By Request:  Del Mar's Famous Lemon Cake Recipe

We had so many requests at the City's 50th Anniversay picnic for the Lemon Cake recipe that we decided to put it in the newsletter, along with the history behind it, as shared by Marti Kaye.

For approximately 10 years during the 1960s, the Civic Association hosted a beach party which was held on the first weekend after the end of racing season.  The party was a day full of games on the beach - sack races and sand castles, swimming events and volleyball.  In the late afternoon, an immense BBQ was fired up, and a long table was laid out with salads and a cake popular at that time called the Lemon Jell-O Cake that was made year after year.  Everyone knew that cake and it became known as Del Mar Cake.  

The Kaye and Silber families lovingly remember it as The John Silber Cake.  This cake just never dries out.  John ran for City Council in 1970.  Marti Kaye baked this cake for his first coffee.  At the end of the evening, there was quite a bit left, so Marti wrapped it up, stuck it in the freezer and pulled it out for subsequent coffees.  This cake lasted the entire campaign; it was kind of like the loaves and fishes - there always seemed to be enough cake to feed whoever showed up.

Del Mar's Famous Lemon Cake:
1 - 3 oz pkg lemon Jell-O
1 pkg yellow cake mix with pudding
3/4 C water
4 eggs
3/4 C oil

Glaze:
2 lemons - juice and zest     1 C powdered sugar, sifted

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all but Glaze ingredients together and pour into a greased and floured bundt or 9x13" pan.  Bake for 35 minutes. While the cake is baking, grate the rind from the lemons and juice them.  Mix the juice and zest with the powdered sugar.  When cake is removed from the oven, pierce all over with a long-tined fork.  Pour the lemon sugar glaze over the hot cake and try not to eat it until it cools.  Bon appetit!

This recipe is one of many that can be found in the Del Mar Recipes and Recollections Cookbook available at DMCC for a suggested donation of $15.

On Monday, March 22, 2012 in a talk spiced with humor a resident of De;l Mar, Barbara Krueger presented her new book, Universal Design, to a group gathered at the Powerhouse.

Co-authored with Nika Stewart the richly illustrated book "focuses on a design and building approach that believes interior spaces, especially people's homes, can be made more accessible to all, regardless of their mobility and ability.  This book is written for seniors, empty-nesters, adult children of seniors, as well as the younger population facing physical challenges." 

Universal Design is available at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon.

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