Buena Vista Cake

I would like to share with my readers a recipe that I found in the Feb 1849 issue of Godey's Ladies Magazine.  The original appeared as follows:

Obviously it needed some modernising.  After all, how hot is a brisk oven?  After experimentation and cross referencing the quantities with references, I came up with this:

Buena Vista Cake

From Godey’s Lady’s Magazine

Feb 1849

©2011 Kim Gray

1 C. Sugar

2 Sticks butter

¼ C. Rosewater

3 Eggs

2 C. Flour

2 t. Nutmeg

1 t. Soda

1 t. Baking Powder

1 C. Buttermilk or Sour Milk

Pre-heat oven to 350^o  With a blender cream 1 C. Sugar and 2 Sticks of butter until light.  Add rosewater and eggs, beating well after the addition of each.  In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately bit by bit beating well after each addition.  Pour into a greased and lightly floured 13x9x2 inch pan.  Bake at 350^o for 35 minutes or until done.  When cool, lightly sprinkle confectioner’s sugar over the top or glaze with the glaze below.

Glaze

Pour one cup of powdered confectioner’s sugar in a bowl.  Add alternately rosewater and milk a few drops at a time until the consistency is slightly runny.  Dribble the glaze on the top of the cake and spread with a knife in such a way that the glaze runs down the sides.

Note:  I found that the cake was dryer when I used the buttermilk. 

This recipe is not super sweet like a lot of modern recipes are.  The rosewater and nutmeg give it a very unique flavor.  Try it and let me know what you think.