August 05, 2007

what's left

One of the blogs I read on an almost religous basis is Alicia's.
She's just like Martha Stewart, except more down to earth, more like a real person. Don't get me wrong, I love me some MS, especially her magazine, but Posey (as Alicia is also known as), is more like the girl next door,...someone you'd want to be best friends with because she knows how to treat her friends and family. She takes wonderful photographs of her crafty and culinary creations and 99.999% of the time, it's just about perfection. Then there was this post. I couldn't believe Posey made something that didn't turn out picture perfect. Aww, but that's what's so great about her, she let us all see her "bust up", which still managed to be cute.

Anyway, I knew if Posey liked the cake she made, even though it didn't come out of the pan just right, that it would be good. Thanks to her link to the buttermilk poundcake recipe, I baked one right up.

Oh my.

Six eggs. A cup of real butter. I could feel my booty growing as I was mixing it all up. It was terrific though and I really tried to not eat very much of it. Really.

Um, here's what's left....



I had help, people. Five mouths in total. So don't judge me ;)

Anyway, this recipe calls for buttermilk, obviously (the title of the recipe was my first clue). But I can't seem to keep buttermilk in this house because a certain cupcake's husband likes to drink it. A LOT. Whenever I get ready to make something with buttermilk, there never seems to be any left. So I got smart and bought some of that powdered buttermilk stuff. You mix the powder in with the dry ingredients and then add bow much ever water in with the wet parts, and tada! You cannot tell the difference. And you always have buttermilk when you need it, providing you have a supply of the powered stuff of course!

So try the cake. It's even better the next day, I thought it was very similar in texture to a Sara Lee poundcake, except better naturally, because it's homemade. Another something to make note of, I only baked mine about 70 minutes, instead of the 90 the recipe states, and I made a lemon glaze for the top by adding 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons melted butter to 2 cups of confectioners sugar.

Dee-vine.

This past week I finished Willow House by BBD. I loved stitching this so much. Gosh, do those ladies EVER make a bad design?




(click on image for a better, close up view).

It was stitched on 32 count Tobacco Belfast linen with recommended WDW and Sampler threads. I added the initals of my hubby and children along with mine :)

9 comments:

Nancy said...

Oh that cake - it looks so delicious! I'll definitely have to try it sometime.

Your Willow House Sampler is gorgeous Andrea. I love the colors of the threads and the linen, and the initials of your family is a nice touch! Congratulations on the finish.

Nancy

Melissa said...

Andrea-I love Alicia's blog. I've been wanting to try that pound cake recipe too. It looks so good, even Alicia's version! Congrats on finishing Willow House. It's beautiful. Good to know about the powdered buttermilk. I may just have to make that a pantry staple. I've been doing the vinegar in milk thing as a substitute for buttermilk. The powder sounds like a good alternative.

Pam said...

Andrea, I read Posie Gets Cozy every day too...her photography is phenomenal! I have been telling Mike that I need a better digital camera to take pictures for my blog, but he's just not buying it!

As for buttermilk, I have 1/2 gallon minus 1/3 cup in the fridge. I bought it to make Martha's carrot ginger cupcakes to take to a friend for whom we are doing a sort of meals on wheels thing. I would drink it myself, except I bought the full fat kind. I thought about the instant stuff, but decided to go with the "real thing." I'm sure it wouldn't have made any difference, but I did get rave reviews on my cupcakes...thought of you while I was making them :-)

Andrea said...

Hey Melissa! I like to do the vinegar in the milk thing for buttermilk sub. too, but it never fails that when I need buttermilk, we're out of regular milk too!!! Argh!! SO the powdered stuff comes in really handy, lol!

Hazel said...

That cake looks yummy! Love the bbd. You have some nice stitchy things on your blog. I found you on Rachel's blog. xx

the striped rose said...

Congratulations on the poundcake. It looks like everyone enjoyed it. Willow house is stunning - how do the BBD ladies think up those color combinations? Those pinks and blues are beautiful on that linen.

Michele

Anonymous said...

Whoa. That cake looks like it should be illegal in 48 states. I'm gonna have to try it.

Michelle said...

Beautiful finish!! That pound cake sounds amazing, I will have to try it! MMMMMmmmmm.

Anonymous said...

That cake looks divine! I'm a baking beginner and I've just had a look at the recipe. Do you have to switch the oven off before you put the mixture in and let it just bake in the heat that's already there? I'm a little confused.