I told someone recently that I like to build a wall of sugar between the world and me. Bringing treats to meetings and gatherings has always been my way of coping with a lifelong shyness. There are other benefits, too. Last night, I brought cake to our housing co-op’s annual budget planning meeting, as I think sweets help sweeten the process for people. We’re lucky, actually, as we have a lot of talented cooks and bakers in our co-op, so most meetings are delicious (and mostly productive) affairs.
I wasn’t sure that I was going to have time to make this week’s recipe, but Quatre-Quarts is so simple I was able to get it together in time to slip it onto a plate, still warm from the oven, just as I was ready to leave for the meeting. Its ingredients are similar to a pound cake, but separating the eggs and whipping the whites gives it a much lighter texture. It’s a plain cake, served as a snack or with fruit and cream. Dorie sprinkles her version with brown sugar to give it a caramelized crispness. I added ginger and nutmeg to mine, just because.
I didn’t get a chance to photograph it properly before I left and I returned with only two tiny slivers, which somehow disappeared before I got up the gumption to plate them and set up a shot. I’d much rather a cake that disappears than an untouched one, anyway.
You can find many other blogged descriptions of this week’s FFWD recipe here: Quatre-Quarts
One Wet Foot 
My heart sinks a little bit when there are still portions of a cake sitting around a couple of days later.
This cake didn’t last very long in our house 🙂
Teresa, Such a good thing to share your baked goods! Ginger and nutmeg sound like delicious add ins. We loved this cake…it was light and delicious! I had to freeze mine after I got my pictures because my husband is on a diet. Have a great weekend!
My girls tell me this one is a “keeper.” I am on committees with our Town of GIlbert, AZ and I always take goodies to our meetings. I’ve done it for so long it is just expected and even required. Makes those meetings energized, with that added sugar, and brings smiles to serious and often boring meetings. And even when I don’t have big assignments from those groups they always feel I’m busy helping and doing important things. I think what I’m doing is important too! Your cake additions sound great.
I think cake is an excellent ice breaker and I’m sure all of those people on the other side of your wall of sugar appreciate it. I too often find myself bringing baked goods to gatherings of any kind, but for a different reason. That being that there are only two of us in my household and we couldn’t (and shouldn’t) possibly eat all of the cakes & cookies which I am constantly baking. So I am always trying to share the calories with anyone and everyone who is willing.
I too prefer when the cake or any food I’ve prepared disappears. Great idea for taking to a meeting. I thought it would make a good, quick cake for neighbors who were ill or have family members in the hospital.
I like that idea of ginger and nutmeg, sounds good. This is really a cake you could a lot with,
both flavor and garnish. It’s nice to see things disappear, makes you feel as though you
did a good job. Your looks wonderful.
Your cake sounds wonderful and perfect for sharing. Ginger and nutmeg are great choices to flavor this cake and I can understand why it disappeared so quickly!
Ginger and nutmeg are excellent selections for this cake. Don’t you love it when things vanish because they were a success!
Nice additions! I’m starting the think this cake is like a black dress. It’s just fine as is, but also the perfect palette to accessorize in so many ways. Changing the flavorings, adding toppings, etc.
Sounds like it was a hit!!! I like your additions…
I squeezed this recipe in yesterday morning too, writing the post while it baked. Love your “wall of sugar” – great metaphor 🙂 Better to bake and not photograph than to not bake. Nice add of the ginger and nutmeg!
How on earth did I miss your quatre-quarts?! That topping on yours looks wonderful. I can imagine how happy everyone was to see you at the meeting. I have always said that I like to take treats to meetings because it is the southern part of me, but it really is to help break the ice a bit. I am not good at small talk at all before a meeting, (and what do you do with your hands?!) so having something to do and something to nibble on sure helps.