Friday was Victor’s Mom’s 92nd birthday. Today – Mother’s Day – would have been my Mom’s 92nd birthday. They were born 2 days apart on opposite coasts and both would share a birthday with Mother’s Day from time to time. They really could not have been more different, but they were both representative of their place and time – the immigrant’s daughter and the small-town girl. Neither grew up with much and both learned to make do – and they did it well.
Even though they were on opposite coasts, they both met a few times and got along great – as did our fathers. It’s nice when the in-laws like one another. There are some good memories, there.
Victor’s mom no longer likes anything but plain white cake, so I pulled out my old standby. It’s an easy cake to make and always comes out great.
Butter Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition – about 20 seconds for each egg.
Mix baking powder, salt, and flour. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions and milk in two, beginning and ending with flour. Beat just until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 4 oz butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Cream butter and cream cheese together until light. Slowly add powdered sugar. Add vanilla and mix well.
And here are a couple of pictures of the boys with their mothers…
