On Sunday morning Kelly Mutter, the wife of the children’s pastor, stopped me in the hall. She asked if I would please make a dessert for the assistant children’s pastor’s farewell reception tonight. Knowing I wouldn’t be there and that I don’t really know or have much contact with the assistant children’s pastor, I thought the request was a little bold. I am not one to deny a request for a baked good though, and realizing that whether or not I know the man doesn’t change the fact that he’s done a lot of good work with the children in our church, I agreed.
Fast forward to yesterday when I need to produce this item. I decided on Velvet Lunch Cake, a family favorite with yummy spices and a brown sugar icing. I pulled out the recipe and realized that I do not have the required butter milk. I have been taught how to sour milk as a replacement but I knew it would be better with the real thing. Suddenly it struck me that I have unused cream in the fridge that would become butter with the right coaxing and therefore produce buttermilk. All of a sudden a bold request became a challenge and therefore a delight. I made butter in the blender, strained the needed buttermilk from the soft yellow curds and made the cake from both products. It was lighter and fluffier than I’ve ever made it before and I know the guests will enjoy it much more than they would had I followed modern convention and purchased the needed items. It felt so good to be thrifty and resourceful. I’ll have to try it again sometime.
You know…my mom has made yummy sugar cookies for years. The last while, something is just different. Laura and I agree on it. I tried it earlier this week. Know what’s different? I used full fat buttermilk, you know, the really thick stuff. They turned out great! I’m betting mom’s been using the low fat buttermilk, which I used to use until this time. I say…if you’re gonna be bad making the cookies in the first place, do it up right!
Good job on the thriftiness! Now I’m going to admit my ignorance. I helped make butter when I was a kid using milk from the tank at Grandma and Grandpa’s, but I don’t really remember now how we did it. How do you make butter in the blender? All I remember is helping my mom by shaking an old glass Jif jar until I thought my arms would fall off:)
Cheryl – It’s really pretty easy. You just poor the cream into the blender and turn it on until it separates. At first I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to tell when it had become butter. But it was pretty obvious when the top of the blender was a lot of yellow chunks. The rest is a little more complicated because you have to strain it clean it and make sure you get all the buttermilk out. Otherwise it gets sour. I think I need some cheesecloth to make the process a little easier. I just followed directions I found online.
Mary, I have often thought of this and how it affects recipes. Not the difference btwn. buttermilk and the “cheat method” of curdling milk with vinegar or lemon juice. But, I mean- the difference between true buttermilk (the liquid left after making butter) and “cultured buttermilk” like you buy in the store. The consistency is totally different even if they both have the pH that causes a chemical reaction (like when baking soda is added, for instance). Surely I’m overthinking… I’ll just have to try it sometime! 🙂
Tisra – All I can say on that is in this particular recipe I have made it with purchased buttermilk, soured milk, and now with the “real” buttermilk. This time was definitely my favorite in terms of texture. Reubmommy, who gave me the recipe insists that hand whipping the batter (at least 100 whips) as apposed to using a mixer, makes or breaks this cake.
Wow! I am so jealous of that entirely satisfactory experience! And you have every right to be proud of your thriftiness and resourcefulness….and your talent in the kitchen 🙂