long discussions about movies. We are still interested in what the other person thinks, and we like each other. That is a recipe for quarantine peace. BTW, I won the debate. This morning DH joked that he doesn’t argue with me for real because he doesn’t like to lose.
Stay well everyone and keep cooking
