By By Lisa Tindell
As promised last week, I've decided to share a few recipes from the past.
I have, as my husband can attest, too many cookbooks. Most folks store food, small appliances, etc. in their pantries. I have these things in my pantry as well. But I will admit that the extra large book case filled with cookbooks does take up a lot of room that could be used for other purposes. I knew I'd need those books one day. My favorite is a 1963 edition of "The Joy of Cooking." It was a replacement for a 1957 version that burned along with my mom and dad's home about 20 years ago. I found it at a flea market. I think I was more excited to give it to my mom than she was to receive it. But it worked out great – she came to live with me about two years ago and she brought the book!
At any rate, I certainly hope you all enjoy these recipes from old and not-so-old books and family albums.
One of my favorite cakes to make and share with friends is a Coca-Cola Cake. It may look like a big ol' mud pie when you're done – but it certainly is good.
Coca-Cola Cake
2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups sugar
one-half cup butter
3 tbsp. cocoa
one-half cup cooking oil
1 cup Coca-Cola
one-half cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 and one-half cup mini marshmallows
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour and sugar together. In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix butter, cocoa, oil and Coca-Cola. Bring to a boil. Combine with dry ingredients; add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and marshmallows. Pour into a 9×13 pan coated with non-stick spray. Bake for 45 minutes. (Toothpick test does not work well with this cake.)
Icing
One-half cup butter
3 tbsp. cocoa
6 tbsp. Coca-Cola
1 box powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 and one-half cups chopped nuts
Place powdered sugar with nuts in a large bowl. Mix butter, cocoa, Coca-Cola in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Pour over powdered and nuts. Add vanilla and stir until well blended. Pour over warm cake. Let cool.
Here's a similar recipe for folks who want less chocolate and a little more zing in their cake.
Root Beer Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup root beer
2 sticks margarine
one-half cup milk
1 tsp. baking soda
one-half tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 and one-half cups mini marshmallows (optional)
Mix flour and sugar. In a saucepan, combine root beer and margarine. Bring to a boil and add to the flour and sugar mixture. Stir well. Add in milk, baking soda, salt, vanilla and eggs. Blend well. If using marshmallows, stir them in at this point. Bake in a 9×13 pan at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
Root Beer Icing
One-fourth cup margarine
One-eighth tsp. salt
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tbs. milk
1 tbsp. root beer
Beat butter and salt until fluffy and creamy. Beat in powdered sugar and enough milk to make into a spreading consistency. Add vanilla and spread over cake.
Here's a standard church bake-sale cake. I loved them as a child and had almost forgotten they existed until last week. I plan to have one in the oven soon.
7-Up Pound Cake
1 cup butter
one-half cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 tsp. lemon flavoring
7 ounces 7-up (or any lemon-lime soda)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt or tube cake pan. In a large bowl, cream butter and shortening well and add sugar. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time just until blended. Stir in flavorings. Beat in the flour alternately with the 7-Up, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes before removing from pan.
Glaze: Begin with 1 cup powdered sugar. Add 7-Up one teaspoon at a time until a thin glaze consistency is made. Drizzle over warm cake.
Note: This cake is great alone or served with a scoop of lemon or lime sherbet! Great spring dessert!
Here's hoping you enjoy these drinkable cakes as much as I enjoyed sharing the recipes with you. Be sure to check here next week. I'll be sharing some interesting ways to prepare chicken using beverages, Until next week, happy eating!