1-2-3-4 My childhood Birthday Cake. My mother always made it for me with orange zest and orange frosting. Divine memories. Sometimes she decorated it like a pumpkin because my birthday is on Halloween.
Thank you for this fascinating story. The cake looks delicious and I shall certainly be attempting to make one soon. I've recently bought a set of measuring "cups" as an alternative to the weighing we habitually do in the UK! Cups always seem a much more convenient method and it means I can try more American recipes. The chocolate frosting looks delicious!
Anne, my mother-in-law knew your mother & I had the pleasure of meeting her some years ago. The 1-2-3-4 cake was the "go to" for pound cake in my husband's family; My MIL made it in a tube pan, never glazed or iced. I think she also made it for birthdays in layers. A tried and true recipe.
I love your baking stories, Anne. I’m so intrigued with the simplicity of the 1-2-3-4 cake and wonder if you have an adaptation for those of us who are gluten-free bakers? (By the way, I love The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free!!)
My father (who studied at the Cordon Bleu after the War - WW2 for those of us who don't just refer to it as The War) gave me his professional kitchen cookbooks when I was a teenager, and they're largely all blueprints, and the 1-2-3-4 Cake is one of them. I amaze myself with the number of recipes I have in my memory, but I realize after reading this post that they're all blueprints and proportions that I have memorized... and of course, since I bake a cake at least once a week, you do just get to memorizing them. Thanks for the essay, though. It is love.
I first made this cake when I was in college, from a roommates recipe. It was great, so easy and quick. I lost the recipe over the years and keep searching for the perfect one.
Hello Anne, I love this story and it’s history. Not to mention, this cake! My favorite cake is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting and I plan to make this for my next dessert. You tell a good “cake story”.
I love this story. I will have to try this cake. I am an Iowan turned Georgian for the past 50 years so I guess I am more Southern than Midwestern. However, even from my Southern cooking/country cooking in-laws I have not heard of this cake. Most of my recipes are more Southern from Southern born and raised than Midwestern now.
Great article! I’ve had that recipe memorized since I was a teenager. My mother was an accomplished baker in her own rights and taught me everything I know about baking cakes. By the way, love your recipes.
1-2-3-4 My childhood Birthday Cake. My mother always made it for me with orange zest and orange frosting. Divine memories. Sometimes she decorated it like a pumpkin because my birthday is on Halloween.
Thank you for this fascinating story. The cake looks delicious and I shall certainly be attempting to make one soon. I've recently bought a set of measuring "cups" as an alternative to the weighing we habitually do in the UK! Cups always seem a much more convenient method and it means I can try more American recipes. The chocolate frosting looks delicious!
Anne, my mother-in-law knew your mother & I had the pleasure of meeting her some years ago. The 1-2-3-4 cake was the "go to" for pound cake in my husband's family; My MIL made it in a tube pan, never glazed or iced. I think she also made it for birthdays in layers. A tried and true recipe.
I love your baking stories, Anne. I’m so intrigued with the simplicity of the 1-2-3-4 cake and wonder if you have an adaptation for those of us who are gluten-free bakers? (By the way, I love The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten Free!!)
My father (who studied at the Cordon Bleu after the War - WW2 for those of us who don't just refer to it as The War) gave me his professional kitchen cookbooks when I was a teenager, and they're largely all blueprints, and the 1-2-3-4 Cake is one of them. I amaze myself with the number of recipes I have in my memory, but I realize after reading this post that they're all blueprints and proportions that I have memorized... and of course, since I bake a cake at least once a week, you do just get to memorizing them. Thanks for the essay, though. It is love.
I first made this cake when I was in college, from a roommates recipe. It was great, so easy and quick. I lost the recipe over the years and keep searching for the perfect one.
Hello Anne, I love this story and it’s history. Not to mention, this cake! My favorite cake is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting and I plan to make this for my next dessert. You tell a good “cake story”.
I like calling this recipe the 1-2-4-3-2.5-0.5-1-1 cake. Thanks!
I love this story. I will have to try this cake. I am an Iowan turned Georgian for the past 50 years so I guess I am more Southern than Midwestern. However, even from my Southern cooking/country cooking in-laws I have not heard of this cake. Most of my recipes are more Southern from Southern born and raised than Midwestern now.
How would one adjust this recipe to make a sheet cake and icing?
Great article! I’ve had that recipe memorized since I was a teenager. My mother was an accomplished baker in her own rights and taught me everything I know about baking cakes. By the way, love your recipes.