lazy daisy cake

Last year for my birthday I received this great little cookbook: Lost Recipes. Marion Cunningham is also the name behind Fannie Farmer, and she has a nice touch with homey recipes. I made terrific biscuits from this book the other night, in fact--maybe I'll post them later.

I've been intrigued by Lazy Daisy Cake for a long time--I think I probably first saw it in Fannie Farmer, as a matter of fact. A quick cake with a broiled topping seemed like such a good idea! But I'd never made it.

Until last night. Mark and Mariah were very late coming home, dinner was made, and Nick and I decided we'd keep it warm and wait for them. I could, I suppose, have knit a few rows on a Christmas something, or graded a paper or two, but this was what I did instead. It was a good choice.

Here's what you do:

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour (or spray) an 8-inch square cake pan.

Beat together two eggs with one teaspoon of vanilla. When the eggs have thickened slightly, add in one cup of granulated sugar. When the mixture is thick and has lightened somewhat, stir in a blended mixture of one cup all-purpose flour, one teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a microwave safe cup, add one tablespoonful of butter to 1/2 cup milk--microwave until the butter melts. Working quickly, add the hot milk/butter to the egg/flour mixture. The batter will be very liquid. Pour it into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cream, then mix in 1/2 cup chopped nuts. When the cake is done, spread this topping on top and run the cake under the broiler for about a minute (not two, as I did!). Let cool briefly then cut and eat.


(And now, I believe, I have indeed posted something every day for a month. If not here, then on the other blog. So it can be done!)