More than a recipe

Once upon a time the only source for recipes was mothers, friends and a few legendary cookbooks. In today’s world if you need a recipe for classic spaghetti sauce you don’t need a secret family recipe because millions of food bloggers are sharing their own. Even with all of these sources, it’s funny to think we cook less today than we did in the past. We all face the problem of recipe overload and I recently began to wonder if it’s an inevitable result of the times.

I tear out, bookmark and copy recipes just about every day. I know if I don’t make the recipe within a week it’s going to get stashed away and replaced by a new recipe that catches my eye. When it comes down to it, I will always have more recipes than I can handle.

In its basic form a recipe is a formula of measurements, directions and ingredients. What sets it apart from any other formula is the passion, history and joy a recipe brings to life. When we find a new recipe, it’s more than just a meal. It can represent a child’s first birthday, a memorable first date or just the perfect combination of flavors. This is the true joy that comes from finding recipes on food blogs, magazines and old family recipes. They bring us into the kitchen of cooks all over the country. While it may be overwhelming at times, I believe the recipes you are meant to cook will always find a way to your kitchen. I know this because of a simple recipe for yellow cake that found its way to me several years ago.

I don’t recall the exact details of how I found Ina Garten’s recipe for Birthday Cake with Hot Pink Icing, but let’s face it anything with hot pink is going to catch a girl’s eye. However, I do recall I was making it for my mom’s birthday and I knew the slight addition of lemon in the recipe would be perfect. It was one of those moments when you don’t feel the need to keep searching, or second- guess, you just go with it. I may have picked a different color for the icing (sorry hot pink), but my mom loved the cake more than any cake I could have found at a bakery. To this date I have cherished this recipe and while I may try new yellow cake recipes here and there, this recipe is what I always return to.

There may not be a solution to recipe overload and I am fine with that. I know in the end the search is just part of the process to find the best.

Yellow Cake
Source: Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
18 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
1 lemon, zested
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup corn starch
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, diced ( optional, if in season)

Frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter
3 lbs. powdered sugar
9 Tbsp. milk
3 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar, until fluffy.

Add eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest. Mix well.
Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to the batter.

If you are adding fresh strawberries, fold them into the batter at this point.

Pour into prepared cake pans.

Bake for 30 -40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cakes and frost.

For frosting:
Cream butter on high speed. Gradually add in powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and food coloring if you wish. Mix until creamy and light.

Note:
This recipe works great for cupcakes or 1 layer cakes. Just cut the recipe in half and the frosting in half. Cupcakes will bake quicker so check the oven at 25 minutes.