Sponge Cake

Butter Sponge Cake

11 egg yolks

2 c.sugar

1 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2-1/4 c. cake flour

2 tsp. baking powder 

1/2 c. butter, melted

Beat egg yolks with sugar until light colored and fluffy.  Add milk and vanilla.  Sift flour and baking powder three times.  Add to egg mixture.  Fold in butter.  Bake in 2 loaf pans or one bundt pan, greased and floured.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

This recipe came from Sherry Whalen’s mom, Gwen Peter from Cresco, Iowa, who at age 81 still lives at home with her 87 year old husband who still mows their own lawn.  They both clean their large church and volunteer in their community on so many days a week that Sherry finds it difficult to visit them because they’re so busy!  And you, Gwen, for this great recipe to use each time I make an angel food cake.  It’s a winner!

Here is my weekend boarder – Simka, an English Springer Spaniel.  She is such a sweetheart – no problems at all.  I took her with me yesterday to a Pumpkin Day with Becky and she climbed right into Becky’s lap.


Here is a very quick picture of the men’s shirt quilt, hot off the sewing machine.


And here is the back, cut from the remainder of the shirts – pretty ugly but I wanted to use the rest of the shirts so that the entire quilt is made from shirts.  Now for the quilting.


As it turns out the farmers are running into many wet spots in their beans fields making it necessary to go around these areas and now rain is predicted for Wednesday.  Oh dear.

I’m off to church, only one service today.

24 thoughts on “Sponge Cake

  1. Lori

    Love the front of the quilt and the back is also wonderful. I always do scrappy backs, and if I don’t my quilter friends are always disappointed to find just one fabric on the back.

  2. Kathy Martingilio

    Love the shirt quilt. What are the dimensions of the stripes and block? Love it!

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Kathy – strips are cut 2-1/2″ x 10-1/2″. Blocks vary depending on how many strips I had of that fabric.

  3. Martha Engstler

    Great picture of Simka. She looks like a sweetheart. I made a quilt from my sons flannel plaid shirts. Had to add some from thrift shop and the fabric shop. (I think I may have said this before) I made it with 2 inch squares and a navy flannel King size sheet for the backing. It turned out great.

  4. Janice

    Ditto . . . Love the shirt quilt. I can’t wait to see it after you quilt and bind it. What a sweet dog!

  5. Carol

    My sister made a snail trail shirt quilt, a Bonnie Hunter pattern…greens, yellows, blues and whites…for her grandson’s big boy bed. Adorable!

  6. Jenny

    Love the shirt quilt–front and back!
    I cannot remember if you used stabilizer on the shirts before piecing them. Or would heavy starch be sufficient until all the sewing and quilting is finished?
    Thanks !

  7. Bonnie

    I love your shirt quilt, front and back!! I’m with you. I don’t like to waste fabric. Many of my quilt backs are pieced with different fabrics and they are my favorite ones. Also loved your ‘artistic license’ comment from a previous post. I always say ‘artistic interpretation’ when my projects come out a little different than the pattern!!

  8. Launa Peters

    Mary, Nice to meet Simka…and receive the sponge cake recipe…..What a tasty treat that is!!
    Your shirt quilt is so great and I do enjoy the back with the leftovers. Bet it’s soft and cozy?
    We’ve gotten a blustery sunny morning here now. Was 49 degrees when I mozied out for the Sunday paper.
    Enjoy your day. Back to the sewing room…
    Thanks for the recipe.

  9. Dorothy Sheldrake

    I thought you were Becky with a new hair cut. Well the glasses look the same to me. And a dog on your lap that made me think all the more it was you.

  10. IBrenda

    Mary I often piece my backs . I love them done that way.we have been very wet here to however not as wet as you. Our farmers are back in the fields and our corn is cut.

  11. Ann Barlament

    The back of the quilt is not ugly..it’s being resourceful! But I do like the front of the quilt. Simka is similar to a dog I had when I first bought my house.

  12. Karen Chaudoin

    I am going to try this recipe. I follow an Instagram account from England named remembering the old ways. She makes a “sponge cake”. I don’t know if it is the same or similar to this recipe that you are sharing but so glad I can try it. The English Springer is so lovely! I had one at one time and I loved her to pieces. She was such a lovely sweet natured dog, easy going! Wish I could hold this one!

    Karen in NC

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Karen – this English springer WAS one of the sweetest natured dogs I’ve ever met! She is a honey!

  13. Dorothy

    “ugly” quilt back ??? NO!!! I love it. That’s what we do—use it up. I always piece my backs trying to use the “leftovers” from the front and then adding “what ever” from the stash to make it the right size and to finally use up some of the stash that I have been “hoarding” because it is/was too beautiful/great to cut up 🙂

  14. Susan Burger

    Wondering how long you cut the strips for the shirt quilt. Are they 2.5″ strips? You called the back ugly and maybe it is but I like it. Sorta like a Volkswagen bus is so ugly it is cute. It reminds me of a quilt my grandma might have made.
    Thanks in advance,
    Susan

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