Grandbaby Cakes gives one grandma’s cherished recipes an updated spin while preserving their most important ingredient—tradition.
By Elizabeth Bonner
Growing up, Jocelyn Delk Adams treasured time spent in the magical Mississippi kitchen of her grandmother, affectionately called Big Mama. There, Jocelyn learned the art behind Big Mama’s made-from-scratch delicacies, developing a skill set and a passion that would eventually inspire her to start a recipe blog as a tribute to those sweet treats. Now Jocelyn’s first cookbook, Grandbaby Cakes, pulls from the best of her blog, her memories, and her innovative ideas to present 50 scrumptious confections ranging from layer cakes and pound cakes to cupcakes and cakelettes.
True to the distinctive baking style for which Jocelyn has become known, Grandbaby Cakes delivers recipes shaped by the past and reinvented in the present. “The genesis and inspiration behind the recipes are what make them so unique,” Jocelyn explains. The book includes a few unaltered family favorites, but most are simply inspired by the author’s culinary upbringing. “I let my imagination take over to create modern twists on classics,” she continues. “Instead of letting flavors or culinary trends drive my creative process, I let experiences and precious moments in my past guide me.”
Some of these novelties include ’Nana Pudding Tiramisù Cake, Red Velvet Cake with Blackberry–Cream Cheese Whipped Frosting, Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake, and Pineapple Upside-Down Hummingbird Pound Cake. Meanwhile, traditional family treats like Original Gooey-Gooey Cake and Mama’s 7UP Pound Cake—the first cake Jocelyn learned to make—are presented in their pure passed-down state.
Jocelyn credits her grandmother for her creative spirit in the kitchen. “I think my Big Mama’s Southern roots have made her such an instinctual baker,” she says. “She also really thinks about the end result, which is the enjoyment of the treat.”
Jocelyn’s hope is that this cookbook will inspire generations to gather in the kitchen. “By creating new traditions and involving family in the process of baking, so many memories can be created,” she says. “Food is very powerful and transformative. It brings people together. I want new generations to experience the love I did growing up.” And in this web exclusive, the author offers a few tips for putting desire into practice in 2016.
Baking Resolutions for the New Year from Jocelyn Delk Adams
1. I will follow a recipe exactly as written.
Baking is an exact science, so make sure you are following a recipe exactly the way it was developed.
2. I will take more chances in the kitchen.
That can sometimes mean letting go of a box mix and trying a scratch recipe. Some are still very intimidated by making scratch recipes, but if you just commit and give it a try—starting with something a bit simpler—you will find it just as easy as the instructions on the back of a box.
3. I will have more fun in the kitchen!
Remember that baking is fun and always a true delight to anyone on the receiving end. Get someone else in the kitchen to spend some quality time, and remember, as long as you bake with love, you always win.
- BANANA PUDDING FILLING
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 2½ cups whole milk, cold
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant banana pudding mix
- 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- RUM SAUCE
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup light rum
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ASSEMBLY
- 1 (17.5-ounce) package ladyfingers
- 4 large bananas, cut into ½-inch slices, plus 1 for garnish
- 12 vanilla wafers, crumbled, for garnish
- FOR THE BANANA PUDDING FILLING- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl and place it in the refrigerator.
- Clean your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until nice and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, banana pudding mix, vanilla pudding mix, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until well incorporated.
- Turn off your mixer. Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and carefully fold ½ of it into the pudding with a spatula. Place the filling and the remaining whipped cream back into refrigerator until ready to use.
- FOR THE RUM SAUCE- In a medium saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
- TO ASSEMBLE- In a 13 x 9 x 3.25-inch baking dish with high sides, arrange a full layer of ladyfingers. Drizzle ¼ of the warm sauce over the ladyfingers. Arrange the slices from 2 bananas on top of the ladyfingers and drizzle another ¼ of warm sauce over that. Smooth ½ of the filling on top of the bananas.
- Repeat with another layer of the remaining ladyfingers and sauce, the slices from 2 bananas, and the remaining filling. Top the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Smooth the cream out over the cake. Garnish with the crumbled vanilla wafers and slices from 1 banana.
- Chill the finished cake in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving (overnight is preferable) to allow time for the ladyfingers to soften. Serve cold. Store in the refrigerator.
- A ladyfinger is a traditional Italian sponge cake shaped like a lanky cookie−or a long finger. You can usually find these in the cookie, baking, or Italian aisle of your local grocery store.
- Reprinted with permission from Grandbaby Cakes by Jocelyn Delk Adams, Agate Surrey, 2015.