Easter Lamb Cake

Having lamb cake on Easter is a tradition that cannot be missed. Usually, we get lamb cake from a bakery. And there are so many bakeries in the Chicago area that sell delicious lamb cakes for Easter. But this year, I decided to make a lamb cake recipe that I found in Mom's recipe box. Lamb cake is made from a pound cake batter. Mom's recipe called for using some grated lemon peel, but I did not have lemons on hand, so I used orange peel. The slight citrus flavor made this cake extra delicious.

Using a lamb cake mold, the cake bakes itself into the standard lamb shape. I do not actually own a lamb cake mold. Instead, I used two loaf pans--one to make the base and the other to cut out the head to recreate the lamb shape. I think the resulting lamb looked much like a lamb. The cake is then frosted with vanilla buttercream frosting and decorations can be used to finish the lamb cake.

Easter Lamb Cake 

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Grated rind of 1 lemon

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time; beat well after each addition. Slowly add sifted dry ingredients, blending well. Stir in lemon rind. Generously coat baking pan with butter and coat with flour. Spoon batter into baking pan. Bake at 350 until toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool and remove from pan. Allow to fully cool before frosting.

Buttercream frosting

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3-4 Tbsp. milk

Cream butter with vanilla. Add salt and gradually add powdered sugar, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in milk and beat until good spreading consistency.