Last Friday I grabbed a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread and packaged it up to pretty visit my best friend and her family in their new home. Surrounded by moving boxes, bubble wrap and stretch wrap (which you can purchase as well as custom designed shipping boxes here) I showed up at her door with a smile and well wishes. Moving from a small neighborhood in the inner part of the city to a more suburban area, she remarked to me how shocked she was that on the first day of moving in they already had been greeted by 3 neighbors bearing gifts of cookies, pumpkin bread and banana bread in addition to giving them little note cards with the names of their neighbors to call if they need anything and children in the area for her own 4 kids to play with. She was surprised at the warmth and kindness given to a new family moving in.
That's the suburbs for you! So here is a simple recipe you can make as a cake or cupcakes for your new neighbor (in honor of my best friend) and topped with either frosting and sprinkles or even just a delicious homemade whipped cream dollop this simple old fashioned milk cake can't be beat!
Basic White Milk Cake
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes,
bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
