Hi. It's Lois at Recipe Idea Shop, with an amazing Spice Cake. Since today is our oldest daughter's birthday, I thought I'd better post a cake for her birthday. I wish we could be with Abbi and actually serve her a special cake on her birthday, but we can't this year. Happy birthday, Abbi.
Recipe Idea: Speedy Spice Cake
This recipe comes from At My Grandmother's Knee by Faye Porter. It's called "Speedy Spice Cake" in the cookbook, which is comprised of contributed recipes from women across the U.S. South. The recipe was provided by Jean Smith of Mooreville, Tennesee. She says her grandmother "was known for this spice cake - she made so many that her house actually smelled like the spices."
The first time I made Speedy Spice Cake I used two round cake pans. Then I layered the cakes, using double the topping, putting half between the layers and half on top. The cake is amazing, with or without the topping. Moist, fresh, perfect. Delightful with a cup of coffee or tea any time of the day. I especially like it as a coffee cake for breakfast. (I do like my sugar.)
Speedy Spice Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup shortening or butter
- 1 -¼ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs unbeaten
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 cups sifted cake flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- ⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 tablespoon water
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Directions for Cake:
- In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar, eggs and milk. Beat well until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
- Add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture.
- Add the molasses and vanilla and mix well.
- Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Or make it in two round cake pans and then make double the topping, putting half of it between the layers and half on top.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. "Frost" with topping below immediately.
Directions for Topping:
- In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar, butter, water and pecans.
- Cook over medium heat until the ingredients have melted.
- Pour over the hot cake and serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla yogurt.
Nutrition
Lois Carter Crawford is an author, home chef, health advocate, and food coach who fought her way back from several debilitating health issues, including a moderate heart attack! She discovered that inflammation caused by the food she ate was the underlying cause of most of her health problems and developed a method and tools to help others research their food sensitivities.
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