Cast-Iron Lamb Cake Mold?

[PA Baker]

We have a cast-iron cake mold/pan that dh's mom used to use every Easter when dh was a kid. I'd like to use it for Easter this year (w/ specific decorating instructions from dh so it's just like the labs he had growing up!). I've never baked in one of these before and am wondering if anyone knows the average baking temp and time? Since it's a solid mold, I have no idea how to tell if the cake's done.

DH said he remembers his mom using leftover batter to make cupcakes, so it's not that large (ie a full recipe of batter).

Has anyone used one of these before? I need all the tips I can get! DH has very few things he likes to recreate from his childhood so I want to make this extra-special for him.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Miss PAB....My suggestion is to buy two or three El Cheapo Cake mixes and just run some trial test. By the time Easter rolls around you'll have it down pat!!

Enjoy!

 

[sparrowgrass]

You need to use a nice dense pound cake recipe, or the cake won't stand up properly.

I am ashamed to say that I have an aluminum mold that I have never used, even though Lambie Cake was a fixture of Easter Dinner throughout my childhood.

 

[homecook]

I haven't posted here in quite some time. I do lurk alot! I saw your post this morning and just had to reply. I have my grandmothers cast-iron lamb cake mold, it's 2 pieces that fit into each other. My grandmother's recipe for the cake is from a newspaper from 1950 that is all weathered and worn but I use it every Easter. The only thing I do differently is the frosting, and I don't toast my coconut.

Lamb Cake

Grease mold thoroughly with salad oil or melted unsalted fat. Brush it into all crevices. Dust mold lightly with flour. Preheat oven 375 degrees. Sift 2 cups flour, measure and return to sifter. Add 3 tsp. baking powder, l/4 tsp. salt. Sift together several times.
Cream 1/2 cup shortening, blend in 1 cup sugar gradually creaming in as added. Add 1 tsp. vanilla to 3/4 cup milk. Add dry ingredients to shortening and sugar mixture alternately with milk and vanilla, stirring after each addition until batter is smooth, but no more. Fold in 3 egg whites beaten stiff, but not dry.
Pour batter into front half of mold. Stand toothpick upright in nose. Cover with second half of mold, fitting it down snugly. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes. Now turn the mold over, jarring it as little as possible. Bake 25 minutes longer. Let stand in mold 10 minutes. Remove back part first. Then loosen around ears carefully. Remove cake from front part. When cooled, frost.

Frosting

Put 2 egg whites, 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar, 6 T. cold water, l-1/2 cups sugar in the top part of a double boiler, over boiling water. Beat until icing is stiff enough to stand up in peaks, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat a few minutes to cool. Frost lamb, taking care to retain as much of original outline as possible. Use cut prunes for eyes, maraschino cherries for nose.Toast lightly 2-1/2 cups shredded coconut. Coat lamb generously.

I hope this helps somewhat.

Barb

 

[PA Baker]

Wow homecook!!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!! the mold you described sounds just like the one we have (I believe it was DH's grandma's or great-grandma's originally). I'll definately be using your cake recipe. Does it turn out to be a dense cake?

Thank you again, so much!

 

[homecook]

Yes it is pretty dense.........but delicious!!

Glad I could help.

Barb

 

[luann]

I also have grandmas cast iron lamb cake mold. I have used a pound cake mix; just follow the directions on the box. Make sure the mold is greased well and floured and pour into the face half of the mold. Put the back half on and bake for an hour, cool 10 minutes and carefully remove the molds. I sometimes run a knife around the edges to help loosen. Frost, and I use raisins for eyes and a nose. Grandmas "garnish" was to put easter grass around the bottom and add jelly beans and foil covered chocolate eggs. I try to do that, too, but my boys tend to sneak the candy first.

 

[SusieQTX]

I haven't posted here in quite some time. I do lurk alot! I saw your post this morning and just had to reply. I have my grandmothers cast-iron lamb cake mold, it's 2 pieces that fit into each other. My grandmother's recipe for the cake is from a newspaper from 1950 that is all weathered and worn but I use it every Easter. The only thing I do differently is the frosting, and I don't toast my coconut.

Lamb Cake

Grease mold thoroughly with salad oil or melted unsalted fat. Brush it into all crevices. Dust mold lightly with flour. Preheat oven 375 degrees. Sift 2 cups flour, measure and return to sifter. Add 3 tsp. baking powder, l/4 tsp. salt. Sift together several times.
Cream 1/2 cup shortening, blend in 1 cup sugar gradually creaming in as added. Add 1 tsp. vanilla to 3/4 cup milk. Add dry ingredients to shortening and sugar mixture alternately with milk and vanilla, stirring after each addition until batter is smooth, but no more. Fold in 3 egg whites beaten stiff, but not dry.
Pour batter into front half of mold. Stand toothpick upright in nose. Cover with second half of mold, fitting it down snugly. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes. Now turn the mold over, jarring it as little as possible. Bake 25 minutes longer. Let stand in mold 10 minutes. Remove back part first. Then loosen around ears carefully. Remove cake from front part. When cooled, frost.

Frosting

Put 2 egg whites, 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar, 6 T. cold water, l-1/2 cups sugar in the top part of a double boiler, over boiling water. Beat until icing is stiff enough to stand up in peaks, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat a few minutes to cool. Frost lamb, taking care to retain as much of original outline as possible. Use cut prunes for eyes, maraschino cherries for nose.Toast lightly 2-1/2 cups shredded coconut. Coat lamb generously.

I hope this helps somewhat.

Barb

I found this thread via a google search. MOST helpful, Barb. When I recognized 7 minute icing, I freaked, knowing how much work it would be, so I googled some more and came across Paula Deen's tip to use the hand mixer right in the pot on the stove. Works great. You gas stove girls do be careful please with your cord! I'm bumping it because we've just had Easter, and so it is relevant again. I took this cake to a party yesterday and it was a huge hit. Thank you so much. BTW, my mold is aluminum.