Hello! Welcome to a new series here at YoT, called Millicent and Malia. It all started when I was gifted a vintage treasure: my Grandmother Millicent's recipe box.
I peeked inside and found hundreds of well-loved recipes carefully handwritten on index cards. They were irresistible. Bacon Grease Cookies, Washington Clam Hash and Cottage Cheese Delight are just a few of the intriguing titles.
Millicent and Malia around 1974
So I decided to follow in Grammy Millicent's foot steps– on in this case "food steps" and make some of her favorite dishes. I'm kicking off the first summer recipe here today: Lemon Velvet Cake. I am not sure what makes a cake technically a "velvet cake" but in this case I think it's the use of pudding to get a moist texture.
Lemon Velvet Cake
Ingredients for the Cake: 1 package Lemon Cake Mix (NO pudding added to the dry cake mix), a box of lemon pudding mix, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 3/4 cups of water. The grated rind of one orange.
Directions for Cake:
Combine all ingredients on medium speed until well blended. Mix on high for the last 30 seconds. (Mixture will be light).
Pour mixture in greased 9 x 13 pan.
Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Ingredients for Glaze: 2 cups of powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
Directions for Glaze: Blend until creamy. As soon as cake is done, prick with fork and pour mixture over cake.
Moist, light and refreshing. The citrus prevents this cake from being too sweet, even with the powdered sugar icing.
Thanks for joining me for the first of many Millicent and Malia recipes. It's so fun learning about what my Dad and his family were eating in the fifties and sixties. It gives me a warm feeling to think of my Grandmother as a Mom cooking meals for her family… and party food for her friends.
I have more surprises in store for you. I can't wait to share them soon!
Mini Banner designed by the darling Keren Dukes of Free Pretty Things for You
Oh, wow! Thanks for sharing. My dear husband and I will be sharing 9 years of marriage on Wednesday and he loves lemon so maybe I will make this for us to celebrate this special occasion. Yum-o! I can’t wait for the next recipe. :) Lana
I can’t wait to make this, it looks like the perfect summer dessert! I am even going to share it on facebook!
Yum, and so cute! You should sell these for parties!
Hi, this sounds great, thanks for sharing. Can you please explain whatbyou mean by ‘pudding’, is that a brand name? Here in England pudding is another name for desert, so I don’t know what to use instead.
How fun to find this! So many great memories I’m sure! Her cake looks fabulous!
That cake looks yummy! You are so good at presentation!
Thanks for the sweet comment on my project!
ah! Malia Look at the tiny you! Love this pic :)
This is a PERFECT recipe for my hubby! He LOVE anything Lemony but hate real lemons! lol weird I know
I am saving this one to try and can’t wait for the rest! Love the old recipes.
OH YUM!!!!!!!!!!!! I love LEMON anything!!
Thanks for sharing.
Found you from Sew Can Do.
Would love if you would link up with us at http://www.nothingbutcountry.com on our 1st link up party too. Love your ideas.
Wow… I’m going to have to give this a try! Yummy!!!
This is such a sweet idea for a series, Malia. Love it and can’t wait for more :)
How exciting that you have your grammy’s recipes! We make almost exactly the same cake; it’s a summer favorite that I often ask for on my birthday (August 3rd). Thanks for sharing :-)
That cake looks so tropical and refreshing. Yummy :) I’d love for you to come show off your cake recipe and any of your other favorites at These Chicks Cooked Recipe Spotlight. Have a blessed day :)
Katie
I absolutely love your blog. Not only does this look delicious, I am in love with those homemade paper mache tea cups! Too cute! Thank you for following I am returning the follow.
http://memoirs-of-2-wicked-chefs.blogspot.com/
Mmmm. I love lemon-ny goodness. Your photography is beautiful too!
xoxo
amy
I love lemon cake! Would love for you to share this on my Memorial Day dessert linky on CajunSugarPie.com!
I already love this series! I love vintage recipes and I can’t wait to see what else you share.
This looks mouth-watering!! Wanted to let you know I Featured your post today. :)
What a wonderful treasure you have! I would have loved to have my grandma’s recipe box. This sounds so delicious. I’m featuring it today :)
My grandmother made the same cake! It is great for a pot luck, or whenever I celebrate something special and wish she were here! Thanks for the reminder of my sweet gram!
Thanks for stopping in to show off your lemon velvet cake at These Chicks Cook. Hope you can come back by and share another recipe Wednesday. Have a wonderful week :)
Katie
What a lovely sunny dessert this is. It just makes me feel all cheerful just looking at it.
Malia, I love the inspiration for this series! So wonderful that you have your grandmother’s recipe box and are paying homage in this incredible way!
I’m intrigued by Bacon Grease Cookies & Washington Clam Hash. They sound pretty good to me! The Lemon Cake looks and sounds divine and will be featured on “A Little Birdie Told Me…” tomorrow.
Jenn
Fun and delicious sounding recipe! I will try asap and look forward to what you have on the way! I have many of those booklet type vintage recipe books and the recipes sound so creative! Really love the banner Keren did for you! Super cute!
This looks amazing! My dad loves lemon so I think I’ll be making this for Father’s Day. Thanks for sharing!
I am definitely going to give this a try soon!
Just wanted to tell you I made this over the weekend and it was heavenly!! Everyone loved it. Thanks again for sharing this :)
This looks like a recipe my own Grandmother used to make for us when we visited during the summer. I love this glaze and the cake too. Thanks.
That looks very yummy! I love the pic of you with your grandma. So sweet. :)
My mother used to make this cake for my birthday. I hated frosting, (I know, strange for a kid), and loved lemon. In fact, my wedding cake was lemon!