May Day Flower Cake

Sunday is May Day, the 1st day of May, and is traditionally celebrated with flowers.  We have a flower shaped cake for you that should do quite nicely 🙂
The set of flower shaped pans for making the cake pictured came from Michaels.  The really good news is that they are on sale right now for only $5.99.  When you go to the Michaels website you can locate the store nearest you that has them in stock.

The recipe is a very basic and VERY tasty one that we think will become a”go to” in your cake recipe file.

We flavored this one with lemon peel and lemon extract but you could easily substitute vanilla extract for the lemon flavoring.

Classic Cake

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups  sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened slightly
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons lemon extract (or 1 tablespoon vanilla for vanilla cake)
zest of 2 lemons – just the yellow of the lemon (you can eliminate this if making vanilla cake)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cake pans.  If using the nonstick flower cake pans, lightly grease the pans with melted butter.

COMBINE:

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Whisk to blend
IN ANOTHER BOWL COMBINE:

4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 Tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons lemon extract (or vanilla for vanilla cake)
zest of 2 lemons
Blend together with a fork
Whisk the dry ingredients for 30 seconds to combine. With your mixer on low to medium speed, slowly add the slices of softened butter, a few at a time. Beat approximately 1 minute or longer if needed, until the dry ingredients are crumbly and moistened by the butter.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there is no dry flour.  Gradually add approximately 1/2 of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes – the batter will become thick and fluffy.  Scrape the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture in 2 additions, scraping the bowl and beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the cake cool in the pans 5 minutes then turn out.

This makes 6 1/2 cups of batter which is more batter than you will need for these pans.  This is a great recipe for cupcakes, so you can use the rest of the batter for that.  OR you can make this cake in two or three regular 8″ round cake pans.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or just until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Do NOT overcook or you will have a dry cake.

When the cake is cool, assemble using whipped cream between the layers or a classic butter cream icing.  Top with fresh berries or decorate with icing to resemble a flower.

A couple of years ago we gave you another May Day recipe for a flower cake which has become one the most popular posts we have done over the years and one of our most popular entries on Pinterest.  You can get the recipe here.

(If you aren’t already following us on Pinterest now is a good time to start 🙂  If you are already on Pinterest go to your page and in the search bar type TwoChums …. there is no space between the word Two and Chums, it is typed like it is all one word.  If you have never been on Pinterest prepare to be amazed! Go to www.Pinterest.com  and in the search bar type our name as previously instructed.)

Either of these cakes will make a wonderful May Day dessert, or a lovely surprise for your Mother’s Day celebration.  Sweet pretty desserts….love, joy and very abundant living 🙂