I even read the recipe in advance and noticed that it called for buttermilk. Something I definitely don't have on hand. I thought about buying it. And also knew I could make soured milk with milk and vinegar as a substitute. I wasn't 100% sure it would work for a cake since I'd only previously used it for salad dressing, but figured I could give it a shot.
So, when it came down to it, laziness won and I did not stop on the way home.
Now I knew we had eggs because F had brought some home from my parents. Turns out he had brought home eggs. Plural. 2. And one had already been eaten.
I needed two and when I said I was heading out to the store, he offered to borrow some from the neighbors.
So now I was set. I set about making zest. Which is an awful job. It started ok, but about 3/4 of the way through, this grater stopped working. Literally stopped working. The peel became impervious to sharp things and the whole grapefruit turned to mush.
So I turned to a new tool. And a new fruit. Some huge random citrusy thing I found in the crisper. Pomelo? I suppose it worked, but it sure took a lot of knuckle scraping effort.
I now really want the microplane tool my mom has.
Turns out I had overlooked the "turbinado sugar" that the recipe called for. A quick google search suggested that brown sugar would work. I even used up four sugar in the raw packets I found. Things are good so far.
Next step is flour. A staple. Except we are nearly out. Because I have forbidden F from buying bulk pantry items and made him return the 25 lb sack he had bought from Costco. I need 1.5 cups. We have what appears to be 1.35 cups. There is no google substitute for flour. Good enough.
I just avoid accidentally using 1t of baking soda and 1/4t of baking powder when the recipe calls for the reverse and am in the home stretch.
I go to preheat the oven. And see this.
F's cast iron obsession. There are 8. They are heavy. There is no counter space at all. I decide to use downstairs oven.
I look for loaf pan. Realize I gave it away. Decide 3 mini loafs will work instead. Go to grease and flour said loaf pans. I am out of flour. Google it. Conflicting advice suggests powdered sugar, oatmeal(!) and boxed cake mix as substitutes. I decide to just use olive oil spray.
Now previous recipes have led me to believe 3 mini loafs are the same volume as 1 regular loaf pan. Not in this case. I have enough batter for 2.
I start washing dishes. We are out of dish soap. I use hand soap.
It is getting dark in kitchen. Because our ceiling light fixture is out. Bulb works. Light doesn't.
I head downstairs. Luckily, I remember that mini loaves take less time to bake. This recipe calls for 45min to 1 hour of baking time. I check at 25 min. Cakes are done.
They look beautiful. We'll see how they taste...
