The Farmer's Daughter's Cake

Sadly, some of my cookbooks get neglected. In trying to get the dust off of one of Gram's cookbooks this week, I pulled out one by Maida Heatter. After reading about her and the awards she has won, I was excited to try one of her recipes.

The recipe that caught my eye was the Farmer's Daughter's Cake. It is different. No oil. No butter. But, it has cream! Maida's thoughts on the name of this cake was the recipe was perfected on a dairy farm where cream was in abundance. It really was a yummy cake, delicious flavor and moist. One that needs to be eaten soon though, on day 2, it was drying out already. Although, that could be my house and the season, since I could just go sit in a tub of lotion right now to try and hydrate my skin.

I thought the frosting was lovely. Ever since I have gone away from the can's of frosting, I have fun trying out new recipes. This one was especially fun and different in how the recipe has you pour it on. 

The Farmer's Daughter's Cake (Source: Maida Heatter)

2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. whipping cream (not whipped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8 x 8 cake pan, dust all over lightly with fine dry bread crumbs. Lightly tap and shake out any extra crumbs.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In medium bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer.  Add in vanilla, and almond extract.  Stir in sugar, mix until combined.  Beat in cream and lastly, add the sifted dry ingredients, and beat on low speed only until mixture is smooth.  Pour into prepared pan. Smooth top if necessary.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until cake just begins to pull away from sides of pan and toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes, then cut around the sides carefully to release, and let stand for 5 minutes more.  Invert cake onto wire rack, and let cake stand upside down to cool.  When cool, transfer to cake plate or cutting board.  

Old Fashioned Chocolate Icing
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 c. milk
1 1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp, plus 1 tsp unsalted butter
1 t. vanilla extract

Place chocolate, milk and sugar in small, heavy saucepan over medium high heat.  Stir until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved.  Do NOT boil.  Remove from heat and let stand for one minute.  

In small bowl, stir yolks lightly, just to mix. Gradually stir in about half of the chocolate mixture, then add yolk mixture to remaining warm chocolate mixture.  Cook over low heat, stirring, for one minute.  Remove from heat.  Pour mixture into medium bowl, and stir in the butter and vanilla.  Let stand until cool.   Once cool, beat icing at high speed for 10 to 15 minutes (Use lower speed if icing is splashing to much).  Beat until mixture is smooth, shiny, and paler in color.  

Slowly pour half of icing onto cake.  Let stand for a minute.  Slowly, pour half of the remaining icing onto middle of cake, push with a spatula into directions necessary. Wait another minute.  Pour remaining icing onto top of cake.  Push it to the edges just so you get a little bit of icing to run over the sides.  Let cake set for a few hours for icing to set.


Printable Recipe



Sharing this recipe at:
Clever Chicks Blog Hop  
Wednesday Extravaganza
Thursday's Treasures  
Foodie Friends Friday
Weekend Potluck 
The Weekend re-Treat
Pin Me Linky Party
Strut Your Stuff Saturday
Pretty & Delicious Linky Party
Scrumptious Sundays
Bulletin Board
Manic Monday
Tuesday Talent Show