Alice's Plain Cake

he was of the opinion that the digestion of a small child could not tolerate certain things in large quantities . . .  fats, pastries, etc.  That is why this is a very low fat sponge  . . . I can remember when my brother was small, and she would make us our favourite lemon pie, she would prepare a separate bowl of lemon pudding just for him . . .  so he could enjoy dessert without having to eat pastry. 

That is just one of the many examples I could share of how very important we, her family, her children were to her.  She went above and beyond for each of us . . .  and not just in feeding us.  We were well fed, kept clean and had decent clean clothing to wear.  

When I was really  young, before my sister and brother came along, she sewed all of my clothing, and often what I had matched her own clothes in fabric.  I can remember her making me doll furniture out of cardboard and toothpicks for me to play with.  She would always say she wasn’t very creative, but I could share many examples of her being just that through the years. 

Clothing, mittens, embroidery, Halloween Costumes, decorating our bicycles for the annual Bicycle parade are just a few of the examples I could share.  She was always willing to help us with our homework, and to quiz us when we were having spelling tests, etc.   

In her later years whenever we would talk she would tell me about how when I was a baby, she was such a nervous mother that she took me to the Doctor one time because I kept lifting my legs up when I was in my cot. The Doctor had to tell her that babies do just that, and that nothing was wrong.  We would laugh about that.

I remember going to see her in the hospital after she had given birth to my sister, and waving to her through the hospital window.  Children were not allowed to visit in hospital back then.  We lived in Germany at the time.  When she brought my sister home, I wasn’t too happy about it. (There is 3 years difference in our ages.)  I remember telling her that I wanted her to take the baby back.  I didn’t want it to stay. 

She carefully explained that she could do that if I wanted her to, but she would have to go and stay with the baby because the baby could not take care of itself.  It was then I decided that the baby could stay after all . . .  and with that I gained a lifelong best friend in my dear sister.

And so this morning, as I was baking this cake I was crying big soppy tears as I remembered all these things and much, much more.  I miss my mom.  I think about her all the time, and sometimes I cry big soppy tears and my throat aches with the grief of it all.  Its Mothering Sunday this week here in the UK. I think its going to be a hard, hard day, but I will get through it. 

Alice’s Plain Cake

So there you have it.  Alice’s Plain Cake.  Created for her daughter from a mother’s heart.  I hope you will try it.  Its a smallish cake, just enough for an enjoyable taste. I split the cake and filled it with lemon curd, but  mom often filled it with jam.  Its delicious no matter what you do to it, even just eaten plain. 

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