National Library Week Day 2: Hot Milk Sponge Cake and Loaf Pan Giveaway

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Hot Sponge Cake
Hot Milk Sponge Cake

Whoo Hoo! It's Day 2 of National Library Week! Yes, the Food Librarian is bringin' out the Librarian this week. Thanks for your sweet comments about your library...and I always seem to remind someone to return an overdue book! :)

In the baking group, Tuesdays with Dorie, we are making our way through the Dorie Greenspan book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. It is fun and yummy. For the last couple holiday seasons, we've had an optional gift exchange. This year, my "Secret Santa" was Laurie, the founder of TWD! Yes, all you TWD bakers can be jealous! Serious, how cool is that?

And Laurie gave me the best gift ever! An out-of-print, 1929 cookbook Any One Can Bake compiled by the Educational Department of the Royal Baking Powder Company, New York. As you can imagine, everything has Royal Baking Powder in it! :) The recipes are simple and provide a glimpse of the times. Shortening is in a lot of the dishes...it was cheaper than butter and who knew anything about trans-fats in 1929!

Hot Sponge Cake
Thank you so much Laurie of Slush and the Founder of TWD for my awesome gift. I love it!

Hot Sponge Cake
Since the lady in these 1929 photos doesn't have a Kitchen Aid mixer, I figure I shouldn't use one either. So, I pulled out my big whisk and went to town.

Hot Sponge Cake Hot Sponge Cake
This involves beating egg yolks, adding sugar, and pouring in hot milk. Lemon juice and zest add a light flavor. Egg whites are whipped up and folded into the batter. Finally, a bit of flour and baking powder are added.

Hot Sponge Cake
Topped with macerated strawberries (just some strawberries and sugar but I'm sure some liquor would be nice too). I think the Librarian Action Figure would like that too. :)

And that brings us to today's library thing...Book Sales! Libraries often get donated books from the community (thank you donors!) and weed books in our collection to make room for new titles. Most libraries have used book sales where the public can snap up some bargains. The money goes back to support the library's collection and programs. Ask about used book sales at your local library! You never know what you can find...perhaps a 1929 cookbook!

Mini Loaf Pans from Surfas for Giveaway
To celebrate National Library Week, I'm having five days of giveaway!

To celebrate Day 2 of National Library Week, I'm giving away the following to one lucky winner:
50 Adorable Loaf Pans

Aren't these 4" x 2" paper loaf pans awesome!? You can make bite-size carrot, zucchini and a host of other breads (I just made persimmon bread and I'll post that later) - perfect for the holidays or a lovely hostess gift. Win a pack of 50 of these oven safe, paper mini-loaf containers (purchased at Surfas in Los Angeles). I gave these away last year too...they are just too darn cute.

To enter the Day 2 Giveaway, simply leave a comment below (one entry per person) and I'll pick the winner from a hat (aka Random). Deadline for all contests: Monday, April 19, 2010 at midnight PDT. If your comment isn't linked to a blog where I can find you, please leave your email. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Librarian Action Figure not included.

Also, don't forget to enter the Day 1 Giveaway: Cookbook and Chef Post-its. Come on, if you are a lurker on the blog, this is your chance to come out of the woodwork! ;)

Come back tomorrow for Day 3 of National Library Week! - mary the food librarian

Recipe:
Click here for the printable recipe

Hot Milk Sponge Cake
Adapted from Any one can bake, Royal Baking Powder Co., 1929 (page 55 with additional instructions on pages 46-47)

4 eggs, separated and room temp
1 c sugar
6 T hot milk (1/4 cup plus 2 T)
1 T lemon juice
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 t baking powder (of course, this book published by the Royal Baking Powder company suggests their own brand!)

These are my instructions for using a whisk. You can use your whisk attachment on the KitchenAid as well...but you won't feel like a 1929 home economist doing that! :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Separate eggs (it is easier to separate the eggs when cold, but bring ingredients to room temp before using).
2. Beat egg yolks with whisk until thick and light colored. Add half the sugar, beat together until light and fluffy.
3. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, then the remainder of the sugar.
4. Add the lemon and lemon zest.
5. In a separate bowl, quickly whip the egg whites until light, soft peaks.
6. Fold HALF the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.
7. Carefully, but quickly, fold in the sifted flour mixture.
8. Fold in the remaining egg whites.
9. Pour into ungreased tube pan.
10. Bake for 45 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and cool upside down (like an angel food cake).
11. I served mine with sweetened strawberries.
Pin It!

147 comments:

Lisa said... [Reply to comment]

Love your giveaways!

Federica Simoni said... [Reply to comment]

wow che golosa!!

mike said... [Reply to comment]

Hot milk? I'm there. Let me put my jammies on first. What a fantastic gift (book) and cake - they're both so vintage! I miss card catalog files.

Willa said... [Reply to comment]

I have never heard of using hot milk in a sponge cake before! It looks fantastic.

Nina said... [Reply to comment]

WOW. the mini loaf pans are so adorable. Now I want them...just to have them! The cookbook seems super nice as well. 1929? WOW, that's like 60 years before I was born. DANG.

Panya said... [Reply to comment]

Mmm, sponge cake...

Anh said... [Reply to comment]

I am so in love with this post! The cake and the 1929 recipe + baking book!

Amy K said... [Reply to comment]

Mmmm, looks delicious!

the.k.krew(at)gmail(dot)com

Bethie said... [Reply to comment]

I make what is called a Hot Milk cake, it is more of a heavy, almond flavored pound cake. Delicious. Yours looks very intriguing.

Audrey said... [Reply to comment]

I've seen this recipe )or a recipe with the same name) dozens of times and I'e never been able to visualize it. Love the strawberries. The librarian looks like's she's just waiting for the camera to look away to dive right in.

Melanie said... [Reply to comment]

Those mini loaf pans are neat. Today is the day our Friends set up thier book sale. I'm newly the library director so this will be the first time that I participate in the working of the sale. I'm exhausted all ready. But our Friends are looking forward to spending all thier profits on the library.

Elise said... [Reply to comment]

Yay for celebrating Library week! And what cute loaf pans.

Amy said... [Reply to comment]

The book sale at my public library is always pretty impressive; I love browsing through there!

Jessica M. said... [Reply to comment]

Regular reader of your blog since around the "bundt" time. I actually work in a library, and still have an overdue book to bring in! *shame*

Thanks for all the great recipes and thoughtful, entertaining posts!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I love sponge cakes - this one looks great!!

Kristin Pinyan said... [Reply to comment]

Those are the cutest little pans! And that cake looks divine with the strawberry topping . . .

NikiTheo said... [Reply to comment]

I'm so bookmarking this sponge cake! It looks delicious!

Barbara Bakes said... [Reply to comment]

I am baking mini quick breads for the Great American Bake Sale. Wish I had these cute paper loaf pans. The sponge cake looks scrumptious!

Mrsblocko said... [Reply to comment]

this looks so good, but I don't have a tube pan. Could you make this in a bundt pan, or would that not allow for enough rising room?

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

this cake looks absolutely delightful! i still have a few lemons hanging around from various baking adventures over the past week, so i am bookmarking this to make sometime very soon!

Beth said... [Reply to comment]

I get lots of review copies of books and I always donate them for library sales. huzzah for libraries!

DPLK said... [Reply to comment]

Hmm I've never baked with mini loaf pans or paper loaf pans before. Do you have to make any adjustments to baking time for baking in paper as compared to baking in metal pans? That cake looks really yummy!

Deanna said... [Reply to comment]

I love those little loaf pans! I just found a recipe online for Bob Evan's banana bread that I would try in them! dddd89 at hotmail dot com

Mary Ann said... [Reply to comment]

What a fun cookbook! I love the pictures and the cake looks delicious.
This week long giveaway is so fun! These little loaf pans are so cute!

Auntie Nettie said... [Reply to comment]

My Shushing Librarian is so happy to see her twin sister is active in the kitchen. It makes her want to start cooking herself, instead of travelling around. Perhaps the arrival of some mini-loaf pans would get her motivated?

Keep up the great blogging and librarian-ing!

Jessie @ simplysifted said... [Reply to comment]

That is such a fantastic secret santa gift. I love old cookbooks. And thank you for the reminder about book sales. I'm sure I have some books that are ready for donating.

steph- whisk/spoon said... [Reply to comment]

wow--you made that without a mixer? that came out super-beautiful! gotta love vintage cookbooks and yummy old-fashoined cakes!

Sarah said... [Reply to comment]

The cake looks yummy and those loaf pans are adorable. I think I need to buy some if I don't with your giveaway.

Amber2Zoe said... [Reply to comment]

I love book sales at the library! But they are seriously addictive. I seem to come home with far too many books for my bookshelves.

SweetThingsTO said... [Reply to comment]

I haven't had hot milk sponge cake in a while - thanks for the recipe! I'll definitely make this soon.

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

What a wonderful gift from Laurie! The cake looks fabulous! I am in love with the little tiny stack of books in a few of the photos - where did you find that??

Allie said... [Reply to comment]

This seems so simple and delish!

Leslie J said... [Reply to comment]

I'd love those minipans. I have a great banana bread recipe for them!

Thanks again for the giveaway!

Sugar Swings said... [Reply to comment]

Fun! love your posts :)

-michelle
http://sugarswings.blogspot.com/

Margaret said... [Reply to comment]

Yummy! I'm so excited to try this!
shen[dot]margaret[at]gmail[dot]com

Margaret said... [Reply to comment]

This looks delicious! I can't wait to try the recipe! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
mshen(at)byu(dot)net

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

yum that cake looks gorgeous! Those cake pans are adorable.

slush said... [Reply to comment]

I am so glad you liked the book! :)

Larie said... [Reply to comment]

Those mini loaf pans are seriously some of the cutest things ever.

Suma said... [Reply to comment]

Hey those pans look so so cute.. awesome giveaway!! That book sounds great too!!

Adrienne said... [Reply to comment]

Those are stinking cute. Makes me smile!

kirbie said... [Reply to comment]

Wow, you were so lucky to get the cookbook. This recipe looks fun. How would you describe the texture? When I think sponge cake, I think of the light and fluffy ones at Asian bakeries. Is this similar or does it just look sponge-like?

Kathy - Panini Happy said... [Reply to comment]

Those little pans are too cute. I so need to get up to Surfas one of these days.

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I love using the disposable loaf pans they are perfect for gifts. And with mother's Day and father's day around the corner, these will be great.

CindyD said... [Reply to comment]

Happy National Library Week! I have a mesquite banana bread recipe I'd like to try and these pans would be perfect - and a retired librarian would be a perfect winner.

Damaris @Kitchen Corners said... [Reply to comment]

Christian would love this

veronica said... [Reply to comment]

Just the name "Hot Milk Sponge Cake" is enough to make my belly feel warm and content.

rachel said... [Reply to comment]

Such cute little pans!

Yarnfoody said... [Reply to comment]

This recipe looks awfully good. I made the Orange Ricotta cake last night and it was fabulous, even though I forgot to add two-thirds of the butter.

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

I looooove library book sales! I get so excited when I see them listed in my upcoming events library newsletter! I always give my son a few dollars and we each expand our collections :P Then spend the afternoon reading together. It's nerdy but fun :D

The cake looks delicious! And the librarian actions figure! Too awesome! :D

Baking and Mistaking said... [Reply to comment]

Everything's better in mini! I'm always jealous of your mini bundt pans - hope I can get the loaf pans!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Oh, please include me in the giveaway!
I've got two of my grandmother's texts that I think she both studied with and used as texts while teaching in her Home Ec. classes.
I love library sales for books for my own workplace and for BookCrossing!

Janel said... [Reply to comment]

Hmmm what kind of liquor do you think would work with it?

Hennifer said... [Reply to comment]

I love your blog and I love my local library.

I'm envious of your gift! I was surprised to see the very many photos that accompanied your recipe.

Very fun!

gwen said... [Reply to comment]

That photo of Nancy Pearl behind the cake just made my afternoon a little brighter! Love it. (And I would love to be in the giveaway too -- thank you!)

SL said... [Reply to comment]

Just discovered your blog!! and It's fantastic! :D

SL
ibakecupcakes.com

grace said... [Reply to comment]

mmm...spongy! the simple strawberry topping is perfect--lovely work, mary!

DailyChef said... [Reply to comment]

Your pictures are so great! Such a nice outdoors setting.

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Mmm! This sounds yummy :D

I have a soft spot for old cookbooks :D

Sherry G said... [Reply to comment]

Sweet deal!

Amy S. said... [Reply to comment]

Another yummy cake! I love my Friends of the Library bookstore. It's a great place to find books on a shoestring budget!

Sara said... [Reply to comment]

Those mini pans are adorable! Cute! :)

Kelly said... [Reply to comment]

Thanks - I enjoy reading old cookbooks.... but often don't cook from them.

Dianna said... [Reply to comment]

I just love old cookbooks—thanks for sharing this recipe!

x3FLO said... [Reply to comment]

yumm sponge cake!

hope i win

local_honee [at] yahoo [dot] com

Julie said... [Reply to comment]

Can't wait to try this recipe!!

Jeannette said... [Reply to comment]

What an awesome gift from Laurie!! I guess she knew the way to your heart! I have to make this cake while wearing an apron and holding an over-sized whisk!!

flamegoddess65@aol.com

kimberleyblue said... [Reply to comment]

My grandmother used to make a great spongecake with an apricot glaze that I loved - I'm always looking for a version close to it. This one looks niiiice!

Marina said... [Reply to comment]

Looks fabulous! Just in time for Florida strawberry season too (late this year due to an unusually cold winter). Can't wait to try this. Thanks for your wonderful posts Mary. ~Marina P.S. Yea for national library week! I'm a medical librarian and love to bake too!

Ronnie said... [Reply to comment]

Hmm...I have every ingredient for that in the house...maybe time for a little baking

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

This is a wonderful blog!
sharon
shadra01 at sbcglobal.net

Charity said... [Reply to comment]

Sometimes it's nice to use a good ol' fashioned whisk rather than lugging the giant Kitchen Aid out!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

That looks so good! The recipe seems to be a work out too :)

cguibert@nmsu.edu

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

looks lovely!
(afawnday@gmail.com)

Robin said... [Reply to comment]

Pick me, oh great random number generator!

Laurel7221 said... [Reply to comment]

So how was the cake? Would you make it again? Love your give aways.

laure.quane@gmail.com

Hanaâ said... [Reply to comment]

The cake looks wonderful. Very light and fluffy. How was it taste-wise?

I'd love to win those adorable mini loaf pans. Thanks for doing the giveaway! :o)

polinium said... [Reply to comment]

Those little pans are super cute! polinim at gmail

Me and My Pink Mixer said... [Reply to comment]

Your cake looks delish! Those little pans are adorable ~ thanks for the giveaway.

Tiffany said... [Reply to comment]

That cake sounds good. I've never made a milk cake before.

Tessa said... [Reply to comment]

What a "sweet" little gift - pun intended. Thanks for the giveaway!

Otava said... [Reply to comment]

You're right, they are cute. What a superbly superb idea for gifts and favours!

c2 said... [Reply to comment]

thanks for the recipes! i'm gonna try this cake this weekend. looking forward to the giveaway!

Whitvia said... [Reply to comment]

Wow.. I want to make that cake now.

Jules Someone said... [Reply to comment]

Those pans are so cute! And the cake sounds great. Two winners!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Yum!! That recipe sounds delish!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Your blog is really great!!! keep up the great recipes...My name is edna...e*

Monica H said... [Reply to comment]

That first pic of the cake is so tempting- beautiful!

And what a great cookbook. and it appears to be in perfect condition. lucky you!

sk8kate said... [Reply to comment]

yummy cake!

Deeba PAB said... [Reply to comment]

Love the National Library Week here. What a gorgeous book to receive. I really love meaningful presents, and this one is the best! So are the loaf pans... oh pick me please!!

Tara said... [Reply to comment]

Thank you for the opportunity for the giveaway. I do enjoy your blog.

vikitzer_girl said... [Reply to comment]

I've never heard of a hot milk sponge cake before, but this looks yummy!

Keri said... [Reply to comment]

I love me some library book sales! And man, you have me thinking cake is what's for breakfast!

Rosalyn said... [Reply to comment]

Yum! Looks tasty!

Ms. K.I.M. said... [Reply to comment]

Oh pick me !! Pick me !!

The Urban Baker said... [Reply to comment]

I love your photos. They put a smile on my face!

Ju (The Little Teochew) said... [Reply to comment]

What a coincidence, I just blogged about the same cake! But it's a different recipe, though. I must try your version another day. :)

http://thelittleteochew.blogspot.com/2010/04/hot-milk-sponge-cake.html

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Can't wait to use this! pjseeger at yahoo.com

d.o.wife said... [Reply to comment]

OK, these are the coolest things I've ever seen!

Erin @ The Sweet Life said... [Reply to comment]

For Christmas last year, my stepdad gave me a reprinted version of The Blue-Ribbon Cookbook, which was originally compiled by Louisville caterer Jennie Benedict (the lady who invented benedictine). It was originally printed in the late 1800's, and I love looking through it. And I'm so glad that I don't have to cook on a wood stove. Old cookbooks are wonderful!

Bea_Rabbit said... [Reply to comment]

I've always wanted to try hot milk cakes...thanks for the recipe!

dance247 said... [Reply to comment]

Oh I would love these! They are so adorable!!

Natalie said... [Reply to comment]

i adore loaf cakes/breads so i would go CRAZY with these pans :)

Bec said... [Reply to comment]

I'm making a trip to Surfas next week (in case I don't win) :)

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

OH a persimmon bread, sounds delicious

lilaznjewel@yahoo.com

Tracey said... [Reply to comment]

Those are so cute!

tlm24x@gmail.com

Fathima said... [Reply to comment]

love those loaf pans...

Maia Rosen said... [Reply to comment]

Just the name, hot milk sponge cake makes me want to eat it! Thanks for sharing!

maiar22@gmail.com

Amy said... [Reply to comment]

That looks delicious!

EricaThomas said... [Reply to comment]

I have been wanting a sponge cake recipe!

Dani said... [Reply to comment]

This is making me want to go back through my grandmother's old cookbooks. Thanks!

rdrhanlon@comcast.net

Foley said... [Reply to comment]

Looks like the perfect dessert..something not too heavy! To me the strawberries make the entire dish...

Renee said... [Reply to comment]

I love cake. Thanks for the recipe

Susan said... [Reply to comment]

Oh, that is a lovely cake...over the holidays I had my mom pull out on old recipe that also used the shortening and whipped egg whites technique...It makes for such anice textured cake...I'd love to win the little loaf pans...

Jeanne said... [Reply to comment]

I'm so intrigued by that cookbook! And I've always wanted to try persimmon bread, as well.

Donna said... [Reply to comment]

I had a hot milk cake one. I remember it was very good. Can’t wait to try this recipe.

Oh! You Cook! said... [Reply to comment]

Sponge cake and strawberries -- perfect together!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

The Royal Baking Powder cookbook reminds me of Anne of Green Gables.

The B*critic said... [Reply to comment]

YUMMMM! i want those cake tin things.. i just relocated to LA and well.. don't have any baking pans - i'm silently going nuts in the kitchen without them... if the library figure doesn't come with it... i want the small collection of books on the side.. SO CUTE!

The Moon Muse said... [Reply to comment]

Yum, I love hot milk cakes! And you are right, there is something satisfying in whisking by hand...not that I do that all that much lol!

Cute pans!

Karen said... [Reply to comment]

Thanks for the awesome giveaways. I've never made mini loaves and would love to have some of the pans and go mini loaf crazy

karenreichmann@hotmail.com

Amy Kelly said... [Reply to comment]

Those mini loaf pans are SO cute! I'd bake up tons of quick bread and give them out to family and friends. :)

LoriSB said... [Reply to comment]

Cute!
lorisambol at hotmail dot com

kv said... [Reply to comment]

Well, I just sitting here at the reference desk and learned about you blog. Wow! Have I been missing something! Is it polite to drool at the reference desk? Bread pudding, cream filled chocolate cupcakes, warm milk cake, oh my! Something tells me I'm going to be a devoted follower :-)

kayvy22@gmail.com

Soylent said... [Reply to comment]

Those little loaf pans are SO CUTE!

Ashlie and Alfred said... [Reply to comment]

What a neat book! This cake is very different from those I've made in the past, I'm excited to try it out! The cardboard pans are very cute too - it seems all miniture things are cute (this is also true when I compare size 5 shoes to my monster size 10s!)

Jennifer said... [Reply to comment]

What an awesome book find, I love it when I discover treasures like these. I recently found one of my grandmother's sewing books and I treasure it now.

Rusthawk said... [Reply to comment]

I really like this website ...so glad I found it!

Thanks for the chance to win these neat little pans!

annmao said... [Reply to comment]

the librarian action figure is very cute ;-). The cake looks delicious!
annmao at gmail dot come

Leticia said... [Reply to comment]

librarians just LOVE ut-of-print but looking as new books, right? :) it was really cool!

lelinhacastro@ gmail . com

june said... [Reply to comment]

I've admired these, but never purchased. Thanks for the giveaway opportunities.

Future Grown-Up said... [Reply to comment]

That looks totally yummy!

Erin said... [Reply to comment]

I WANT THESE SO MUCH! I have a serious crush on all things tiny.

Ari said... [Reply to comment]

Awesome sponge cake--and great mini loaf pans!

Janssen said... [Reply to comment]

I've never seen something like this, but WOW, are they cool! I hate tracking down dishes and pans when you give something away.

Christine said... [Reply to comment]

These loaf pans are great! I like the idea that I can bake and give the bread in the same package.

I haven't made a hot milk sponge cake since the last time I made a lazy daisy cake. I kept trying to figure out what exactly did hot milk did for the cake, but I guess it's just an alternate method.

Sunshine said... [Reply to comment]

What cute cake pans. You find the best stuff.

Marie said... [Reply to comment]

I love the loaf pans. So cute and tiny.

marie72492@yahoo.com

kobeed said... [Reply to comment]

Your cake looks delicious!!! :)

kobeed said... [Reply to comment]

Your cake looks delicious!!!

deebok701[at]gmail.com

queenscook said... [Reply to comment]

What a great looking cake!

ljweiner@pipeline.com

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Okay. 1) I love strawberries and am VERY excited about this recipe. 2) I love that you made this cake from an "antique" cookbook! 3) The cookbook title makes me think of the movie Ratatouille. :-)

Laura said... [Reply to comment]

Your cake sounds wonderfully interesting...can't wait to try it!

Nancy/n.o.e said... [Reply to comment]

I love the way you celebrate Library Week - too bad it only comes along once a year, right? ;p

Joanna said... [Reply to comment]

I can't wait to make zucchini bread this summer...with a schmear of cream cheese...and some coarse brown sugar sprinkled on top...yum!

Jennifer Galatioto said... [Reply to comment]

great book! I want those loaf pans!

Anne said... [Reply to comment]

Your sponge cake looks delicious, especially with the strawberries. Those mini loaf pans are so cute!

amberenson@juno.com

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