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”
Oh love across the barn AND a cake.
I want to make lemon curd, but need to find some organic lemons first and get full use of my arm back too (to tackle that beating business ) 🙂
Hope someone has a lemon tree out there, mine have to come all the way from Johns brother in california.. c
The cake picture is a blinder, and is going to be made in this house soon. Carhart is so cool and never is seen in Europe – well not in our village ( did I say village for the 8 people who live in this mess of barns and stone houses)
I Love my Carhart. I only have the one winter farm jacket and it has been going for four years now, I expect it to last most of the rest of my lifetime! I am so glad you like the cake! c
Oh I must make some Lemon Curd…and then the cake. Looks luscious!
It fends off the scurvy anyway. c
Not keen on baking – not a sweet tooth you see, but I’m definitely going to give this one a go! And poor old Hairy MacLairy, his sad bleaty face just makes me want to give him a hug!
Christine
No i am not much on sweet things either, but this is quite a tart cake if that makes any sense at all! c
We love lemon (all citrus really)! I make a similar one with poppyseeds, slice it horizontally and fill it with more lemon curd and frost it. Same flavor as our wedding cake *sigh*.
oo that does sound good. I had forgotton about poppyseeds! c
When I say you remind me of my grandmother.. this post reminds me why. I haven’t had lemon cake since my grandmother was a live and she loved using lemon curd as well. This really looks similar to her lemon cake so I can’t wait to try out your recipe 🙂
Thank you again kay. Do play with the recipe though as it is a work in progress.. c
wow that looks so good! making my tummy rumble!
excellent reaction.. c
I’m not much of a ‘cake’ person, but that looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Ah, poor Hairy and Mama. Can’t wait to see your babies 🙂
I am an occassional cake person and it was a nice change.. Daisy enjoyed the left overs! c
I love how simple this is and how gorgeous it came out.
Bog Standard I call it. And I don’t like too many flavours arguing in my mouth.. c
Appreciated post in following manner:
Words, words, YUMMY PICTURE! Mmmm… then more words… looks like stuff wife does… YUMMY PICTURE AGAIN! Mmmm… then words, words, more words… SHEEP! Sheep? (sudden flashback of Gene Wilder down in the gutter and drinking bottle of Woolite) Then sheepishly go back to beginning of post and read properly, but do double take when I think I read “(celi edited you and says not while the kids are up chris!.. laughter) of Calcutta”!!! Then realize that I missed eight important words between “Hairy” and “Black Hole”. Resume reading with extra emphasis on reading properly!
Good luck with the barn refurbishing, bring on those violins, and please forgive me! Lol
Yes, a lesson to be learnt there naughty, Chris. Forgiven. But don’t do it again (stern teacher voice) c
Wow! I haven’t heard a good “stern teacher voice” in years! 🙂 But thanks for the forgiveness, and I promise not to do it again, unless you beg me. Kidding! (are they still up?)
That cake is calling to me….scrumptious! (Is that how you spell it? I simply must learn…it’s a perfectly good word that doesn’t get enough use.)
I have to tell you, the Little One and I spent a good amount of time scrolling through your photos this morning, and practicing our animal sounds. She’s getting quite good at them, and learning all your farmy friends’ names.
Thanks, C – for all you do.
I love it when children read the pages, i especially love that! c
Oh my god, that looks so delicious. Hmmm.
Good morning Ollin, lovely to see you over here.. c
Hi, Celi! You know, when I read your posts I gain about ten pounds. Everything looks and sounds wonderful : ) You’re a wonder.
Oh I thought it was only me gaining the pounds! I am in good company then.. c
Oh the trials of being in love. Hang in there, Hairy.
I’m on a Greek Yogurt kick…just love it. I eat it with frozen blackberries that I picked last summer, banana and sunflower seeds.
The LC Cake looks so delicious. Don’t you have fun with food!
p.s. Thanks for answering questions – much appreciated.
Yoghurt and blackberries, so simple and so perfect! c
Poor Mama and Hairy. Star-crossed lovers, to be sure. Too bad you can’t give them a little of that lemon butter cake to mend their broken hearts. Such a tasty cake for so simple a recipe, Celi. I bet it goes mighty fast! I know it would around here. It’s a pretty nice day, after all. This is turning out to be The Winter That Never Was.
and when it does come, it will be mighty short that is for sure.. i am into it!! c