Sugar Diary by Sugar Shey #6: We can Bake It!

Dear Sugar Diary,

Yes…we CAN!

We CAN BAKE it! Cakes….cupcakes….pies….anything! I have often looked at a recipe and instantly categorized it as “too hard” or “too many steps”…..and then file it away for another day….then almost always kick myself for not trying it when I had the time and ingredients. Today I wanted to bake two things….I wanted to try a Blueberry Meringue Roulade … I didn’t have any blueberries….and a St. Clemens Cake…which I had EVERY ingredient for! Somehow I allowed myself to file it away… and now I wish I had tried it…..Later on I got an email with a request for …you guessed it….a CITRUS CAKE! Really?! It would be my luck! Sheesh! So tomorrow I will attempt it….and if all goes well…(and even if it doesn’t) I will report back how it all went down;)

I would like to share the recipe I have for this cake because it just seems like it would be a delicious cake for spring or summer…..citrus flavors…orange and lemon…AND the best part……you don’t have to sift or set anything aside to be added later! You just mix up all the happy little ingredients in ONE bowl..pour..bake…and PRESTO! DONE! Now that’s my kind of recipe! =)

St. Clemens Cake Recipe:

3/4 cup of soft margarine

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups of self rising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 huevos (eggs) ;)

powdered sugar (for dusting the cake)

Put all of that in a mixing bowl and mix it smooth.

Now grab a good sized lemon …and zest it…all of it!

Then grab an orange and do the same thing into your mixture and mix it all up.

Now pour that into two greased and floured 7 inch pans …SPANK the bottoms to make sure you get even cakes and any air bubbles out…..now pop em in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes until it has risen nicely=) Let it cool and dust it with the powdered sugar and VIOLA! You have a cake! If your not in a rush I bet some lemon curd filling would delicious! You can make it at home or buy it… I suggest you make it….I know I know…if your pressed for time just buy it …but really you gotta try to make it at least once! =) It’s so yum. Oh..you don’t know how to make lemon curd? Well why didn’t you say so?! here is that simple recipe…..

Lemon Curd Filling (Alton Brown’s recipe)

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced
1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Directions:

Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Oh My …all this lemon zest talk is making my mouth water! i can’t wait till tomorrow …i really want to try this out! =) I hope you all enjoy trying it too! Please let me know if you make it and how you liked it! Oh and one last thing…..if you don’t like powdered sugar on cakes…whipped cream works great for citrus-y flavors. I feel heavy buttercreams don’t let the flavors sparkle. ;) have fun! And remember “WE CAN BAKE IT!”