Not to toot my own horn, but last nights birthday cake was darn good.  Like the kind of good where you have to have a slice for breakfast and and then maybe indulge in just one more slice after lunch too.  The sponge cake was perfectly airy and had just the right kind of spring to it when you sliced down, the jelly had just the sugary tang neccessary and then yes, I couldn’t resist and went all out with the whip cream frosting on top after all.  It was so successful I had to write down the recipes.

Cake- From New York Times Cookbook 

6 eggs, 1 tbs. lemon juice and its zest beat like crazy for 12 minutes (with an electric mixer of course)

sift one cup flour and a pinch of salt onto parchment paper

slowly add 1 cup sugar to the mixer after 12 minutes… it should have formed soft peaks

then finally add the flour.

put into a tube pan with the bottom greased at 325 for about 45 minutes

Jelly- from me

Take a bunch of grapes and cook them down at medium heat until they get pretty juicy (add a tablespoon of water to help them get started)

strain through a fine mesh

add 1 tbs. lemon juice and put back onto the stove

dissolve 2 tbs. powdered pectin into juice

add about a half cup to a cup of sugar and bring to a hard boil for 1 full minute.

Walah!  Like I said yesterday, the jelly is a little bit more liquidy than I anticipated but perfect for the cake.  If you just want to make jelly for spreading on sandwiches and such try adding a little more pectin and boiling it longer.

Then all thats left to do is make whip cream!  I don’t think that needs an explanation.  I just use confectioners sugar and a little vanilla. Spread it all on top of a thin layer of jelly and enjoy.  So very fine this cake is.  Miles was distraught that we would not give him more.