Thursday, April 27

In which we will never use any baking powder except Rollings Reliable

Domesticity abounded last night as I devoted an entire evening to making a layer cake. At 12, I kept my family well supplied with desserts, but those days have long been gone. So it was with some excitement and trepidation that I made a careful search for a recipe with just the right balance between easy and challenging—no cake mixes, but no candy thermometers either. I finally settled on "Louella's Coconut Cake" from The Mitford Cookbook. Martha McIntosh, the editor, grew up in Mt. Olive as well, and I know she is a cook to be trusted. The whole process took about 5 hours, but before you dismiss me as completely crazy, bear in mind that this included a lot of time warming (eggs and butter to room temperature) and cooling (cake layers) and a trip to the grocery store for 8 more ounces of sour cream, as well as breaks for supper and to read The Fellowship of the Ring. The result? A gooey mound of sugar, coconut and various dairy products that will probably send us all into diabetic comas. So I plan to serve it with ice cream to cut the sweetness.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Miss chris' fifteen layer lemon cake from Come On In is my favorite cake of all time. I have yet to actually achieve fifteen layers, but oh goodness it's a good cake. If you like lemon curd . . .

Anonymous said...

That cake sounds great Caroline! I used to bake cakes and desserts all the time when I was younger. My family always teased me and said they knew exactly which recipes were my favorite because I was a bit messy and there was also batter stuck to the recipe. The most difficult cake I made was from the cover of the December 1994 (or '95...) issue of Southern Living. I think it was like 3 layers and was decorated on the outside like a gift box with a bow made from fruit roll-ups. I started making it that morning and didn't finish until around 11 that night. There were also tears involved, and in the end many pictures were taken.
Anywat, I will be moving on May 16, and I don't start work until the 22nd, so I hope we can get together between those dates! Take care and happy eating, but please don't go into a diabetic coma!

Anonymous said...

That sounds like fun Caroline! I can't wait! We will have to have a dinner party so we can have a good excuse to cook and share recipes!

Anonymous said...

Tuan and I watched Fried Green Tomatoes yesterday (it was his first time!). He said, "why do you women like this kind of stuff? I had to fight not to cry." I thought about you a lot, especially the part where Evelyn is breaking down the wall.

Caroline said...

I need some light and air!!

Lizzie said...

Caroline! This is Elizabeth T. -- came across your weblog whilst perusing the net of inter. It was one of those link to link to link things. Great Cakes that go down in history inevitably span the length of at least 2 special edition Lord of the Rings segments. 'Tis a truth universally acknowledged!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the lovely offer of assistance. I could use some creative suggestions for some art to hang over the bed. I primed two canvases in a shade of blue I'm using elsewhere in the nursery (aka closet), but haven't decided what to paint on them . . . banana bread would also be agreeable! I have some brown bananas in the freezer I've been meaning to use and alas . . . Wanna have lunch on Thursday? (provided I'm not otherwise occupied?)

Anonymous said...

Hey Caroline! I'm honored...I am so excited about moving. We need to have a Pride and Prejudice night sometime soon! Nobody in Hattiesburg can appreciate the Mr. Collins impression I love to do!

Sara P said...

Caroline,

MMM, want so ship some of that cake over here? I am sure it is long gone and nobody died over it! Except Anne's pride, of course!