Tea Cake With Fragrant Blossom Glaze

Serves 8 to 10

EndTextStartText

3 cups sifted all-

purpose flour

2 teaspoons double-

acting baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound butter

2 cups sugar

11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 cup milk

For the glaze:

1 cup fresh unsprayed lilac blossoms steeped in ½ cup hot water for 30 minutes, strained

2/3 cup sugar

For garnish:

Candied flowers,

optional

EndTextStartText

1. Adjust oven rack 1/3 from bottom of oven. Preheat to 350 degrees. Butter 9-by-31/2-inch tube pan and dust it lightly with flour.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl with a fork, to aerate and remove lumps; set aside.

3. In large bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat for 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula to keep mixture smooth.

4. On lowest speed, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk in two or three additions, scraping bowl with the rubber spatula as necessary and beating only until smooth after each addition. Turn the batter into prepared pan and smooth with spatula.

5. Bake for 70-80 minutes, until a cake tester comes out dry.

6. Let cake stand in pan for 5 to 8 minutes, then cover with a rack and invert. Remove pan, leaving the cake upside down on rack. Place over a large piece of aluminum foil or waxed paper and prepare glaze to use while cake is still very warm.

7. Stir the lilac water and sugar together and brush all over the very warm cake until absorbed.

8. Let cake cool. Use two wide metal pancake turners or a cookie sheet to transfer it to cake plate.

9. Do not cut for several hours. Garnish with candied lilacs or candied edible petals such as pansies, roses or violets.

Per serving: 413 calories, 3 grams protein, 54 grams carbohydrates, 54 grams sugar, 20 grams fat, 116 milligrams cholesterol, 282 milligrams sodium.