We lived with a 86 year-old Danish woman for a few months. She is amazingly active and is always gardening! We tried her danish cakes and really liked them and eventually she taught us how to make them. They are delicious as are most Danish pastries.

Selmas Cake

Makes 2 bread pans                                     For higher filled bread pans

• 5 eggs                                                                                  6 eggs
• 250 g butter                                                                         300 gr. butter
• 250 g flour                                                                           300 gr. flour
• 250 g sugar                                                                          300 gr. sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder                                                             3 tsp baking powder
• juice and peel of 1 large lemon                                             juice of 1 large lemon
• at least 50 gr. chopped almonds                                          75-100 gr. almonds
• raisins                                                                                   raisins
• Sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 180 C.  Prepare by: Beating eggs in a bowl, grating lemon peel and juicing lemon, chopping almonds, and putting wax paper in bread pan forms. In a bowl mix flour, baking powder, lemon peel, and half of the chopped almonds.  

In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar with a hand mixer or the Tmix. Mix in beaten eggs one at a time. Add flower mixture and lemon juice. 

Pour mixture into bread pans and add raisins by pushing them to the middle. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 180 C for about 30-40 minutes (50 minutes for the larger recipe). Knife should come out clean like any cake bread.