You won’t regret it. I’ve made this many times, and can add a few other things I have found helpful.
After the batter is in the pan, right before going into the oven, tamp it down a couple times by dropping the pan straight down from about an inch above the counter. On occasion, when I did not do this, air pockets have formed in the final cake. Not a disaster, but a minor imperfection that a couple tamps will mitigate.
I make the cake in a circular pan so it turns out like the cake in the photo. I highly recommend a pan with a removable bottom. If you grease the sides well (and don’t forget to also grease the center pole!) it shouldn’t stick, but since the cake is not frosted I leave nothing to chance in how the sides come out. I cool it completely before removing the pan. Then I use a broad knife to remove the cake from the pan bottom, and then put the cake on a nice serving plate.
If you spoon it over with melted honey, as I do and also highly recommend, use a liberal amount and put about half over while the cake still slightly warm and in the pan, making sure a good amount goes down the sides. This also helps with removal. Then put the rest over after it’s on the serving plate, letting some dribble over the sides, so at the end you can see drip lines of honey rolling down the sides and small pool of honey all around the bottom. The top bakes up to a nice cinnamon brown, and the honey puts on a glowing sheen.
I always garnish it with a fresh colorful flower right on the top set off by a couple green leaves. Mint works well.
Too late for the first tip as it’s already in the oven, everything in the second one I happened to do anyway and I got some honey as I thought that was a great suggestion. I wasn’t too succesful with the egg white whisking thing (and never am), but fingers crossed and let’s see how this turns out. The batter was delicious.
Amen, since we’re from the same neck of the woods, I think. Mainest thing is potato salad, then slaw, then corn on the cob, then beans.
If it’s been mentioned I didn’t see it, but the most important thing from back home in Central Alabama is Camp Stew, also known as Brunswick Stew. Pure heaven in a bowl!
As a usual BBQ host, I want to throw out an opinion…
Please, please, do NOT bring potato/macaroni salad, coleslaw or baked beans to a cookout!
No one who throws a BBQ thinks “People really like [slaw/mayo salads/beans] with their bbq food. I hope someone brings some!” Your host has probably already bought these sides. The host has probably bought too much of it too, because it’s hard to judge how much people will eat. Then, when you show up with your redundant coleslaw now there is twice as much to get rid of at the end of the night and not only can you not give it away, you can’t bring yourself to eat it for the next 4 days with lunch.
One can never have too many desserts or interesting appetizers. But really, unless you cleared it with the host first and/or were specifically asked, please do not bring BBQ staples to a BBQ.
That lemon cake looks fantasmatic, btw. I am going to print it out!
I think your BBQ staples are probably very different from what they are here, though. Both that kind of beans (I’ve had BBQ in Tenessee and Virginia and presume you’re talking about something similar) and coleslaw you wouldn’t get here at all and either of them would be quite a novelty, though, as someone pointed out, the beans needs bit of BBQ in 'm so I couldn’t make them beforehand anway.
Just back from the BBQ and a big thank you to Oly. Cake came out lovely and I think your honey suggestion was the icing, no, the honey, on the already lovely cake. Thanks.
Will try and remember the other suggestions for next time, though this cake will be repeated too.
I bring potato casserole all the time and I never have leftovers. It’s really simple to make and keeps well in one of those Pyrex dishes in the zippered insulated carry tote.
1 bag (23 oz.) frozen hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup
12 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
2 cups grated cheese
Mix together soup, sour cream, milk and green onions.
Melt 1/4 cup butter in 9x12 pyrex dish.
Add 1/2 of the bag of hashed browns, then 1/2 of the soup mixture, topped with 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
Repeat #3.
Top with crushed cereal and drizzle 1/4 - 1/2 cup of butter on top.
