October 17, 2007
Making a classic (but easier!)
Have you ever made a cake from scratch? I know there’s a whole generation out there (or maybe even two) who have never made a cake without using a mix. Cake mixes were available when I was young, but Mom just didn’t believe in using them. She made her cakes the old-fashioned way, and she taught me to do the same. All four of us (two brothers, one sister and I) cooked at an early age, but I was the one who really took to it. I know I cooked my first full family meal when I was about seven, but I don’t remember when I first baked a cake. What I do know is that it was a 1-2-3-4 Cake. That’s the one Mom made most frequently, and I always asked for it on my birthday. I haven’t made one in a few years, but it’s still my favorite. The name comes from the main ingredients: 1 cup of shortening, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour and 4 eggs. It’s a very rich cake, denser and a little grainier than the cakes you’re probably used to. Did I mention it’s my favorite non-chocolate dessert? That’s why I still make it from time to time, even though it’s time-consuming and mixes are easier. If you’d like to try it be prepared to spend a little more time than you’d use for a mix, and be prepared for your hands to be completely worn out from all the mixing (unless you have a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer!) Here’s how:
1-2-3-4 Cake
3 cups sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Cream shortening with sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add beaten egg yolks and beat thoroughly. Add sifted dry ingredients and milk alternately in small amounts, beating well after each addition. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into batter. Pour into greased pans and bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees F) about thirty minutes. Makes 3 (9-inch ) layers.
You see what I mean about all of the mixing? I have a condition in my hands called deQuervain’s Tendonitis. Over-using my hands brings on exruciating pain which feels as though my wrists and hands are packed with broken glass. After the pain comes numbness severe enough that I can’t control my hands. A recipe like the one above is tough on healthy hands. It’s more than I can handle these days, even with my little hand-mixer, which vibrates horribly and cripples my hands if I use it for more than a minute or so. What I need is a Hamilton Beach® Mixer, which will not only save my hands, it will also make all of the juggling of ingredients much easier (since I won’t have to hold onto the bowl with one hand while holding the mixer with the other hand and wishing for a third hand to add the ingredients as I mix.)
Now I don’t want to send you into shock, but it’s not too early to be thinking about Christmas shopping. Y’all know that my son goes out of his way to get me wonderful presents. I usually hem and haw when he asks what I want, but now that I’ve had a good look at the Eclectrics® Mixer I know one thing I’d really like him to give his old mom this year. Just so I can make a 1-2-3-4 cake for him, of course. 
* Don’t even think of going to all this trouble and then slapping frosting from a can or a mix on this delectable cake. I recommend and old-fashioned Seven Minute or Caramel Icing. Hey, you’re in the kitchen anyway. Do it right!
Technorati Tags: cake recipe, stand mixer, Hamilton Beach Eclectrics® Mixer, kitchen appliances, memories, nostalgia
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October 17th, 2007 at 8:41 pm, pussreboots Says:
Yes I have. I use a recipe my grandmother’s mother-in-law taught her. She then taught me and I’ve taught my son. I also make brownies, cookies and bread from scratch. I have never bought a mix.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:43 pm, skeet Says:
Sarah, I do understand that some people just don’t have the time or the incination to cook from scratch. They just don’t know what they’re missing, do they?!
January 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm, skeet’s stuff » Win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer! Says:
[…] couple of months ago I blogged about the Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and how much easier my life would be if I had one. There was a contest going on at that time and […]
September 5th, 2008 at 5:23 pm, skeet’s stuff » Four Foods on Friday #45 Says:
[…] There’s only one cake I ever bother making from scratch anymore (mixes are just too easy!) It’s the 1-2-3-4 Cake my mom used to make & taught me to make at a very young age. Definitely not like anything you’ll ever find in a mix! Here’s the recipe. […]
September 8th, 2008 at 4:51 pm, Charla Says:
Skeet, that cake sounds so good! I think it would also be good not to ice it and top it with strawberries and ice cream or whipped cream. What do you think?
September 8th, 2008 at 5:59 pm, skeet Says:
It’s a very rich cake, Charla, and has more texture than most cakes - a little heavier and almost grainy in texture. It’s perfect on it’s own without frosting and I think it would be great with fruit & ice cream or whipped cream. Why don’t you try it and let me know?