Recipes for Mother's Day

I was surprised to note that in my entire collection of Woman's World recipe booklets there was not a great deal of attention placed on Mother's day, despite it becoming a national holiday in 1914.  It is quietly noted as possible 'cakes for mother' in the Cakes and Desserts booklet table of contents.   So I chose the menu from the second Sunday in May as well as a recipe for an unusual buttermilk custard. 

I am continuously amazed at the amount of cakes and desserts that call for beaten egg whites, given the amount of elbow grease it takes to make those without a modern mixer. 

I can only assume our forebears had sturdy biceps.

Suggested Menu for Mother's Day

Fried Chicken w/ Cream Gravy

Creamed New Potatoes

New Peas

Hot Raised Rolls

Lettuce Salad

Sour Cream Dressing 

Poinsettia White Cake

Strawberries and Cream

Coffee

Recipe for Poinsettia White Cake

Cream 2 cups sugar with 1/2 cup butter working the mixture until it as creamy as for hard sauce.  Sift with 3 cups flour, 3 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt.  Sift 3 times and sift the flour before measuring.  Add the flour to the butter and sugar alternating with 1 cup milk put in by spoonfuls.  Fold in last the well beaten whites of 3 eggs.  Flavor with a tsp of almond or vanilla extract, and bake in a tube cake tin for 30  or 40 minutes.  Spread with white icing and when it is dry make poinsettia flowers along the edge with maraschino cherries cut in strips.

Baked Buttermilk Custard

2 cups buttermilk

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp lemon extract

Beat eggs until yokes and whites are well mixed, add sugar, buttermilk and flavoring.  Strain into custard cups, grate nutmeg on top, stand in pan of hot water and bake until firm in a moderate oven.