Cynthia Knauer of Allentown, Pennsylvania, writes: "I remember this moist, flavorful cake from my childhood. When I bake it for my family now, it doesn't even last a day — we nibble on it every time we pass through the kitchen. Because it's quick to make and requires no icing, it's a great dessert to take on picnics and other outings." Cynthia Knauer is the mother of our recipe cross-tester, Ian Knauer. She sometimes serves her cake with whipped cream and strawberries, but it's also delicious on its own.
Cake keeps in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 1/2 hr
Yield
Makes 10 to 12 (dessert) servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13- by 9-inch baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
Step 2
Beat eggs with 2 cups sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and thick enough to form a ribbon that takes 2 seconds to dissolve into batter when beater is lifted, 7 to 8 minutes in a stand mixer or 14 to 16 with a handheld.
Step 3
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon mace.
Step 4
Bring milk and butter to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then remove from heat.
Step 5
Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in hot milk mixture until combined (batter will be thin).
Step 6
Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon mace in a small bowl.
Step 7
Pour batter into baking pan and sprinkle evenly with mace sugar. (Sugar will form a crust as cake bakes.) Bake until pale golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 8
Cool cake in pan on a rack until warm, at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
