Adventures in Eating- A Photo Journey

The most amazingly lemony lemon cake imaginable.

You should be friends with me, just to try my cooking.

Lemon chiffon cake

makes 2 11x17" sheets or 2 9x3" rounds

14.5 oz cake flour
8.75 oz confectioner’s sugar
6.75 oz whole milk
6 oz canola oil
3.25 oz eggs
0.5 oz baking powder
13 oz egg whites
9.5 oz granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 oz lemon juice

Oven 375F. Prep pan by buttering bottom and sides. Place parchment in pan and butter the parchment. Sift dry ingredients (except granulated sugar) into a large bowl. Mix all ingredients (except the 13 oz of egg whites and granulated sugar) in the large bowl until combined. Whip whites and granulated sugar to medium peaks. Fold into batter gently. Bake until set, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and remove from pan. Let cool on a rack. With a large serrated knife, cut the cake into two layers.

From Jen Yu at Use Real Butter: http://userealbutter.com/2008/04/15/lemon-petits-fours-recipe/

Lemon buttercream frosting

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

Yield: 12 cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened

3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 lemon, juice and zest of

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine butter, sugar and salt and beat till well combined. Add lemon juice, zest and vanilla and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minute or until creamy.

From Food.com: http://www.food.com/recipe/lemon-buttercream-frosting-from-the-famous-sprinkles-cupcakes-222187

Lemon curd

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

4 lemons, zested and juiced

1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure citrus juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. (Bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water.) Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

From Alton Brown: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/lemon-curd-recipe/index.html

Assembly

Cut each of the cake rounds in half to make 4 thin cake rounds. Spread 1/3 of the lemon curd between each layer. When all 4 rounds are stacked, crumb coat the cake with a bit of the lemon buttercream. Thickly coat the cake with the frosting.

This cake is amazing, so you may need to make 2.

5 months!

Dear Lincoln,

You are just about 5 months old and you are without question, the light of my life! I can't imagine my life without you! Every single day you get cuter and more fun.

We didn't have a doctor's appointment this month so I just took these measurements:

You weigh 13.8 lbs

Are 24.5 inches long

Your head is 16.5 inches around

According to Baby Center, that means-

You are below the 5th percentile for weight

You are between the 5th and 10th percentile

For head circumference you are between the 10th and 25th percentile

You are so happy all the time and bring so much light and joy to everyone around you! You have your mom wrapped completely and hop

elessly around your finger! Even in the middle of the night, when I have to come into your room 12 times to calm your squawking, you grin at me and all is forgiven and forgotten! Your smile is the most rewarding thing on this planet!

You seem to be happiest when both mom and dad are home and we are spending time as a family. You have recently discovered how to roll over from both your front to your back, and your back to your front. Needless to say, your parents think you are a genius and are expecting your acceptance letter to Harvard any day now.

You love watching TV. If you can't see the TV, you will crane your neck, or turn yourself so you can see it. Mom thinks it's really funny, but also thinks she's created a monster!

You are ticklish and your laugh is sooo addicting! I would do anything to get a smile, or giggle from you! Here are some of the things that make you laugh the most:

• Sometimes when we are singing songs I will change the words to include your name or just for the fun of it. One song that you love is "There was a Chels who had a dog and Dingo was his name-o."
• When I try to get you to say or sign "mama." You just smile and laugh at me, as though I'm being funny!
• You love looking at yourself in the mirror. There is a mirror in the car so I can check on you, and you love watching yourself! When we ride in the car you just giggle and squeal at yourself!

I feel so blessed to have you in my life, baby boy. In the words of my dad, You're perfect in every way. Head to toe, diapers included!

Love, Mama