Southern Tablescape by Mama

Well, this week I have been planning my Southern dream garden, my beautiful shrubs, my passalong plants and my herbs.

Today’s tablescape is by Mama.

She has beautiful Blue Danube dishes that were her mother’s. She used her dark blue tablecloth and added yellow tulips in a beautiful blue vase and yellow candles in her lovely blue candle holders. It makes a beautiful table, don’t you think?

There you have it. A beautiful table by my mother, Carrol Ward. She is the one who taught me at an early age to set a beautiful table properly. I’m so glad she did. A beautiful table from a beautiful mother.

Check out the other great tablescapes at Between Naps on the Porch

Today’s Lagniappe:  Lemon Pound Cake
What could be better than lemon pound cake served on these beautiful blue and white dishes on a warm spring day?

Ingredients:

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 3 cups sugar
* 5 eggs
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon lemon extract

* Glaze Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1/4 cup lemon juice

Preparation:
Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer; gradually add oil, beating until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon extract. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and place directly on wire rack.

Combine glaze ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Brush lemon glaze on sides of cake and spoon glaze over top, a little at a time. Let lemon pound cake cool completely.