Another Christmas Quilt & a Strawberry Recipe

You can never be prepared for Christmas too early.

The maker re-purposed vintage linens - either napkins or hankies (?).

Now... just to wait for December!

It has been so dry here that the hose is watering something pretty much every day.  Local strawberries won't last long in a drought, but they're always available at the grocery store.
I made this last week and it was very good!  Give it a try... (from Sweet Cayenne website)

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake from Back in the Day Bakery

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 8

This Strawberry Buttermilk Cake recipe is an easy cake you can whip up in no time on a nice spring day. It's perfect to make when you're expecting last minute company to enjoy with a cup of coffee! Adapted from the Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl and Griffith Day

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ½ cup buttermilk (I used lowfat)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
• Optional: confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and make sure you have a rack in the center. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch deep dish pie pan. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if you plan to use a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed. This should take 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, mixing until just blended, about 1 minute.
5. Gradually add the flour to the butter mixer with the mixer on low speed until just combined.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and use a rubber spatula to fold in any flour residue into the batter.
7. Add the batter to your prepared pie pan and use the rubber spatula to smooth out the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter to remove any air bubbles and ensure the batter is evenly distributed. Arrange the strawberries on top of the batter, cut side down, into a design of your choice.
8. Bake the cake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees F and bake for 45-55 minutes more until the cake is set, the edges are golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.
9. Dust the cake in the pan with powdered sugar before serving. You can slice it straight out of the pie pan.
10. Store the cake in a airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s wonderful chilled or warmed!