America I AM Pass It Down Cookbook (33 page)

TOPPING

½ cup butter
½ pound light brown sugar
¼ cup pineapple juice
6 canned pineapple rings
3 maraschino cherries, cut in half

CAKE

10 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup pineapple juice
½ cup milk

MAKE THE TOPPING

Heat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish in the oven at 350º F.

Add butter to the warm dish. Remove dish from the oven when butter has melted and stir in brown sugar and pineapple juice.

Arrange pineapple rings in sugar mixture in two rows of three. Fill center of each ring with a cherry half. Set this aside to cool and set.

MAKE THE CAKE

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs. In separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add butter and egg mixture to dry ingredients.

Stir in the pineapple juice and milk. Stir gently to form a lumpy but well incorporated batter. Pour the batter over the topping in the dish. Bake in a 350º F oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick pricked into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes, and then invert the cake on a large cutting board or platter. Allow to cool 10 minutes more before cutting.

Dana Beck’s Pineapple Cake

Benton Harbor, Michigan

MAKES 1 CAKE

      
Ms. Beck’s niece Janay
loves pineapple cake.

More a quick bread than a cake, this easy recipe is perfect for a quick treat or easy-to-make company dessert. Dress it up a bit and complement the flavor of the pineapple by substituting a tropical nut, such as macadamia or cashew, for the walnuts.

2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 ounces crushed pineapples and juice (1 can)
½ cup chopped walnuts

FROSTING

1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 stick margarine
1¾ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar and eggs until creamy. Sift the flour and baking soda and add to the mixture, then add the pineapples and juice and vanilla extract. Mix well to achieve a smooth batter.

Stir in walnuts and pour mixture into a greased 9 x 12 x 2 pan. Bake at 350º F 35–40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove and cool on a cake rack.

While cake is baking make the frosting: Cream together the cream cheese and the margarine. Gradually add powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Spread on cake when cake is cooled.

Did you know?
Guar gum is a natural edible thickening agent extracted from the guar bean. Most gluten-free flour recipes add a binder like guar gum or xanthan gum for wheat-free to properly bind the mixture.

The Traveling Cupcake’s 3-Layer German Chocolate Cake

Brooklyn, New York & Jackson, New Jersey

SERVES 14

      
Donna Hicks-Izzard, left, and Jacqui Powell,
co-owners of The Traveling Cupcake

This recipe for German chocolate cake was passed down to Donna Hicks-Izzard from her mother Inez. Hicks-Izzard says after she started baking for her church and friends, she received a vision from God to continue her family legacy by starting a bakery business. With the help of her partner, Jacqui Powell, “The Traveling Cupcake” was launched. Each cake from The Traveling Cupcake starts with a prayer and travels with love as they are shipped all over the country.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

4 ounces sweet dark chocolate
2¼ cups cake flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup buttermilk
1¼ cups unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups granulated white sugar
5 large eggs
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Pass It Down TIP

When you have something great to offer, start a business. I did!

Preheat oven to 350º F and place rack in center of oven. Spray three 8-inch round baking pans with vegetable spray with flour and then line with parchment paper.

Place small pot over a saucepan of simmering water and melt the chocolate.

Once chocolate is melted, let cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, sift cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for later.

In a small bowl, combine hot water and buttermilk. In another mixing bowl, add butter and sugar and beat for about 5 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time.

Add the vanilla extract and beat again. Now add the buttermilk mixture to the cake flour mixture and beat well, then add the melted chocolate (this completes your cake batter).

Divide the batter evenly among three pans and bake for about 30–35 minutes. Cool cakes completely before frosting.

COCONUT - PECAN FROSTING

1½ cups pecans
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup granulated white sugar
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
½ cup unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Place pecans on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Cool, then chop.
In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture boils and thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans, coconut, and vanilla extract.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

Take the first layer and place on your cake plate. Cover entire layer with frosting. Place second layer of cake on top of the first layer and frost with additional frosting. Now add the third layer and complete frosting of cake.

Optional: Garnish with additional pecans on top of cake.

Pass It Down variation:
Substitute 1 cup of buttermilk with 1 cup of sour cream. To enhance chocolate flavor, use hot coffee instead of hot water.