Gail here — the older generation :) is bringing you this post today. I say that because it starts with a story…
Long ago, my husband and I were stationed at Del Rio AFB, TX and became good friends with a family of 6. Being fairly newlywed, and knowing we would be waiting to have our kids for a few years, we got our kid-fixes by babysitting these 4 adventurous kids ages 1 to 5.
I don’t really know how my friend managed to keep up with things, because it was craziness! But she was always happy, busy, having fun with outside activities, and doing some delicious cooking!
I got this recipe from her a few years later. It is one of her mom’s and I use it several times each summer. No more spongy store-bought Twinkie-wannabe shortcakes for me, or high fat biscuits, this Lazy Daisy Cake is my go-to shortcake substitute (when I’m not using angel food cake cubes, another go-to!)
Even though we haven’t seen each other in … let’s see, since Sam was 3! … and haven’t kept in touch, I think of her everytime I make this recipe. This time, I made a half-recipe to help our shrinking family NOT to expand around the waist.
Out of a (small) bit of consideration for my husband’s need to avoid excess sugar, I didn’t sugar the strawberries at all. That means no juices, but such a fresh fruit taste! I also only put a portion of my usual powdered sugar in the whipped cream: a scant 1/4 c to 1c cream instead of 1/3 cup to 1c cream.
This Lazy Daisy Cake is actually sweet enough to support all the other less-sweetened ingredients! It is wonderful by itself :) and has a great texture — not quite a sponge cake, not quite a traditional cake.
There’s a frosting — a sticky cooked type (mmmm!) — that I’ve never tried. One day! Maybe in the off-season for berries LOL
Gosh, those 1 year old baby twin girls we used to babysit would now be in their 30s!!! Good memories!
Lazy Daisy Cake
Tried and True (except for the frosting — you’re on your own!)
Prepare pan. Preheat oven to 350F.
Beat until thick:
- 4 whole eggs
Beat in:
- 2 c. sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine, and add to egg mixture:
- 2 c. flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. baking powder
Heat milk to boiling; add butter to melt/soften, then add to batter:
- 1 c. milk
- 4 Tbsp. butter
After adding the hot milk/butter, beat on high speed for 1 minute.
Pour into a greased 9″ x 13″ baking pan (or a jelly roll pan, 1″ deep but I haven’t tested this method)
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes until toothpick tests done. Cool and cut into squares for shortcake.
Note: a half-recipe can be baked in an 8″ square, or 9″ round pan.
OR, try the FROSTING (prepare while cake is baking):
Mix 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 3 Tbsp heavy cream (whipping cream), 1 c. shredded coconut.
Spread onto hot cake, return to oven and brown. (I have no idea how long this would take; maybe 5 minutes? It kind of sounds like it should be broiled…)
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For our first strawberry shortcake of the season, this was a heavenly treat on a rainy, cloudy, blustery Memorial Day.
Hope you had a nice long weekend! Just a reminder: today is TUESday… or is that just for me? ;)
Gail
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