Southern Cakes

Store leftover cake at room temperature for up to three days. Store sauce in refrigerator and warm in microwave before serving leftover cake. 

Mrs. Rowe’s Brownstone Front Cake

This is an old family recipe from the owner of Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant and Bakery in Staunton, Virginia. It’s mentioned in early cookbooks – the earliest mention is in the Atlanta Exposition Cookbook published in 1895. According to the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John Mariani says the origin of the name is unknown, but it would seem to refer to the reddish-brown facades of brownstone buildings. The cake has a delicate chocolate flavor, and the frosting is hard to the touch, yet creamy when you take a bite. 

3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup buttermilk 

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 10-inch cake pans; set aside. Stir together cocoa and baking soda. Pour boiling water over cocoa mixture and set aside. Cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and continue to blend. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add flour alternately with buttermilk and continue to mix. Just prior to baking, stir in cocoa mixture. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake 12 to 15 minutes. Test for doneness. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting with Caramel Icing. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides. 

Caramel Icing

1 pound brown sugar
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon butter 

Bring sugar and cream to boil in deep saucepan until it reaches soft ball stage when dropped in cold water. Add butter just before removing from heat. Set aside to cool. Beat until smooth and creamy. Frost cooled cake, spreading frosting between layers and over top and sides. 

Lemon Pound Cake 

While it can be said that the pound cake did not begin in the South – with its roots stretching back to England – it can be said that Southern bakers have made pound cake their own. This recipe’s variations show the versatility of this sturdy cake.

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs, large
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 large lemon juiced, about 1/3 cup juice 

Heat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside.