Friday, October 22, 2010

SWEETENING LIFE WITH VANILLA...and Memories

 ~CAKE MAKING AT IT'S FINEST~

This weekend I'm hosting a little dinner party in honor of my daughter, Adrienne.  We've always celebrated birthdays BIG in our family and this year I've found so much joy in planning something extra special for her.  She's in her last year of college (YEAH!) and is looking forward to graduating and getting on with her life.  I am so proud of her and all she has accomplished. (More about my girl coming this weekend!)
~WHIPPED VANILLA CREAM CAKE~

I'm not a "store-bought-cake-" kind of gal! :)  Not that I don't like bakery cakes...some I've tasted have been truly amazing.  And if the truth be told many, many times during my kid's growing up years I purchased (usually on the fly) a visually beautiful cake that looked fabulous on the outside only to find it tasted like cardboard on the inside (I've never actually tasted cardboard...but you know...)
 ~RECIPE FROM VICTORIA MAGAZINE~

While flipping through one of my aging (and vintage) issues of Victoria Magazine I came across a recipe for a Golden Whipped Vanilla Cream Cake and thought it sounded perfect for my girl's day.  And so...I gathered together all the ingredients for me to recreate the recipe in the kitchen of my La Chaumière de Briarwood.  Since the cake called for a tablespoon of "Vanilla Brandy" I had to plan early.  Not only did I not have a whole Vanilla Bean I also didn't have any Brandy!  And so I set in motion just what it would take to create such a concoction!

The recipe for the cake can be found below:
~YUMMY VANILLA~

Vanilla Brandy

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 Cup Brandy

1.  Pour brandy into 1-pink glass jar with tight fitting lid.  Add vanilla bean.  Seal jar and store at least 1 week in cool, dark, dry place.
Use in recipe below for Vanilla Cream Cake.
~*~
Vanilla Cream Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp Vanilla Brandy (above)
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups Vanilla Granulated Sugar
Vanilla Confectioners' Sugar

1.  Butter and flour 10" tube pane.  Line bottom of pan with waxed paper.  Butter and flower paper.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well and set aside.
3.  In small mixer bowl, beat heavy cream and Vanilla Brandy until stiff.  Cover and refrigerate while mixing batter.
4.  Wash beaters.  In large mixer bow, beat eggs at high speed with electric mixer until foamy.  Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes.
5.  Add flour mixture all at once.  Beat at low speed until moistened.  Fol in whipped cream.  Pour into pan.  Place pan on baking sheet.
6.  Bake on bottom rack of oven at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes until skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool on Rack. (Cake will not fill pan.)

To Serve:

1.  Invert cake on serving platter.  Remove pan.  Peel off waxed paper.  Dust cake with Vanilla flavored Confectioners' sugar.  

Yield:  12-16 Servings 

There is just something about a cake made by Mom...don't you think?  Just to be safe I made a test-cake ahead of time to be sure it was going taste as fabulous as the recipe sounded!  

It did!

It's raining here today in my Oklahoma town and drizzly or not, I'm excited my Miss K is coming over this afternoon for a visit!  Tonight she'll be helping me prepare for her beloved Auntie Adrie's party.

Memories is the making.  Nothing finer.
Not even Vanilla Cream Cake.

Love to you...
PS:  DID YOU ENTER MY GIVEAWAY ON MY LEFT SIDEBAR?

28 comments:

NanE said...

Rebecca, this cake sounds yummy! I like to bake things myself too whenever possible. Happy Birthday to your girl, I hope your time together is as sweet as the cake. Both of my dds will be graduating from college this spring too so I know where you are coming from. Blessings, Nan

Rose said...

sounds so good. i'm certain everyone will enjoy the cake. best wishes and happy birthday to your daughter. rose

Anonymous said...

This sounds fabulous. Maybe even add some dripping chocolate from the top down the sides. Yummmm Best wishes for your daughter on her birthday! Hugs. tammy

stefanie said...

she is going to love that cake!!! and that your making her birthday special!!!

Carolyn said...

Hmmmm.... your home-made special cake looks so yummy, Rebecca! I too love making special cakes for my girls! I love making my own frosting too! It's the little things like that our children will always remember all their lives! :) So worth all the effort!

Have a wonderful time with Miss K and Happy Birthday to Adrienne! :)

Hugs, Carolyn ~ Cottage Sunshine

NanaDiana said...

Oh-I'll bet that tastes just heavenly. I remember seeing that recipe! Can't wait to see some pics of your lovely daughter on her birthday. Hugs- Diana

Julie Marie said...

Hello Rebecca, that cake sounds delish! I wish I could have a piece of it right now with my coffee that is sitting beside me... Happy birthday to your beautiful daughter... please tell little Miss K hello too!... xoxo Julie Marie

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

I would like to celebrate my next birthday at your house, :)!
A very Happy Birthday to your sweet daughter and many more wonderful years to come!
Have a great weekend Rebecca...
Tina xo

Blondie's Journal said...

What a sweetie you are to post the recipe...it looks as delicious as you say! I have to buy some brandy, too! There is something to say about a homemade cake...LOVE!

I hope your celebration is wonderful!! :-)

XO,
Janie

COUNTRY PICKINS said...

I do hope Miss K and you have a grand time tonight. The cake sounds so yummy, and I will have to try it. Blessings, Linda

Theresa said...

Oh Rebecca, that cake sounds delicious and much better than any store bought one! I know Adrienne will enjoy it and appreciate it being homemade by you! Have a blessed day my friend! HUGS!

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Rebecca, your cake looks beautiful and I can only imagine how lovely it tastes too! Happy birthday to your sweet Adrienne! Happy Pink weekend and I know it will be a happy one celebrating with your family. ~ Blessings

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Happy birthday to your sweet daughter! I've been reading about her for years....Wow....nearly finished with college. Good for her, that's quite an accomplishment.

Huggies to you!

Spence

PS.... I KNOW you'll be having a wonderful weekend....nothing better than time with the fam.

:-)

Rebecca P said...

Goodness my mouth is watering. That sounds like a yummy cake. Best wishes to your daughter.

Anonymous said...

Well, I do love me some cake and this recipe sounds wonderful...hot cuppa coffee to go with it and I've got a delightful breakfast! The older I've gotten the more I enjoy entertaining, and from now until after Christmas, my house will be the central gathering place for my family and the bunco babes. I might try this cake!

We need the rain, but I hated getting out in the blustery wind today to shop for groceries. Feels like fall now!

Liz

VM Creation Atelier said...

Yummmmm...just SO tasteful:-)))*

Dear Rebecca,I placed you Give away by my blog on thesidebar!

My Love and hugs to you,
***Violetta***

Anonymous said...

Yummo! I'll be making this cake at the first occasion that calls for it. Can't wait!

Ginger said...

Your cake sounds and looks wonderful. Hope she has a wonderful birthday. Today Tammy and I rented a small booth space in the Emporium Antique Mall. I am so excited about it. Hope we do some good. Wish me luck. It will be a pink and white fufu booth like yours was. I always called yours a "beacon of light" in a dark place. Please wish us luck and pray for our success there.
Have a great weekend.
Ginger

Ginger said...

Oh by the way, I received your beautiful Santa and I absolutely am in love with it. Love, love, love it. Your work is so beautiful.
Ginger

Martha's Favorites said...

Hi Rebecca: Your cake looks so good. I wish your daughter a wonderful birthday. Blessings to you both, Martha

Mollye said...

Well Thank You honey you have done it for me today! My daughter Shari will celebrate her 46th BD on Nov. 2 and I am having a small dinner party for just 6 of us and was searching my brain for just the "right" cake to keep us from feeling too much sweet guilt and this sounds like the very one! Great to visit you too. Hugs, Mollye...Hope your daughter enjoys her big celebration.

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Good morning Rebecca.... Picture's posted. :-) .... per my little friend's request.

Huggies...

Spence

Have a great day!

Nancy's Notes said...

Thank you Rebecca, looks scrumptious!

Now, I have to get back to unpacking!!

Hugs, Nancy

Dogmom Diva said...

Hi Rebecca oooh that cake sounds delish..must copy that recipe for myself..and looks easy exept for the brandy and vanilla bean but I can manage that!

It looks beautiful too and wishes for your sweet daughter's birthday!

hugs
Barb

Kit said...

That cake sounds so yummy! I hope your celebration goes wonderfully (I am sure it will!) Kit

Kim B said...

Sounds yummy. I hope you all have a wonderful time. Have a nice week too.
Hugs,
Kim

karen said...

I have to try this it looks so yummy. I have a recipe for tipsy choc. pecan pie. It calls for 1 Tbs. whiskey . My son ask .What are you going to do with the other 100 Tbs whiskey ? I said . I don't know. LOL!

Anonymous said...

Can you please tell me what issue of Victoria this was from? I have been looking for it!Thank you!

Blog Archive