Holy Cross Day Lemon Berry Pound Cake

History

Legend tells that basil grew in abundance on the Calvary hillside where our Lord’s True Cross was discovered, and so Holy Cross Day is commonly observed by making a dish that includes basil. Many families might enjoy a delicious basil pesto, for example, or perhaps a Caprese salad for a cooling snack with afternoon tea.

Another custom for Holy Cross Day is eating treats in the shape of crosses. We find this custom to be perfect for this day when we remember the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

For breakfast, you might consider making cross-shaped pancakes. Lunch could be sandwiches cut into the shape of a cross. And dinner could be as simple as a pot pie with an “X” cut through the middle of the top crust. Or, as we mentioned above, you can break out the pesto for a pasta salad or hot pasta. None of these traditions are meant to be a burden! Enjoy it! Your kids can probably help with cross-themed ideas, too!

Part of the fun in living according to the liturgical (and earthly) seasons is taking full advantage of the flavors of late summer: cooling lemon and rich berries atop a dense cake. And so we present you with this perfect summer’s end treat: lemon and berry pound cake (featuring the shape of a cross, of course)!

Holy Cross Day Pound Cake

This pound cake follows the custom of cross-shaped goodies for Holy Cross Day. The shape of this particular cake is made into the Canterbury Cross, a particular version of the Christian cross. It is set apart by its round shape with the four arms curving into the center.

To be entirely candid, the selection for this shape had less to do with theological reasons than it did with the simple fact that the photographer only owns round cake pans (ha!). We imagine that a cross-shaped cake would be easier to achieve with a sheet cake pan with the corners cut out, but we cannot speak to whether this recipe would turn out as well in a sheet pan.

Holy Cross Day Pound Cake Recipe

Ingredients

6 medium eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 stick butter

½ cup yogurt or sour cream

1 lemon juiced, divided or 4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 cups fresh berries of choice

Instructions

1. Grease one 9-inch cake pan and cut out a circular piece of parchment paper to place in the bottom of the pan. Dust the pan with flour and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a stand mixer (or by hand) beat together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Next, melt the butter and ensure that it is warm but not hot to touch before adding into the sugar and egg mixture along with the yogurt (or sour cream) and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Mix everything to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until the batter is smooth and well-incorporated.
5. Pour the cake batter into the greased pan and bake for approximately 60 minutes. If unsure, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake, and if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
6. Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Flip the cake over onto a platter so that the top is faced down, saving the round parchment paper!
7. To form the cross, take your parchment paper and fold it in half twice. Unfold it again and place on top of the cake and mark the four “corners” of the cross.
8. Next, take a paring knife and cut out four eye-shaped pieces of the cake where you made the markings and remove the pieces of cake.
9. Frost the cake by combining the juice from the other half of the lemon (2 tablespoons lemon juice) with the confectioner’s sugar. Decorate with fresh berries and enjoy!