Lemon tea cake

Every Thursday I have dinner with my grandma. She is a brilliant woman, strong, smart, fun, and compassionate. She loves to help others and make people feel loved. So last Thursday when my grandmas neighbors prepped to move their home from Portland, Oregon to the Midwest my grandma decided to make them some sweets for the road. It was a wonderful evening with my family spent in the kitchen. First we made tacos for dinner, then cookies for the neighbors, and lastly my grandma had been dying to try a new recipe for lemon pudding cake but she needed some help. I set out to get supplies while she cleaned up from dinner. When I arrived back, I felt just like a kid again. Standing next to grandma helping her measure ingredients and stirring the batter in our aprons. I always get flour on me but she somehow manages to stay so clean and pretty. As the sense of nostalgia pulsed through my veins, I realized that it was moments like these that we must share with the world. These are the moments to cherish because its not about what you have, what you make, or when you do it but instead how you feel when your doing it. Spending time with loved ones in the kitchen is the greatest gift you can give someone. Your giving them a gift of not only a memory but a lesson, a life sustaining resource, a feeling of love and warmth and accomplishment, you are providing them with life lessons and opportunities for growth on an individual level. Thursdays are one of my favorite days of the week for this reason and I'm so thankful I have such a wonderful family to share it with. 

This recipe is not mine. This recipe is from Sandra lee and although I'm not particularly a big fan of hers I'm thankful for her work and her recipe that my grandparents loved so much. 

Enjoy! 

CAKE:

1 box (18.25 oz.) lemon cake

1 box lemon instant pudding

1 cup water

4 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Zest of one lemon

6 tablespoons store bought lemon curd (found in the jam aisle)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 12-cup Bundt pan or 13x9-inch metal baking pan.

2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs, oil, and lemon zest in large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes or until well blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Drizzle lemon curd on top of batter, keeping curd away from sides of pan.

3. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto cooling rack. Place cooling rack on a cookie sheet. Cool cake completely.

LEMON GLAZE:

6 tablespoons store bought lemon curd (found in the jam aisle)

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (this was around 1/2 a lemon) 

3 cups powdered sugar

1. Beat lemon curd, water, and lemon juice in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until mixture is smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake. Transfer cake to serving platter.

Let Your Rainbow Flags Fly!

This is a very special time for me right now. I have recently made the big move to Portland Oregon and am about to celebrate my first pride festival. Even more special to me is that I get to be a part of the set up of this years dyke march and am Volunteering on Sunday with Basic Rights Oregon. Last Friday I had the pleasure of hanging out with one of the coolest groups of people! Belinda, who is not only putting this whole March together but graciously hosted a sign making party for the march with her partner that included a smorgasbord of delicious treats and BBQ'd goodies! I had a wonderful time making signs, laughing my ass off, and drinking beer with some wonderful wonderful people. Although I wasn't able to bring anything to the potluck that night due to my work schedule I was inspired to think of party foods that showed off our PRIDE! So in honor of all the lovely ladies and gentlemen that I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the course of the past couple of weeks. Today's recipe is for you!

Stay strong, Stay Beautiful, Stay PROUD!!!

Enjoy!

Rainbow Trifle

Ingredients: 
2 Pints Strawberries (sliced)
1 pint Raspberries
2 cups Cantelope (cubed)
2 Cups Pineapple (Cubed)
2 cups Kiwi (Sliced)
1 pint blueberries 
1 pint blackberries 
2 loafs Angel Food Cake (Cubed)
2 Cups Yogurt (Plain) 
2 Tbsp. Honey 
1 Vanilla Bean ( Just the scrapings from the inside) 
Juice of 1/2 an Orange
1 cup almond slices (Toasted)
Whipped cream
Directions:
Wash all fruit and gently pat dry. Mix Strawberries and raspberries in a bowl, set aside. Mix blueberries and blackberries in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl combine yogurt, honey, vanilla, and orange juice. whisk until well blended and set aside. In a large trifle dish spread  a single layer of angel food cake cubes. drizzle roughly 2 tbsp. of the yogurt sauce over the cake. sprinkly roughly 2 tbsp. of the toasted almonds throughout and  spread blueberry mixture evenly in one layer on top. add another layer of cake/yogurt sauce/almonds, then add kiwi slices in a single layer. Continue layer with cake/yogurt/almonds then pineapple, then a layer of cake/yogurt/almonds then Mango, then cake/yogurt/almonds then the strawberry mixture. Drizzle with the last of the yogurt sauce and sprinkle with remaining almond slices in the center. Around the edge of the trifle make cute little rosettes with a pipette and some whipped cream.

Best Served with a sparkling glass of champagne and some equally bubbly friends. Enjoy!