LOCAL FLAVOR: GaGa's Sunshine Cake from Marilyn McKinley Atterberry

It has been written that, “One of the best things about MEMORIES is making them.” Marilyn McKinley Atterberry recently shared that she stores a very happy memory inside her heart for her grandmother GaGa’s cake! In fact, it was the special BIRTHDAY cake Marilyn always requested of her beloved paternal grandmother, Treva Brown McKinley, affectionately known as GaGa.

Marilyn has always called this recipe an “Ice Box Cake.” (Yes, she knows full well, it’s a refrigerator and not an ice box, but SEVERAL of us still endearingly refer to it as an ice box and no, we can’t be changed.) Marilyn explained it is a, “cold and whippy, melt in your mouth,” kind of cake and for her, it brings back wonderful memories.

GaGa’s Sunshine Cake

Cake: 8 egg whites, beaten. Add ½ tsp. Cream of Tartar, beat until stiff, add 1 ¼ cup sifted sugar, add 4 beaten egg yolks, fold in 1 cup flour, sifted 6 times, ½ tsp. vanilla and ½ tsp. almond extract. Bake in angel food cake pan, 1 hour at 325 degrees. Cut in 3 layers.

*Filling and Icing for Sunshine Cake:

Scald 2 ½ cups milk, add 4 beaten egg yolks, add 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup flour, sifted together. Cook until thick.

Soak one envelope of gelatin in 2 tablespoons of milk. Add to custard. Add ½ tsp. vanilla and ½ tsp. almond.

Cool custard and then add one pint of WHIPPED cream.

Side note: Marilyn still requests GaGa’s Sunshine Cake for her birthday, but now she has to make it for herself! Now, how’s that for a little LOCAL FLAVOR?