71 Comments
Apr 4Liked by Jolene Handy

I love everything about this. The lemon cake (my favorite)! Beyonce! Jolene!

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Thanks, Elizabeth! 🎶🍰 Hope you’re well! (Still thinking about romance-cooking novels, I’ll email you.)

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I loved this, Jolene! Your name! Dolly! That cake!!! 😍 I looove making lemon curd. It is the one thing I make that always comes out exceptional. Definitely going to try out this recipe.

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Thank you so much, Jenovia! I love making it, too and this recipe works great — also, have you ever mixed lemon curd with whipped cream to make a lemon cream? SO DELICIOUS! I love putting a dollop over strawberries! 🍋💛🍰💛

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No I haven’t tried mixing them but I WILL NOW 😍 thank you for the pro tip! 💗

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I hope you love it! 💛🍋 🍓

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Apr 6Liked by Jolene Handy

Same, except for the lemon curd -- have NEVER made that successfully, and yes, I'm ashamed.

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No shame! 😉 I love the name of your substack!

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Apr 4Liked by Jolene Handy

“An enthusiastic dork” 🤣 my new aspiration

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🤣 We need t-shirts!

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Apr 4Liked by Jolene Handy

Another delicious post! 🍋

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Thanks, Jillian!

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So fun! I will always gravitate toward a lemon dessert and this one sounds lovely.

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Thank you, Amy! I also love lightening the lemon curd with the whipped cream - lemon cream over strawberries is so good!

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Now I can’t get the Nora Jones version to stop playing in my head. Wonder how you’d translate that into food?

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Individual Cupcakes 🧁 for Nora and each of the other Little Willie’s. 😉

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Apr 4Liked by Jolene Handy

Olivia Newton John recorded a gorgeous version of Jolene in the 70s. I love that so many people shamelessly serenade you 😁

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Yes! Thanks, Julie-Anne for reminding me about Olivia’s gorgeous cover! 🎶 (I shamelessly embrace the serenades 😂)

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Apr 4Liked by Jolene Handy

My first best friend was named Jolene so I've always had a fondness for the name. She moved away when I was four and she must have been about six (sixty years ago 😳!). The only thing I really remember about her is that we stole a gift box of chocolates off of a neighbor's porch. We got in big trouble, but boy those candies were good. Also I am in love with Beyoncé's new album. I've listened to it multiple times a day since it came out and her duet with Miley is one of my favorites. All that to say, lemon cake sounds like a really good idea right now.

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Love this memory of your childhood friend, Jolene, and the chocolates! If you have some time to make the cake it is GOOD! 🍋🍰 Thanks for your comment!

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I can’t explain it but you remain a blonde in my head—just like Beyoncé

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👩 !!! 😂

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founding
Apr 4Liked by Jolene Handy

Jolene! You are such a fascinating woman...so glad I know you! And the cake...yum!❤️

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So glad I know YOU, Pam! Thanks so much !🤗 🎶

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Apr 4·edited Apr 4Liked by Jolene Handy

i am WOWED. these layers! with the artists' favorite colors, and blooms, and flavors, taken into consideration! plus your history with the music. Jolene, this, um ... takes the cake. and i'm grateful for the shout-out xoxo

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Thank you so much, Danyel 🎶 🍰 really appreciate it. xx

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I don't even eat cake or sweets and I still loved this post. It's light and springy, just like the delicious cake you made. I admire how you mix in the symbolism from Beyonce, Miley, and Dolly into the post and the cake. So enjoyable and well done. Came out just right.

That's quite a do Dolly has. I'm glad that fashion era is gone. Looks like a lot of work.

Looking forward to your next post. But before that, like right now, I'm going to listen to the song.

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Thank you so much, Andrea, I really appreciate your comment. ☺️ 💛🎶 (and yes, the hair was really somethin’ !)

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Love this post - and thank you for this recipe - you've prompted me to go and make a Victoria sponge.

I named my daughter Cecilia in the hope that she'd be serenaded through life - and indeed she is!

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Thank you so much, Jo! I love the name Cecilia and Simon and Garfunkel 🎶 Many happy serenades to your daughter. This recipe by Claire Ptak is amazing, I hope you love it! 🍰

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Apr 5Liked by Jolene Handy

I love everything about this, too. I listened to Cowboy Carter on repeat all Easter Sunday while I made coconut cupcakes. If only I saw this before I would have made this. I'm jealous you saw DP at Forest Hills. I have been singing II Most Wanted til my coworker got sick of it and begged me to stop!

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Karen, I love that you listened while baking and coconut cupcakes sound so good 🧁! It’s like we are having our own little baking/listening parties! I’m really grateful I got to see Dolly. 🥹

I laughed out loud about your coworker! My kitchen is at the front of my apartment and I’ve been belting out II Most Wanted all week 🎶 I’m waiting for the neighbors to start complaining 😂 Thanks so much for your comment, have a great weekend!

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Apr 5Liked by Jolene Handy

I cannot begin to tell you how this post made me smile! When said by English speakers, my name sounds just like Jolene-- people have been singing the song at me for 33 years now. 33 years on April 2nd to be precise-- and my preferred birthday cake in recent years? It has to be filled with lemon curd. My favourite Jolene? Miley's Backyard Sessions!

I am just grinning from ear to ear, thank you for sharing such a fun post with us :)

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I’m so glad you commented! I love this! Hello, Joelline! We’ve had the same experience with the song in our lives! What’s one of the most memorable encounters you’ve had? So amazing about the Lemon Curd and your favorite cover! Miley is just the greatest and I loved the Backyard Sessions. Thank you so much for this, Joelline, Joelline 🎶😆

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Apr 5Liked by Jolene Handy

This was absolutely *sparkling.* I read the whole thing with a smile—and now I feel like whipping up a batch of lemon curd while listening to this album. Thanks for the burst of inspiration!

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So glad it made you smile, Maddie! We are continuing our year of ‘glamour’ ✨ with Dolly, Miley and Bey ✨😉🎶 LOVE LEMON CURD - also, if you mix it with whipped cream and put a dollop of “lemon cream” over strawberries it’s so good! Have a great weekend! 💛 🍋

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Apr 5Liked by Jolene Handy

I am positively DROOLING over here. Three cheers for the year of glamour!

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