Celebrate Mother's Day with this delicious vintage strawberry cake recipe

Mother's Day just happens to fall in the midst of one of loveliest times of the year. Sandwiched as it between the chilly days of early spring and the sizzling heat that generally returns by the second half of June when summer rounds the bend again. Though May can be rainy at times, it's also prone to luminous bursts of sunshine, carefree breezes, and gardens that are beginning to swell to the breaking point with scrumptious produce once more.

Few flavours go hand-in-hand (or perhaps more fittingly, fork-in-mouth) with this beautiful time of the year than that of fresh strawberries. Ripe, juicy, gorgeously crimson and packed full of flavour and nutrients alike, strawberries are practically a must come May.

Unlike a great many fruits out there, strawberries are (knock wood!) one that my health still permits me to eat without running into any trouble. In fact, because I'm unable to have so many fruits (and vegetables, for that matter), I eat strawberries nearly every day year-round, even paying three times their springtime cost in the dead of winter (when you're lucky if one or two shops in our small town even brings them in). None however compare to those that one gets fresh, picked a wee bit south of us here in B.C. (in the Lower Mainland, which has been producing stellar strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for ages), when possible, during the middle and tail end of spring.

You might think that eating strawberries so often, I'd grow tired of them, but (again, knock wood!) even after many years of consuming a bevy of these succulent little fruits, I haven't lost my passion for them iota, and continually enjoy coming up with new ways to safely incorporate them into my diet (if you've never partnered grilled strawberries and chicken breasts, give it a go, you'll love it!).

Though I may consume more strawberries per annum than many people, I'm by no means alone in my passion for these plump, pretty berries. Strawberries are a beloved food the world over and one lends itself especially well to springtime celebrations, such as wedding showers, Victoria Day weekend sweet treats, and of course Mother's Day desserts.

With today marking the marvelous celebration of moms and those who take on the role of being a mom (grandmas, aunts, foster parents, etc), it seems only fitting that this week's vintage recipe - called rather charmingly Strawberry Long-Cake - includes this much admired springtime fruit.

{One baking dish, some fresh fruit, and a few basic panty ingredients are all it takes to whip up this crowd pleasing strawberry cake. Image via Eudaemonius on Flickr.}


Many of us - myself included - prefer not to bake with lard most of the time (or at all), so by all means feel free to sub in butter or margarine here if you prefer. By the sake token, if you're not a fan of strawberries (or of course if you happen to be allergic to them, strawberries being a relatively common food allergen after all) then why not try the peach variation suggested at the bottom of the page? 

You could also use any other soft, juicy fruit here that you'd like. Blackberries and pears would be a fetching combination come late summer/early fall, new season raspberries would tantalize the taste buds in a few weeks, and apricots would be a fantastic summertime spin on this easy-to-make mid-century dessert.

For those like me who need to follow a gluten-free diet, I can report that this recipe works wonderfully when made with two boxes (a single box doesn't yield enough for to match the original recipe here) of Betty Crocker's Gluten-Free Golden Cake Mix, as well as just about any good, standard white or golden GF cake recipe.

Strawberries and whipping cream go together like robins and spring, so definitely don't hold back if you feel the urge to serve each slice of this lovely cake with a generous dollop on top. Lightly sweetened crème fraîche, a nice creme anglaise, or vanilla (all the better if it's French vanilla) ice cream would also be delectable accompaniments, too.

Mother's Day, much like this wonderful vintage cake recipe, should be sweet, enjoyable and fun, and that is precisely what I hope today will be for each and every one of you, dear ladies. 

The most timeless and important role of all

✯ Day 128 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

It is an incomparable role. Ageless as star dust, invaluable as air. From the dawn of time to this exact moment in history, women have been stepping into job, the honour, the right, the incredible joy of motherhood.

Life would be impossible if not for mothers, yet their role goes boundlessly beyond creating babies. To say that mothers are life itself, would not be a far stretch.

{Touchingly precious 1940s mother and child photo via Wampa-One on Flickr.}  

Moms bring us into this world, shelter, guide, nurture, love, and protect us. They laugh with us, teach us, instil their beliefs in us. They are strength when the act of drawing air feels taxing, the champion of our every cause, the bearer of smiles that can set the cosmos right again in an instant.

To my mom, whom I could never in a million lifetimes even begin to describe how very much I love, cherish and respect, and to every women who has tread down the path of being a mom, grandma, step-mom, or mother figure, thank you for absolutely everything you have ever done, are doing now, and will continue to do for the children in your life now and forever.

Mothers,  you are the truest heroes in the world.

Matching 1950s mom and daughter knit shrugs are perfect for Mother's Day!

✯ Day 127 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

You know something, my dears? Mother's Day snuck up me this year more stealthily than when my darling cat, Stella, waits silently in a dark to lunge out playfully at your ankles while you casually walk by.

It's uncharacteristic of me  really, given that this beautiful day to honour moms (and those who take on the invaluable role of a mother figure) occurs on the second Sunday of every May here in Canada.

I suppose I can chalk my near forgetfulness of this holiday (ok, to be fair I didn't forget about it entirely, it's just that for whatever unknown reason, I thought it was May 15th, not the 8th - silly me!) up to the plethora of weighty things that have been on my mind lately.

No matter why my head was off the calendar mark (perhaps it's still trapped in the rather daunting month that was April!), the important thing is that - just barely in time - I listened to the inner voice that was saying "you should double check when Mother's Day is" and did not let this immensely important day slide by unobserved - or unblogged.

In the spirit celebrating moms, mamas, mothers, mas, and mommies the world over tomorrow, I thought the splendidly lovely mother and daughter vintage knitting pattern below - which produces a darling pair of timelessly chic shrugs that are spot-on perfect for the still somewhat unpredictable weather of May - would be a terrific way to help get in the spirit of this maternally themed weekend.

{Click here for a larger version of this charmingly pretty vintage shrug pattern, which comes via clotho98 on Flickr.}

 

I'm not a knitter myself (nothing against it - heavens to Betsy, no - I've just never had the opportunity to learn...perhaps one day!), if I was, I'd be whipping up this wonderfully stylish 1954 shrug pattern for myself (and perhaps a petite version as well for any future daughters or nieces I happen to have) quicker than you could say "purl".

I love the fact that these great knit shrugs manage to look both comfortably warm and yet also lightweight at the same time. They feature a very flattering cut, roomy (but not baggy) sleeves, and two playful buttons to keep them drawn round the wearer.

Matching mom and daughter fashions were once relatively popular (and examples - such as this elegant pair of stripped dresses - abounded in vintage magazines and catalogs), though these days I'd say they're considerably less common.

If you ask me, there are few more heartwarmingly lovely sights though than a little girl and her mom sporting matching outfits (after all, what child doesn't adore dressing up like her mommy?), and it's high time matching parent and child ensembles made a come back.

If you're eager to see that happen, too, and are a knitter (or know someone who is that would be happy to make this wonderful 1950s pair of shrugs for you), why not bust out the knitting needles and set to work to create a marvellous duet of sweaters that would be sublime for Mother's Day - or any day of the year!

Saturday Snapshots (special Mother’s Day edition) – May 8, 2010

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." ~ Abraham Lincoln

{There is a strong sense of wisdom that radiates from this graceful mother’s eyes, as her beautiful young daughter (complete with adorable bow in her hair) stands alongside her mom while they pose for a studio portrait. I think the fact that the little girl is looking off to the side a bit as her mother stares straight ahead adds a sincere element of interest to this wonderful vintage photo.}



{The passing of time has zapped some of the colour from this photo, but the core images of a mother and her two young children remains steadfast. What jumped out at me about this shot is the painted portrait on the wall behind the family. It looks as though it could be of woman herself or perhaps of her own mother; either way it creates a striking “image within an image”, and leaves me wondering who the painting is of.}



{These six darling children, ordered by height, made my heart smile, for they reminded me of my both of maternal grandparents and their many siblings, who were young children the 20s and 30s, which is when I feel this endearing shot is from. I wonder if the mom of these kids went onto have further children, don’t you?}



{A phenomenally pregnant woman makes her way into a waiting car, as a woman in background peers on at her. Our mom-to-be here looks so gorgeous and content, as though she’s made inner peace with what will soon happen to her when the baby (or babies, I’d almost venture to guess given how big her bump is!) arrives. This woman, whose name is sadly not recorded, symbolizes all mothers across the ages, who continue to keep the human population going strong with their courageous act of bringing new life into this world.}



{Three generations of women Spanish women stand near the doorway of a very rustic home in this powerful snapshot from the 1940s. I’m struck most by the sharp difference between the young mom and her clad-in-black elderly mother, who seems all the more venerable with the young baby there as a juxtaposition between ages.}



{Sporting a vividly red coat, a mother, her older daughter and two young children play outside on a very snowy day in this vividly coloured 1950s photo, which has a certain idyllic Norman Rockwell quality to it.}



{A mom is surrounded by her five children of varying ages in this pretty portrait from 1955. I love how the sweet little child on her lap is holding onto a toy to help keep her from crying – it adds such a charming reminder of childhood to this classic family portrait.}



{Throughout history countless grandmothers have helped to raise their grandchildren, whether in the role as main parent or there to support their own children as they embark on the journey of parenthood. No background information is provided for this shot, but somehow that adds to it in a way, for this grandma and young child stand in as representations for all who have shared this special role before and after them.}



{Looking pretty enough to have hopped right out of the pages of a glossy 1950s magazine, this young mom and her daughter look positively beautiful in Easter Sunday finery.}



{Having a large number of kids was certainly not uncommon in days of yore, but a family of thirteen children stands out to me in any time period. Identified as the children of Wally and Bella, this baker’s dozen of adult kids (save for the one younger fellow on the right, who is clearly the baby of the family) are a beautiful reminder that no matter how old we get, our parents are always a fundamental part of our world.}

{All images above are from Flickr. To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


Few have ever been able to express profound thoughts so eloquently as Abraham Lincoln. His sentiments – rich with adoration and care for his mother – sum how precisely how I feel about my own dear mom as well.

Of course we’ve had our ups and downs over the years (what child hasn’t with their parents?), but I’ve been blessed since my first day of life to have had a mother who know how to raise me with care and devotion, respect and love. She held me close when I needed it and knew when to let me fly out into the world on my own. From my mother I learned how to be strong, how to defend myself, and how give my heart to others. She is grace and wisdom personified for me, and I truly believe that, like Abe, I owe what I am today to my wonderful mother.

To each woman out there who lives the profoundly important role of motherhood, thank you. Your smiles, your tears, your worries, your fears, your believes, your common sense, your style, your morals, your charm, and your ability to love all help to transform your children into the well-rounded adults of tomorrow.

Though many things, from fashion to music, social norms to architectural styles, change over the decades, there is nothing more timeless – or powerful – in this world than a mother’s love for her children. It is this love and the yielding spirit of motherhood that we celebrate and honour today.

Happiest Mother’s Day, everyone!

Celebrating Mother’s Day in vintage style

She is life, inspiration, beauty, towering strength, grace, wise, caring, responsible for so much of who you are. She is mom, mamma, mommy, ma, maman. Whether through blood or fate, she is yours to learn from, revere, dream, laugh and smile with, confide in, hug, and cherish.

{She is loved}

1. she is loved , 2. Paternal Grandmother (Voncille Harding) with baby Aunt Karen, 3. How to bath the baby, 4. Judy Garland and Joey Luft, 5. Vintage 1940's Mother's Day Card, 6. Welcome Baby, 7. mother's day, 8. Young Mother Holding a Baby, 9. Asheville Xmas 1952, 10. Tongue, 11. Doctor Dan, The Bandage Man; Illustrations by Corinne Malvern, 1950- Wounded Cowboy, 12. Mom, Linda, Sybil, Me, Don 1955, 13. Hush-a-bye Baby 1953 illustration by Eulalie{Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

To every mom, grandmother and woman who tackles the role, may this day be as truly special as you are!

Happiest Mother’s Day wishes, ladies of the world!