Guest Post by Basil Momma!

I was so excited when Heather said she would do a guest post for me. I feel like I have known her forever. In reality I haven't even meet her. It was just the more we blogged back and forth the more I new I had found a friend! BONUS that she is a fabulous cook! Heather is also a Strong, Powerful Pink Warrior! By the off chance that you have not visited her blog Basilmomma go do yourself a favor and spend some time there today!

Thank you so much Heather for "paying it forward"!!

The Basilmomma !

A few weeks ago when I was asked by Lark to do a guest post on her blog I was overjoyed!  I love doing this and I am happy to do this for Lark!  We have never formally met but I feel like I have known her a lifetime.  She and I have a lot in common and I think we would make great friends.  Recently, I entered a dessert in Lark’s ‘Baking up a Cure’ fundraiser.  This is an issue that is close to my heart so I jumped at the chance to do it!  She lives the idea if ‘Pay it Forward’ so I want to do the same.

So you would think it would be easy to pick something to do in a guest post, but for me it isn’t.  But what I did pick is sure to tickle your taste buds and make your family happy as well.  Don’t be thrown off by the ingredients in the glaze.  It really works well together.  I am such a fan of basil, in anything, so it is fitting that I made a cake using one of my favorite ingredients!

Basilmomma

Pound Cake with Lemon Basil Glaze


Cake:
10 TB softened butter
1 ¾ C plus 2 TB sugar
2 ¼ C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp lemon zest
2 TB chopped basil
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
½ C buttermilk
2 TB fresh lemon juice
3 egg whites


Glaze:
¼ C half and half
3 TB chopped basil
1 ½ C powdered sugar
2 TB fresh lemon juice
Dash of salt
And because I love the flavor I added a little lemon zest


Preheat oven to 325.
Use 1 TB of butter to grease a bundt pan and dust with 2 TB of the sugar.
Lightly spoon the flour and the next 3 ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine.
Combine 1 ½ C of the sugar and remaining butter in another bowl. 
Beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in rind, extract and eggs one at a time. 
Combine buttermilk and juice in a measuring cup then add to the sugar mixture. 
Add the basil to the flour bowl.
Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the butter so it can incorporate and become fluffy.
Place egg whites in a clean bowl and  with clean beaters whip them until soft peaks form.  Add the remaining sugar beating until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold into the batter and then turn out into the bundt pan.


Bake at 325 for 55 minutes.
To prepare the glaze combine the half and half and basil in a small bowl and microwave for 45 seconds.  Let is sit and cool for 5 minutes then strain out the basil.

Basilmomma

I didn’t do this step since I wanted you to see the basil but if you want to do it (like if your kids don’t like ‘green stuff’) then feel free.


Combine the rest of the ingredients in the small bowl then drizzle over cooled cake.


Enjoy, 
Basilmomma (Heather)