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All around the global blogosphere, many people are buzzing with Easter plans. From cooking to creating eco-friendly Easter baskets, to teaching about the Resurrection, women are at the heart of Easter celebrations.
Easter, the most holy festival on the Christian calendar has become a mix of secular fun and religious remembrance. Some of the traditions have obvious pagan influence. For example, Eastre was the Anglo-Saxon Teutonic mother goddess of spring and fertility. The Anglo-Saxons held a festival in her honor on the vernal equinox. During this festival, a rabbit was used as a symbol of fertility and eggs were painted with bright colors representing spring. The Easter celebrated now is a mix of both. But in all cases, it is meant to be (eventually) a happy holiday.
When I was a child, Good Friday was a very somber day. Schools let out early, or were off entirely. There was a very moving liturgy at church, and we all felt sad.
Saturday we were running around like crazy people getting ready for the priest to come and bless the Easter food that we would serve on the next day.
The house had to be spotless. No. Dust. Anywhere. And the requisite food had to be set out on the dining table for the priest to bless. There were hard boiled eggs (which had been colored either a beautiful terra cotta by boiling with vinegar and onion skins -- or robin's egg blue by boiling with vinegar and purple cabbage.) Then there were Easter kielbasa, at least one ham, rye bread, babka ( a rich and sweet egg bread), mazurek ( a shortbread kind of cake) and the crowning glory -- the Lamb cake.
This is the mold used for the cake. It is baked in two halves, then frosted and decorated.
The results vary, based on the skill and attention to detail of the baker. The lamb is frosted, usually drenched in coconut to simulate wool, and dolled up with jellybeans cut up for facial features and bows around the neck. Make no mistake. This was the Big Deal Cake. A housewife wanted the priest's approval.
Here is one made by The Little Goose Lake Haus in Canyon Lake, Texas
I found so many blogs about the lamb cake! Here are a few.
Cake Wrecks shows examples of Lamb Cakes gone horribly wrong!
Maureen talks about finding a lamb cake mold and shows pictures of her effort.
Well, when I was"junqtiquing" last week I came upon one of those aluminum lamb pans. I figured even if I didn't make the cake it would be a cute Easter decoration so I bought it. Let me say I had so much fun this morning making this silly cake.
Gina talks about her Catholic upbringing, her departure from it, her vegan lifestyle, Her lamb cake and concludes with this:
My hubby and I are excited about creating magical holidays for our children. We will celebrate this Easter as a party of three, and perhaps be joined by some friends. I’ve given up the hold that Catholicism had on me, but I warmly embrace the loving messages that come from all religions. And, hope that helps to open my son’s heart to what God and life mean to him.
I wish all of you a happy Easter. Blessed Passover. And fruitful spring. Whatever you celebrate – however you celebrate it… enjoy it. Stay true to your beliefs and spend some meaningful time with the ones you love.
Alice shares her memories about lamb cakes past.
So the Easter lamb cake is in the oven! I don't remember exactly when the lamb cake mold was purchased, but I've been making the lamb cake for most of our married life. I use my Grandma Lense's pound cake recipe and that brings back all sorts of memories. This pound cake was the first recipe I learned to make by myself when I was a little girl. Although I don't have many memories of interactions with my Grandpa Lense, I do have a memory of strong pride in being able to make a pound cake for him. Two other strong grand-parental memories are that Grandma always had a candy dish on the side board in the dining room that was
