Well, it was so warm yesterday morning that I put my clown suit (those ugly thick padded overalls the men use when digging slowly on the side of the road) and my Carhart jacket into the washing machine. Both were pretty pongy. Then of course the temperatures plummeted and I was caught inside until my outdoor clothing was dry. I popped them in the dryer, which is like sitting on a thorn, I hate to use the dryer when I usually dry everything on the racks in the loft above the fire. And went to work in the kitchen.
I made the cake with the lemon curd and it was very good. I left it in the oven just a trifle too long which is typical but you get the picture. It is tangy without being too rich and at the time of writing is almost gone.
I called it Lemon Butter Cake.
Whip
- 4oz butter
- 1 cup sugar ( my jar of sugar has a vanilla pod in with it and the scent when you open that jar is awesome. John gave me a Pound of vanilla pods for Christmas.)
Then blend
- 2 large eggs
Then fold, alternating
- 2 cups of flour mixed with 2 tsp baking powder
With
- 2/3 cup of lemon curd mixed with 1/4 cup of milk or cream and a dash of vanilla
A very standard cake recipe but it lets the lemon curd shine. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. After baking, while the cake is HOT squeeze the juice of a lemon on top and sprinkle with sugar. 
After I took this shot I changed my mind and chopping the mint very finely, added it TO the greek yoghurt. It was a perfect accent to the lemon in the cake. So when I make a Lemon Curd Cheesecake later this week I shall incorporate a teensy bit of mint as well. I will report back. As you can see I would rather take pictures of sheep than cakes but I was TRAPPED inside!
Once my clothes were dry I escaped back out to the barn to commiserate with Hairy MacLairy. He has a very low tenor in his voice and is sounding quite mournful and solitary from the back pen. Though he has Queenie ( the little midget Hereford heifer, well she is not technically a midget but next to the big tall Ayrshires she looks so ridiculously tiny) anyway she is back there to talk to, but he is ignoring her and bleating across the barn.
And then I heard his wifey calling back and trying to peek at him through the cracks in her pen. You can just see Mama’s wonky ears, there in between those two boards, as she tries to get a glimpse of him through the bars. Oh how miserable. Heart-rending. Bring on the violins. Poor darlings.
Dreadful. I have to add that they both have access to the Outside (separate outsides) but prefer to call plaintively across the barn to each other. By tomorrow the weeping and gnashing of teeth will be all over and hopefully Mama will turn her tiny little mind to the very important task of gestating! And by the way Mama, I need a couple more ewe lambs for Mia’s flock. Then we will shop for a mail order bridegroom for them. So get busy with that dearie. Hairy MaClairy needs a buddy.
Work commenced on the big new pen in the center of the barn yesterday. We only use recycled barn timbers for the refurbishment of our own old barn. And everything has to be shored up right to the upper levels first. For some reason this affects the speed of the work, reducing it to a crawl. John’s mission is to try and help people keep their barns and put them to work again, so he is loathe to take an old building apart. But the big beams have been found and John has a few weeks off work while it is cold, so fingers crossed. Then Hairy will be able to come out of the Black Hole of Calcutta and loaf about somewhere nice.
The temperature right now is 30F, and the High will be another 3 degrees. So I guess we will not have an exciting day weather wise. But certainly an acceptable one temperature wise. And I see that the sky is getting lighter. Too many clouds for a sunrise again. (sigh)
Good morning.
c
PS -this lemon curd was sweetened with honey and a little sugar. I prefer it tart. Sometimes I just use honey. I have no intention of preserving it, just eating it as fast as I can. So it lives in the fridge.
My Dad wrote in and said that he makes his lemon curd in the microwave. Cooking and stirring in one minute steps. The no fuss, no mess alternative.
Oh and Daisy discovered lemons when I used to throw the lemon peels into the field with the chook scraps. She would barrel over scattering hens in all directions to beat them to the lemons! That cow!
The Kitchen's Garden 
113 responses to “Lemon Butter Cake”
Mmmm. Lemon and butter. I could eat a bite of that cake.
b\Better hurry Rosemary, it is almost all gone!! c
Good Morning, Good Afternoon… and have a nice day dear Cecilia. This lemon cake, how beautiful and how smells… I loved it. Thank you, but sure, your photographs fascinating me too… with my love, nia
the scent of the lemon and mint is very lovely. good afternoon nia! c
I think your Lemon Butter Cake looks lovely the way it is I bet it tastes good!
Poor sheep and daisy’s lemon love just gets funnier 😉
Daisy was my first cow and I think she had an unusual upbringing! c
Well she’s certainly a character!
This is my kind of cake. Can’t wait to make it! Thanks. I hope I have enough lemon curd left.
Good morning beverly, do let me know how it turns out. Do you have your own lemons?c
Another lovely, diverse and discursive post. I must try that cake – though don’t tell Jock: he won’t eat butter nowadays for fear of cholesterol. A 78, I tell him we’ve all got to die of something and we might as well enjoy the good things on the way! I shall also try microwave lemon curd – I already make chutney in the microwave as it avoids the whole house stinking of boiling vinegar. Yuk!
I am not terribly sure about cholesterol, moderation is the key i think. however when it comes to butter excess seems to be MY key (laughter) c
In my case, the excess is chocolate.
Hi C, Arrrrr!!! The sounds of true love across the barn! Delicious looking cake. Like your dad’s idea of making lemon curd in the microwave.
Regards Florence x
Morning Florence, hope the sun is shining in spain!! c
Looks easy to make and most delightful. Like I need to eat anymore cake! lol t
Maybe just a teensy piece. c
Lovely lemon cake. I hope Mamma has her babies while it is temperate, I can’t wait to meet them! Good luck with the barn rebuild.
Well today mama is having one of those days when she does not even LOOK pregnant, bounding around the field.. so I don’t know. We will just have to wait and see.. c
Poor little lovesick darlings….all very Romeo and Juliet in your barn at the moment! What a fantastic recipe, we have guests for lunch on Sunday so I think I´ll give this a go. Thought of you on Sunday as my SIL called at 5.30pm and said she´d be over in 30 mins for coffee – by the time she had arrived I had made some of your scones. Everyone was seriously impressed!
Oh that is great. those scones are so fast to make too as it is easy to memorise the recipe! c
Oooh, yum Cecilia!! That really sounds tart and delicious!! I too like the idea of mincing the mint into the yogurt. What a wonderful mouthful of flavor!!
I loved it, we will see what happens next! c
A delicious looking cake! My mouth is watering! I want it for breakfast. I’m off to my bowl of cereal. Good morning C.
John literally ate it for breakfast, but it has eggs in it!! c
Thanks for explaining lemon curd to me. Always enjoy learning something new. And that cake, yummmm, I’m pretty certain the flavor would suit me just fine. Love the plate upon which you plated this, BTW.
As for clothes drying…I’m with you on not using the dryer. I “have to” use the dryer when it gets too cold to hang laundry outdoors. I don’t have a toasty fire, like you. But I use a rack to finish trying some of the clothing.
I have washing out today, though it is quite funny if it gets cold suddenly and freezes solid! c
My husband will love your lemon butter cake as he enjoys very simple desserts. I have been away for awhile and have spent the morning catching up on all your posts I’ve missed. I had a similar experience with deer hunters in our orchard…and know exactly how you felt about the men on your property.
Thank you karen, i will be posting much better signage for next year! Don’t let me forget! c
The lemon butter cake looks wonderful, but where do you get/how do you make lemon curd?
How is Daisy doing?
Nancy
http://www.workingmomadventures.com
The lemon curd is in yesterdays post. Daisy is just grand and getting rounder! c
Thanks!
Lemon butter cake – yes please!
Brilliant shot of Hairy MacLairy bleating Celi!
🙂 Mandy
Poor old Hairy, but he is bossing the calves around out in his new field now so he is keeping himself amused. c