Photo Copyright Sandra Gutierrez; 2009; All Rights Reserved.
Spring can be a season for all kinds of health maladies. There are allergies to contend with, colds and this year, a new breed of flu. I do not pretend to have the answer to any of these, unfortunately, and you will do better to ask your doctor about those. However, there is something that helps my family feel better any time they are convalescent, or plain feeling blue: Sick Cake.
Sick Cake came to be when my youngest daughter was little and recovering from the chicken pox. Yearning to play outside with friends, instead of being indoors, she asked me how long it would be before her next birthday party. When I told her she would have to wait a few months for that, she sighed and told me--with as much drama as she could muster--how she wished it could be sooner so she could eat some birthday cake again. I asked her if she wanted me to bake her a special cake. "You mean I get to have sick cake?" she asked. Ever since, I try to bake my family members a Sick Cake whenever they feel the need for some extra loving care.
The thing about a cake for someone who is not feeling well is that it must be light--no frostings or glazes that can turn a queasy stomach--and it needs to be easy to make, so that the caretaker can have time to take care of the patient without losing one's mind. So Sick Cake is simple, straightforward and easy to digest; just as easily enjoyed on its own, or alongside a cup of tea. Personally, I like mine with strawberries or with a scoop of sorbet (just in case someone wants to bake me one the next time I'm sick).
Food has an unmistakeable comfort component. Warm, creamy, and soft foods have a way to hit that emotional spot within that helps us feel a bit better and lift our spirits up when we are feeling drab. I love my family through the food I cook for them. Call it my love language or just my quirk but whenever my husband or children feel sad, nostalgic or ill, I go straight to the kitchen to see what I can whip up for them. This is a very simple cake--no frills, no gimmicks--and one of the first cakes I learned to make as a child. I've had to change the flour from the all purpose I grew up using in Guatemala, for a softer cake flour, to adapt it to the altitude change and it has worked well for me. Sometimes, I'll separate the eggs and beat the egg yolks as directed; then I'll whip the egg whites separately and will fold them into the batter (after the milk has been added) instead, but I only do this if I want to make it into a jelly roll. Play with it, you'll learn to make it your own.
Guava jelly is what I prefer to use for our Sick Cake, but your family may have a different preference, and that is perfectly acceptable. I love the tropical taste of guava (the jelly is available in Latin tiendas and in many supermarkets around our country) but apple jelly makes a delicious substitute.
What do you crave for when you're feeling blue? Spicy, sour, sweet or salty? Does a sip of chicken broth transport you back to another time and remind you of your grandmother's soup? Does ice cream soothe your hurt feelings? Well, if you're anything like my family, you will find some comfort in a slice of Sick Cake.
Be well and eat well. I bid you health.
Sick Cake
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon (yellow part only)
3/4 cup 1 % or lowfat milk
1/2 cup Guava Jelly (or apple jelly)
Confectioner's Sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cakes; line the bottom with parchment paper (cut it into circles to fit the pans).
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar until light and creamy (about 3 minutes in a stand-mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
5. Add each egg, one at a time, beating well and making sure to add the next one only after the first egg has been incorporated (mixture might curdle if eggs are too cold, not to worry).
6. Switch to a spatula. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and mix well.
7. Add one-third of the flour mixture and half of the milk and stir until combined. Add another third of the flour mixture and the rest of the milk and stir until combined again. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir just until combined.
8.Pour half of the batter into each of the prepared pans and give the pans a good tap against the counter (to remove air bubbles).
9. Bake cakes for 25-30 minutes or until cake separates from the sides of the pans (or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).
10. Remove cakes from the oven; set them over a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Invert onto racks and let them cool completely (carefully peel the parchment off the cakes).
11. Transfer bottom of cooled cake to a plate; spread the guava jelly on the top. Top cake with second layer and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Yield: 10 servings
Copyright Sandra Gutierrez, 2009; All Rights Reserved.
