The high nineties is hot. Add the dry wind and it is very hot. All the animals have different coping mechanisms. The Matriarchs dog has decided that he would rather ride than walk. So he sits like a mini king in his chariot. And the Tall Teenager pedals him all over the county on their travels. 
The Big Baby Bobby cools his heels. 
When she is not in the shade of the barn, Mama stands in Queenie’s shadow. As Queenie moves across the field grazing so does Mama. Keeping her head in Queenie’s shadow the whole time. Moving in tandem. The cow lopes along with lazy strides. The Sheep trots quickly to catch up. Hairy MacLairy does this with Daisy too. The cows are like great big trees to the sheep. Mobile shade. It is quite funny to watch. 
The Plonkers need water and mud. They have no cooling mechanism. They suffer in the heat especially when they get this big. So they stand in the sprinkler. Then wallow in the mud. 
Off they go on another jaunt. Bye Bye Joey. 
Good morning. Yesterday I baked the original butter cake with the home made butter, eggs and cream from the farmy. I was interested to see how it turned out with such creamy fresh butter. So I used the most simple recipe I have so I could taste clearly what was happening. And it turned out very well. It was light and lovely.
I have been making this cake for as long as I can remember so the recipe lives in my head which is not always the most secure place to be.
Mama’s Butter Cake
- cream 4oz room temperature butter
- and 1 cup sugar
- add 2 room temperature eggs one at a time
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- alternate 2 cups of flour mixed with 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- with 1/2 cup of cream or milk or cultured buttermilk, though mine is still working at becoming buttermilk
Cook at 350 for about 45 minutes
The Lanky Teenager and his grandmothers dog have hollow legs, so it is almost gone.
I remember moaning to my own children when they were younger. ‘It is pointless me baking cakes, all you do is eat them!” Then thinking about what I had just said. Baking takes effort though and then kids descend like a horde and it is all gone in minutes. This is why this cake is popular. It is very fast to make. And even faster to eat.
It is dawning clear and hot again. So I had better get busy early. Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
80 responses to “The Heat is On for Mama’s Butter Cake”
I think a butter cake might be the Order of the Day…Are you mixing by hand, or did you break out the machine?
The heat reached us sometime in the night – it will be in the mid-90’s today, with 90% humidity. The tomatoes will love it. The rest of us, not so much…
This one is easy to make by hand. Esp when everything is at room temp. The first mixer I ever owned was two years ago so I reach for the wooden spoons first! c
I’ve always owned one, but almost never use it outside of Holiday Baking. Too much noise and hassle to drag it out! 😀
which is why mine lives on the worktop, with a pretty patchwork quilted cover. I don’t believe in having gadgets in cupboards or drawers – they would never be used!
I reach for the wooden spoon first too. My mum always said only have enough gadgets as you can have on the counter, if you put them away they never come out again.. though she never had a lovely quilted cover ViV! c
That looks a very good cake. Our local boulanger makes a traditional local cake, for which he wins prizes, which looks very similar to your cake and is called “gateau minute”. Having not tasted either yours or his it’s becoming impossible for me to develop this line of thought:)
A good thought though Roger.. c
Aww this was such a feel good entry! I am new to your blog, but already I have fallen in love with all the animals. The names are perfect, and watching the dog being toted by the kid made me laugh reminding me of my mom’s shit-zu who thinks she’s queen bee too! Take care, and hope you do well trying to manage in the heat as well as the animals do!
Morning Ashley and welcome! That dog makes everyone smile.. he sits up so happily in his chariot! c
Reblogged this on Lotus Mama: Natural Health and Parenting and commented:
Wondering how everyone else is coping with the heat? Great post by Celi on her lovely farmy… Plus a great recipe to try too! Enjoy.
Thank you honey, it is a perfect cake for kids, nice clean flavours!! c
Sounds yummy but I don’t even want to turn on the oven in this heat. t
Poor you.. is it hot there too! We don’t have air conditioning so i made this early in the morning when it was still cool.. c
Glad it’s winter here; today was a sunny 18C…..I hope you get an unexpected cool change and that rain cloud on a string……..e
still looking for the string, did you send one? I will keep a look out! c
Do keep a lookout I sent it last week! ……although it does have a long way to travel to you.
The way that wee doggy is looking back at you, it’s as though he’s giving you the canine version of ‘The Royal Wave’!!!
Christine
Why yes he is, any minute now the white glove will gently glide up for a wave.. !
Interesting how the animals all have their way of coping with the heat. The Matriarch’s dog has the right idea, though. This is why Max has never seen the movie Cleopatra. I don’t want him getting any ideas. And Hairy & Mama are too clever!
Your cake sounds like a good one, especially with your fresh ingredients. The weather is supposed to break a little over the next few days. Maybe I’ll do a little baking — but not until the temps goes below 85. My kitchen is hot enough, as it is.
Have a great day, Cel.
Morning John. The eighties sound positively civilised! I have my milk waiting and am off to check your blog!! c
I just experimented with a chocolate pound cake last night, but nothing beats the traditional plain one for flavor–oooh, I can just taste it now with that freshly made butter! YUM!
Lisa
Morning Lisa. I have never baked with fresh home made butter before, and am thrilled with the results! c
If only I could lie in a shaded chariot and have someone take me places. What a great photo. And I love the sound of this simple cake that’s been made with such quality ingredients. And yes, I have laboured long and hard in my kitchen only to have the results scoffed down in less time then it took me to assemble the ingredients. At least nothing goes to waste! xx
Ah, you know the feeling then. i feel like saying -can you just look at it for a second, maybe smell the scents, admire the presentation, instead of chopping it roughly and stuffing it in your gob as fast as you can! bless them. c
What a life hey, being taken all over in a chariot like that! Clever pooch!
C, I can only try and imagine how beautiful your cake must taste.
Enjoy a little bit of the heat for me too please – I am freezing here!
🙂 Mandy
Isn’t it funny how we are all so far away from each other and in daily contact, feeling each others weather! c
okay…i have cake and butter envy! if only i had fresh milk! however, i could use a few really big cows to keep me cool. we have horrible humidity. i am betting that you don’t get too humid there do you?
It does get humid here but not nearly as bad as down south, we seem to be having a lot of wind and without the rain the air is dry and it is just hot! Morning honey, c
I had no idea it was so hot everywhere else.. I’ve had my head down in this drizzly wet spring of ours. I love your plonkers.. it seems as though they’ve made the most fun of it! And your sweet pup has got everyone all nicely trained. I wonder if I’d fit in there?? xo Smidge
ps that is just the recipe I need.. it would be so versatile with cream and berries dolloped on..xx
You are right.. berries and cream are just what the cake needs. and i am sure you would fit in anywhere!! c
I know that cake with the homemade butter must be terrific so no wonder it goes fast! How funny about the animals shading each other…I’d never thought about it. You guys are hotter than we are even…we’re in the low nineties. Take care in the heat, you may need a good spray of water, too! Have a great day!
It is the pigs i worry about, one of the big ones really seems to feel the heat, even though he has shade and places to wallow.. c
Little Joey looks on the verge of a panic attack to me. “Oy! Wait! Aren’t you coming, too!”
Hot here but nothing compared to your stick of measure. I can’t do heat. I overheat in heat. I can even feel heat coming off a radiator in the winter at 10 paces away. I just can’t do heat. I have a brilliant little thingy called a Cool Mat that I have to sleep with during the summer because I just cook. Well, enough about my heating …
The cake looks positively delish. Wish you were here with it. 😉
Well i would just love that, a nice cup of tea and cake somewhere cool with Misky! There is a song in that! c