I'm Daffy Over Daffodils!

I love bulbs --

tulips, hyacinths, daffodils

But I mostly love daffodils

They are a forgiving bulb 

Will happily sit in the ground and multiply

And their yellow and white colors are like a welcome ray of spring sunshine!

And I plant way too many every year

But I'm a horrible keeper of the bulbs

For I forget what varieties are where!

But I enjoy them

And they're all over Linderhof's garden --

both front and back!

This year even Linderhof's fairies have

daffodils

Not planted by me in the fall, but bought already in bud from Wal Mart

They certainly lend a cheerfulness to the fairy garden!

The row of daffodils lining the north fence

A beautiful white with a pretty center

And a small yellow one

Yellow daffodils are like rays of Spring sunshine!

Yellow with an orange center

Another small variety

And a white ruffly one that's also fragrant!

Some more small ones

(which I probably bought for the fairy garden but planted them here instead!)

And these wee white ones!

The rose bed is lined with them

planted years ago

And this year we planted some to line the walkway from curb to sidewalk

We ran out so that will be the first place we plant this year!

But the daffs are not only to enjoy outside

But inside as well

And we keep them on tabletops until they're gone

We're glad we planted early, mid and late bulbs

For we have a long season of bloom

On the breakfast room table

An assortment

And on the living room coffee table

Some pretty white ones!

But as there are daffodils in the garden

there can be daffodils in the kitchen

A daffodil cake!

It's an old cake, Daffodil Cake

Half angel food and half sponge

So half white and half yellow

The last time I baked it, I set a juice glass in the center and put a bouquet of

daffodils in it!

My guests were impressed.

Here's the recipe in cake you want to serve a Daffodil Cake this spring!

DAFFODIL CAKE

1 1/4 c. sifted cake flour

1 1/2 c. plus 2 T. sugar, divided

1 1/4 c. egg whites, at room temperature (about 10 eggs)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 t. cream of tartar

4 egg yolks

1 t. grated orange rind

2 T. orange juice

Orange butter Frosting:

1/4 c. butter

1/8 t. salt

2 T. orange rind

3 c. powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 c. orange juice

1 1/2 t. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375.

Sift together flour and 1/2 c. sugar.     Beat egg whites in a large bowl, until foamy; add salt and cream of tartar and vanilla.    Beat until soft peaks form.    Sprinkle in 1 cup sugar, 1/4 c. at a time, beating until just blended.    Fold flour mixture into egg whites, 1/4 c. at a time, using a rubber spatula.

Beat egg yolks with orange rind, orange juice and remaining 2 T. sugar until thick and light.    Stir 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture.

Scrape yellow and white batters into an uncreased 10 inch tube pan to give a marbled eggiest with white layer on top.     Bake 30 to 35 m minutes, until done.     Invert pan; let cool.    Remove cake from pan.

To prepare frosting, combine butter, salt, orange rind and 1 c. powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.    Beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy.    Add remaining sugar and orange juice alternately, beating until smooth and spreadable.     Beat in lemon juice.    Frost top and sides of cake.

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