Some of my Favorite Things: Shakespeare, David Bowie, Glamrock and Lemon Cake

Marjolaine as Sebastian and Lauren as Olivia singing Ch Ch Ch Changes with the amazing cast by Bowie

 

Photo by Beth Krieger                   

Today I volunteered to make dinner for 35 people.
My daughter is performing in a play at her school this week. It is a Glamrock Twelfth Night by Shakespeare with David Bowie songs. The upper school's illustrious Theatre Director Margie's  amazing idea. The rehearsals run late in the beginning of this week so dinner is necessary. The performances start Thursday evening. It is early in the morning and I am busy pondering what to make for their dinner. Healthy, delicious, something high schoolers would like, not too fattening , some are vegefruitiens.....gotta come up with something great for these amazing kids and their equally amazing faculty mentors... they all work so hard and do an incredible job!
Wonder how this will evolve this time?
So I decided to make French lentils. Saffron brown rice, roasted red peppers, carrots and potatoes, salad with balsamic vinaigrette and my lemon pound cake. Hope they like it!

My daughter gave a full report... They all loved everything! Whew, I had a tough audience. I am delighted!  I decided the lemon cake would be a nice recipe to blog about.

This is actually the same lemon cake I made a while back when I made cakes and tartes for the farmer's market in Martha's Vineyard. I had a terrific following! Here is the recipe. I have a Beaterblade attachment for my Kitchen Aid and it is a terrific tool. It makes it possible to mix cakes without having to scrape the bowl. I love this thing!

Lemon Cake

2 sticks softened butter

2 cup sugar

4 large eggs

zest and juice of 2 lemons

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 tsps. baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour one high 8" cake pan or  two 5" x 9" loaf pans.

In an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment cream the softened butter with  the sugar and beat about 1-2 minutes on medium speed until the mixture is light and pale in color. Add the eggs one at a time.  Combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and add the zest from 1 lemon. Sift together the baking powder, salt and flour.  Add the vanilla to the buttermilk. Add 1/3 of the sifted flour mixture alternating 1/3 of the buttermilk to the butter sugar and egg mixture until all the parts are combined. Then add the juice of 1 lemon. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until it is golden brown in color and the edges of the cake have pulled away from the sides of the pan and the top is firm when it is touched and does not indent. Add the juice of 1 lemon to the to the lemon zest syrup once it has cooled. Let  the cake cool for 15 minutes. Unmold and place on the rack. Spoon the syrup on both sides of the cake while it is still warm. Place on an attractive serving platter . Slice and serve when completely cool.

 This is the recipe, 2x.

Recipe, photos and text by Karen Pickus

Courtesy Karen Pickus 2010