MAMA'S SOUTHERN TEA CAKES [REUNION SIZE]

Mama's Southern Tea Cakes [REUNION SIZE] image

THIS IS A DOUBLE RECIPE OF THE Tea Cakes very similar to the ones Mama always made. I made these for a COMMUNITY REUNION She made hers with her hand by making a well in the center of the bowl. I decided to make mine using the kitchen Aid stand mixer, & show you some of the steps in picture form along the way. TEA CAKES ARE A...

Provided by Rose Mary Mogan

Time 2h50m

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

6 large eggs, room temperature
4 c granulated sugar
1 lb butter, softened room temperature
11 1/2 c white lily all purpose flour
2 c butter milk
1 Tbsp lemon extract
1 Tbsp almond extract
1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste or extract
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
6 Tbsp baking powder (not baking soda)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
few drops of yellow food color if desired

Steps:

1. PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU ARE NOT USING WHITE LILY ALL PURPOSE FLOUR DECREASE FLOUR AMOUNT TO 10 CUPS. White Lily flour is a winter wheat flour and is much lighter than regular all purpose flour, hence the addition of the extra 1 1/2 cups.
2. This method requires chilling time, so there is no need to preheat the oven at this point.
3. Measure out flour into a very large bowl, add the cinnamon and nutmeg, & Baking Powder and Baking soda, & salt then stir to blend with a large spoon, then set aside till needed.
4. Add softened butter to mixing bowl, then gradually add the sugar beating well after each addition and until no granules remain in batter. I like to add yellow food color to mine so the cookies do not look too pale.
5. Now crack eggs into a medium size bowl, and add one at a time to the sugar mixture, beating well after each addition.
6. Add each of the extracts to a cup larger than a 2 cup measure, then add the 2 cups of buttermilk. Now alternately add some of the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beating and blending after each addition is added. Repeat until all of both the flour and buttermilk mixture has been added to the mixing bowl. Remove bough and refrigerate until dough is completely cooled.
7. Remove dough from fridge. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray. Now remove a small amount of dough and sprinkle on counter top surface with flour, add dough and roll out to desired thickness about 1/4 inch or so. Cut with a glass or biscuit/cookie cutter, and place on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F. oven and bake for 10 minutes. COOKIES WILL NOT GET REAL DARK. LEAVE ON COOKIE SHEET FOR ABOUT 8-10 MINUTES UNTIL COOKIES COOL. REMOVE FROM PAN AND PLACE ON A COOLING RACK OR LARGE PLATTER, dust with Powdered or cinnamon sugar if desired.
8. PLEASE NOTE I PREFER TO ROLL MY Tea Cakes BY HAND, ENOUGH DOUGH ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL, THEN FLATTEN OUT SLIGHTLY, PLACE ON Prepared COOKIE SHEET AND BAKE AS INSTRUCTED ABOVE. DUST WITH POWDERED SUGAR OR CINNAMON SUGAR, OR LEAVE SOME PLAIN.