Hello–happy Friday and welcome back to The Stone Soup Cook–so glad you’re here!
Today, I’m temporarily shifting my focus from the foundational sauces of California Cuisine to share a cake that I know you’re going to love! Several weeks ago, I shared a recipe for chocolate mayonnaise cake, which was a big hit with my readers–I heard from several of you who had tried it and loved it. They all said the same things: it was easy to make, tasted great, you couldn’t taste the mayonnaise and best of all–there was no need to mess with eggs and oil because they’re already in the mayonnaise! I love also because it can be scaled up or down to whatever size cake you want to make.
Today, I’m sharing a recipe for vanilla mayonnaise cake. Why am I sharing it now? Because it’s the season of Lent. Let me explain…
During Lent, Christians spend the 40 days prior to Easter commemorating Jesus’ trek through the desert when Jesus fasted and was tempted by Satan in all manner of ways. It is a time of contemplation, reflection and meditation, and many people give something up as a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifices. A very popular item to give up during Lent is chocolate.
A few days ago, I was talking to my mother (a self-proclaimed chocoholic) and she said “wow! that chocolate mayonnaise cake looks really good!” I said “it is! you should try it!” She said “I want to. Too bad it’s Lent and I gave up chocolate.”
And I thought: I can fix that.
So, I created this dandy little vanilla mayonnaise cake in which I delete the chocolate and boost the vanilla to make a cake so good that I promise you won’t miss the chocolate! This is hands down the easiest cake I’ve ever made and it will now become the base for other basic cake needs I might have, such as a base for strawberry shortcake.
I topped mine with a lemon-buttercream frosting, but it would be just as good with a vanilla buttercream, cream cheese frosting or even a chocolate frosting. You could also just top it with a little powdered sugar and some fruit, or, like I said above–whipped cream and strawberries or other seasonal fruit.
Folks–this is the Holy Grail of cakes: so easy you can pull it together in 10 minutes, tastes great and–it. just. works.
You’re welcome.
