How Swede It Is

In conjunction with our Classical Conversations geography memory work, we've been reading lots of books set in northern Europe (see side bar for our list of books).  Their favorites are those by Maj Lindman.  Maj Lindman books feature two sets of triplets who live in Sweden (Snipp, Snapp and Snurr and Flicka, Ricka and Dicka)

This book, part of our own library, bears a notation "Royal School 1955."  This refers to the one-room schoolhouse where my mom spent her elementary years.

These simple stories written in the 1930s and 40s contain wholesome messages (such as, working to earn money, setting aside wants to benefit someone in need, and returning what doesn't belong to you even if you don't want to).  It really makes my heart swell that they enjoy these books.  I take it as a sign of their innocence and purity that these stories appeal to them.  There is not a hint of mockery toward these boys in their beanie caps and 'stockings' or towards the goody, goody girls with the ridiculous sounding names.

Inspired by the Swedish Flicka, Ricka and Dicka and their cake-baking efforts in Flicka, Ricka, Dicka Bake a Cake, I decided to make a Swedish Visiting Cake from my favorite baking book with the kids.  (Find the recipe and a description written by Dorie Greenspan herself here.)  I don't bake with the kids nearly enough, which makes no sense because one goal I have for them is to be competent bakers and cooks at an early age.  This was a perfect baking project because this cake is made of simple ingredients and with simple methods.  My four-year-old daughter said, "I always wondered how to make a cake.  I thought it would be hard."  Here's the result:

Despite its ragged appearance, it is delicious with its lemony flavor and gooey-butter-cake texture. We'll polish it off tonight topped with whipped cream and paired with peaches frozen from summer.