Cake or....
I need the collective wisdom and creativity of this group. Here's the challenge; finding the right dessert recipe that can; 1) be made ahead of time, 2) travel well in a cooler and keep 24 hours, 3) not need any cooking, baking or heating prior to serving, 4) is something that could be considered 'period appropriate' to the Renaissance.
Let me explain: My fiance and I have a Celtic band and we've again been invited to Character Camp; a private camping weekend for the acting company of Scarborough Faire in TX. We're the only non-local group invited and it's both an honor and a joy to be considered part of that family. Anyway, they improv. the whole weekend, camping out in character and in costume, from King Henry to the tavern wenches of the Crossed Keys Inn to the serving folk. It's very cool. And its this weekend; we leave Friday noonish.
On Saturday evening, they always have a dessert contest and I want to enter. Last year I was sortof not blown away by the entries so the pressure isn't huge. I'm thinking a cake since that would be pretty easy. I have a wonderful resource/cookbook called, "Celtic Folklore Cooking" by Joanne Asala. There are some neat things in there and I'm wondering if one of them could be adapted/spiffed-up a bit.
Here's the two I'm deciding between at the moment and I need help deciding...unless someone has another option that is stellar.
"Faerie Cakes"
1 stick butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
grated rind of one orange
3/4 tsp baking powder
1-1/4 cups flour
1 tbsp milk
1/3 cup sultanas
Sugar Icing
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and orange rind, Sieve the baking powser and flour together and add to the butter mixture. Add a little milk to create a batter of dropping consistency. Fold in the sultanas and spoon the mixture into well-greased muffin cups. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Drizzle on sugar icing and serve.
Those would be easy and easy to transport but I'm not sure there's enough "wow factor" to them. I'm also not sure everybody likes raisins in baked stuff.
"Nut Cake"
1 cup butter
1-3/4 cups sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
3 whole eggs plus 1 egg yoke
3 cups sifted flour
2 tdp bakibg powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 cup finely chopped nuts
Cream butter, gradually add sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs and yoke, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add sifted dry ingredients alternatly with milk, beating until smooth. Fold in nuts. Pour into greased 9-inch tube pan, lined on bottom with waxed paper. Bake in 375-degree oven for 1 hour, or until done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to rack.
I'm leaning towards this one 'cause it seems 'more dessert-ish' but also a bit bland. Could I get away with adding spices; cinnamon, nutmeg and a little orange zest without ruining the texture? Could I use 1/2 and 1/2 rather than milk to increase the richness?
I'm a damned good cook but not used to meddling with cake recipes. So what do you all think?
And thanks for reading this whonking long post!
Let me explain: My fiance and I have a Celtic band and we've again been invited to Character Camp; a private camping weekend for the acting company of Scarborough Faire in TX. We're the only non-local group invited and it's both an honor and a joy to be considered part of that family. Anyway, they improv. the whole weekend, camping out in character and in costume, from King Henry to the tavern wenches of the Crossed Keys Inn to the serving folk. It's very cool. And its this weekend; we leave Friday noonish.
On Saturday evening, they always have a dessert contest and I want to enter. Last year I was sortof not blown away by the entries so the pressure isn't huge. I'm thinking a cake since that would be pretty easy. I have a wonderful resource/cookbook called, "Celtic Folklore Cooking" by Joanne Asala. There are some neat things in there and I'm wondering if one of them could be adapted/spiffed-up a bit.
Here's the two I'm deciding between at the moment and I need help deciding...unless someone has another option that is stellar.
"Faerie Cakes"
1 stick butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
grated rind of one orange
3/4 tsp baking powder
1-1/4 cups flour
1 tbsp milk
1/3 cup sultanas
Sugar Icing
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and orange rind, Sieve the baking powser and flour together and add to the butter mixture. Add a little milk to create a batter of dropping consistency. Fold in the sultanas and spoon the mixture into well-greased muffin cups. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Drizzle on sugar icing and serve.
Those would be easy and easy to transport but I'm not sure there's enough "wow factor" to them. I'm also not sure everybody likes raisins in baked stuff.
"Nut Cake"
1 cup butter
1-3/4 cups sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
3 whole eggs plus 1 egg yoke
3 cups sifted flour
2 tdp bakibg powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 cup finely chopped nuts
Cream butter, gradually add sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs and yoke, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add sifted dry ingredients alternatly with milk, beating until smooth. Fold in nuts. Pour into greased 9-inch tube pan, lined on bottom with waxed paper. Bake in 375-degree oven for 1 hour, or until done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to rack.
I'm leaning towards this one 'cause it seems 'more dessert-ish' but also a bit bland. Could I get away with adding spices; cinnamon, nutmeg and a little orange zest without ruining the texture? Could I use 1/2 and 1/2 rather than milk to increase the richness?
I'm a damned good cook but not used to meddling with cake recipes. So what do you all think?
And thanks for reading this whonking long post!