Happy Easter, Everyone!
I don’t know what happened with this guy, but he ended up looking a bit more like a puppy than a lamb!
Either way, this is lamb cake number 8, Nun’s Golden Butter cake. This cake recipe came from a 1968 issue of Mail Box News from Maid of Scandinavia. You’ve probably noticed that a lot of these recipes are coming from that publication, and I have to say it is because it is a classic! If you have an interest in baking, I recommend buying a couple of vintage issues.
But I digress! Here is the Golden Butter cake straight from the oven.
The texture on this one was very soft, and it was more difficult to depan this cake than some of the others. However, no major mishaps occured, so even though it has a lighter texture, it is still suitable for a lamb cake pan!
This lamb is covered with Fluffy Frosting, which is another recipe from Mail Box News. Fluffy frosting is kind of an easy version of Italian Buttercream. It uses a short-cut method of making marshmallow icing called Miracle Frosting. In Miracle Frosting, you put all the ingredients in a bowl over hot water and beat it until it is fluffy. Since the egg whites do not get hot enough in this recipe to cook to the safe temperature, when you make this you have to be sure to cook the frosting to 160 degrees or use pasteurized eggs whites from the carton. The egg whites from the carton DO NOT make as fluffy of an frosting as shell whites, but a base made with carton egg whites works very well for Fluffy Frosting.
The texture of this cake was fantastic!
Lamb cake testing notes:
Lovely soft texture, moist and light. Good level of sweetness. The most “cake-like” of all the lamb cakes we made. Could use a bit more vanilla or maybe some almond.
Frosting testing notes:
Very good, but shortening mouth-feel was a little strong. Not too sweet. Pairs well with cake and wouldn’t need any coconut.
The Verdict: Both cake and frosting were very good! The cake was the most traditional, cake-like cake we tried. It tasted like a very good yellow cake. Would be good with chocolate icing as well! The frosting was also very good, but might be a little better with less shortening.
Hope everyone has a Happy Easter, and that you’ve enjoyed The Eight Days of Lamb cakes! Feel free to email me with questions or ask them in the comments!
| Nun’s Golden Butter Lamb Cake |
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs
- 3 cups AP flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp flavoring
- Blend butter, sugar, eggs and egg yolks until creamy.
- Sifty together dry ingredients, add them to the batter alternately with milk mixed with flavoring.
- Bake in lamb mold for 55 mins at 350 degrees. Bake extra cupcakes at 350 degrees for 25 mins.
Someone is selling the lamb cake on esty…with a raspberry filling. You could follow and make a little income on the side. 😛
http://www.regretsy.com/2012/04/08/lamb-chopped-2/
Oh my goodness! Wow. Delicious AND gory. 🙂
If only I had this a few years ago. My mother made lamb cakes (same pan as yours) for myself & siblings on our 1st birthdays. Girls got the traditional white frosting with coconut while the boys got chocolate frosting with toasted coconut. I have made lamb cakes for my first two children as well with some mishaps. My eldest daughter’s had sliding frosting because we live in a VERY warm climate. It took several “frost a little, put into the fridge” attempts to get it all on, and it didn’t last long out of the fridge. My son’s had the decapitation problem and eded up with several toothpicks and ultimately a Peanuts mug propping it up. #3 is turning one in two months, so maybe there will be a better final product. Thanks!
Ruth~
Loved your posts and your husband was a crack up. LOVED THE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
I’m running a little late this year and just getting started making my lamb cakes. That’s ok though, I am only making 4 so it should be pretty easy. We have found that over the years no one in the family really likes pound cake so someone would cut the butt and then the cake would just sit there. I started using regular cake mixes that I reduced the liquid by 1/4 cup and it comes out dense and delish!! Chocolate is the favorite but I have also made carrot and yellow. I make whipped cream frosting and the cake has always gone quickly! Sometimes when I make the yellow with the whipped cream frosting I have strawberries to put on top once it is cut.
I have never tied the mold together but put in just a little less batter in the front and it bakes and rises into the back.
I was Worried about using a box mix, but your suggestion sounds like it will work fine. Do you suggest this over one of the other lamb recipes?it certainly sounds easier
Hi Mark – This a great pound cake lamb! It is one of my top favorites – the other is the Renalde lamb cake.
I went ahead with the nuns cake recipe, but I just realized I left that little half teaspoon of salt out and it’s in the oven so I am going to just hope and pray that it comes out tasting good otherwise I making a second batch !! Google said it’s not life or death so I am praying that it’s life. At least I can taste one of the cupcakes when they come out of the oven
Lamb cake EMERGENCY! Lol But seriously. My first cake today collapsed and I would like to try this one right now! Question though (these are my first lamb cake attempts)…how do you fill the darn mold? Do you really only fill one side and it rises into the other side enough to reach the top!? Everything I’m finding says to fill both sides separately, lay them flat and glue them together with frosting. That clearly did not work for me.
Also, do you think almond milk and gluten free flour and Earth Balance butter will work in this? Those would be my ingredients!
Hi Megan – Did you see the lamb cake tutorial? There is a link to it in the post, and yes you to fill one side and have the batter rise into the other half. You can do it in halves (which is how I did it for many years) but this is much, much easier and more stable. As for the ingredient subs, I honestly have no idea how those would do. Sorry!
Hi Mark! It will just be a slight flavor difference, hopefully you won’t even notice. 🙂
THE CUPCAKES TASTED GREAT, SO HOPEFULLY THE LAMB CAKE WILL TOO. HOW DO I SEND A PHOTO TO YOU? MY CAKE LOOKS GREAT.
I’m so glad! You can post them on the Facebook page or email them to me at ruth@nopatternrequired.com. Can’t wait to see!
I found the tutorial, thank you! I didn’t see that at first! And it’s exactly what I needed! It turned out great! A bit dry inside, but the frosting made up for it. I’ll definitely be playing with It before next Easter to see if I can get it more moist. It looked pretty great too! I’d post a picture if I could! Proud of my first try! Thanks for your AWESOME work!!! SO helpful! Happy Easter!
It is a lot less work than scratch! All of the ones I made this year came out of the mold easily and tasted great!!
Glad it turned out, Megan! Happy Easter!
Thanks so much for this post I just bought my first pan today at Home Goods and am so excited. So, what was your favorite cake? I read through all your posts and know you said the last one was fantastic, but is that the one you’d recommend?
My favorite is the Renalde Lamb Cake, but the Nun’s Golden Butter is Tom’s favorite. The Renalde cake is more springy, and the Nun’s Cake is more like a pound cake. It’s really just a taste preference. Good luck with your new pan!!! 🙂
http://www.midcenturymenu.com/2013/03/top-lamb-cakes-renalde-lamb-cake-with-vintage-birthday-cake-frosting/
Can I bake this in a regular 8” cake tin ?
Yes!