Baby Cakes

Every year, close to Valentine’s Day, I serve up one of my family’s favorite treats…lavender pound cake!  The recipe makes the most wonderfully moist yet dense cake and the lavender gives it a slight flavor that’s hard for most to determine what it actually is!  And a couple things I love best about this cake…it can be baked in any form you desire (bundt pan, loaf pan, even cupcakes) and frozen until you need a sugary treat!  My favorite way to bake it is in a mini bundt pan.   My mom and I have collected several old, English Pudding pans and they work perfectly for making a baby-sized cake!  I love the miniature size…not just because it’s cute but it’s just right to indulge on without having sugar overload!  And since I’m infatuated with all the Xs and Os this Valentines, I figured I’d carry on with that theme…

xoxo pound cake!

the small cake is so much fun to decorate…and these candy toppings were perfect for the tiny top!

the puddings pans come in wonderful shapes…and between me and my mother we have quite a variety!  a single recipe (which i will share at the bottom of this post) will fill two of the larger pudding pans…you could use one regular bundt or angel food cake pan or even divide it up between various loaf pans–whatever goes!

the simpler the pan shape, the easier it is to get out…but mine are fairly decorative so i have to coat them heavily with canola spray OR just use one my mom made in her pans!  she has even baked in a flower pot to produce a simple shape! (just make sure it’s a new one…bits of potting soil don’t make a tasty accompaniment!)

once it’s done i just cut off the rounded bottom so it will sit flat on my pedestal.  the boys love this cake with vanilla-almond icing so i always frost mine…but it would look AND taste great with just a glaze drizzled over the top!

but if you take the icing route…cover the edges of your platter with wax paper and frost away!  i don’t worry too much about perfection when icing a cake…if you take your time it will generally look pretty good!  remember, some imperfections make it even better…it shows it was created with love!  and i never like to criticize helpers if i’ve got them or they may not want to participate again!  so have fun and just slap it on!  the other bonus about pound cake…it’s much firmer and doesn’t require a skim coat of icing!  this makes it much easier for those of us without lots of experience!

i think the xoxo candies look adorable!  but you can top the cake with anything you love…candy, sprinkles, a cake bunting…i’ve even stuck a small juice glass in the hole and filled it with flowers!  fun for spring!  but today it’s all about the hugs & kisses…

my boys will be feelin’ the love…

when they’re having a slice (or two) of a baby cake!

the recipe~lavender pound cake

all ingredients at room temp. and preheat oven to 315 degrees

8 oz cream cheese

3 sticks butter

3 C sugar

3 C flour

1 t salt

6 eggs

1 t lemon extract

1 t vanilla extract

1 t almond extract

1/4 C apricot nectar

1 1/2-2 T lavender flowers

cream together the cream cheese and butter.  add the sugar and mix until fluffy.

mix together the flour and salt and set aside.

add the eggs one at a time alternating with the four/salt mixture and ending with the flour.

add the wet flavorings and mix.  fold in the lavender flowers.

pour into an angel food cake pan or bread pan sprayed WELL with canola spray.  bake at 315 degrees for 1 hour & 45 minutes.

if you choose two smaller molds you will need to adjust the time to 1 hour & 20-30 minutes.  regular cupcakes bake for 45 minutes and mini cupcakes 35 minutes.  you may still need to adjust the baking times according to your oven…and i would still advise to check throughout!  pound cake is more dense than traditional cake and over-baking could make it dry.  cool & frost…and it freezes wonderfully so if you’re making multiples…bake one & freeze one for later!

happy cake baking!