Magic Cake

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I needed a dessert in a hurry today for a neighbor that came home from the hospital. As I whipped up my super quick Lemon Daffodil cake it reminded me of a story of a woman told me some years ago. Before I was married, I owned a small restaurant and while talking to a patron one afternoon she told me the story of the "magic cake." She said that her granddaughter (about 4 years old) had recently come to stay with her for the first time by herself. Sometime during the visit she suggested to her granddaughter that they make a cake. At this point she told me that her granddaughter's mother was a person who made everything from scratch and would never use anything pre-made or from a mix. So when she pulled a cake mix from the cabinet, her granddaughter said "That's not how mommy makes a cake." To which the grandmother replied "Well this is a magic cake that grandma makes." Several days after the visit she said she received a call from her daughter. Her granddaughter had told her mother all about the "magic cake" that grandma made. She said her daughter told her granddaughter that grandma may make magic cake but that at home they only made real cake.

We both laughed and I told her about this cake.

I know I know, it's made with (gasp) a cake mix, but in this case I've tried making this cake from scratch and it's just not the same. It may not be real cake but, my mother has been making this cake since I was a child and I still love it! It's simple and delicious- What could be better!

Method:

One white (not yellow) cake mix made according to instructions on the box. I bake mine in a flower shaped silicon pan but you can make two 8" or one 9" round. I let the cake cool completely, then split it through the middle.

Mix together one can sweetened condensed milk with 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice. Don't use purchased lemon juice. It tends to be bitter. When the milk has become thick. spread half of it on the bottom layer of the cake. Put the top on layer on the cake and spread the remaining milk mixture on the top. My mother always used a two layer round cake and she iced the sides with a white butter cream icing. I prefer it without the icing because it's less sweet, but the icing is very pretty.

Enjoy magic cake!