GOLDEN WINTER DUNDEE CAKE.....

Finally, I can stand long enough to BAKE! Yay me. It's been almost five years since I've actually been able to do this. So exciting.  The hardware in my leg is daunting, but I can walk between counters, furniture, etc. doors, windows, with more independent walking, every day.  I can  last about 20 minutes. Yay! Four months ago, couldn't get anywhere. Wow, it's great to be standing up again.  I can reach the baking cupboard once more (Double yay).......so HERE is my own version of Golden Dundee Tea Cake.....

Prepare five small loaf pans: Greased and lined with greased parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 F.

You can use a couple of medium sized loaf pans, or a round cake pan  if you wish instead.

                                          I like the small loaf pans, as they freeze well......

Combine 3 cups Golden Raisins in a saucepan, cover with water and boil about 5 mins . This will soften the raisins. 

Drain liquid from the raisins.

Add to the still warm raisins: 1 cup of margarine , cut up  into pieces,  beating well after each one. The warm raisins will melt the margarine.

Then to this mixture: add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. 

Add : 1 1/4 cup white sugar and beat into the raisin/margarine/sugar mixture. Beat with a large spoon or large fork. 

Add a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon/or almond flavouring , if you wish. Sometimes, I add a couple of tbsps of marmalade, if you wish...just for something different. But I didn't this time.

In a separate bowl: 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, pinch salt.

COMBINE: Raisin mixture with the dry ingredients. Mix well.

Plop batter into the five loaf  pans , all ready and lined with parchment paper. 

Put loaf pans on a cookie sheet  and then into oven . I baked these for about 40 minutes. (I started at 30 minutes then added time, till a sharp knife inserted into centers came out clean.)

Take a piece of margarine and paint the warm cake tops with the margarine. It just gives a nice sheen. Freeze in the loaf pans. Slice and serve with a hot cup of tea and share with friends. WONDERFUL!

"

"There is nothing better  than cake, but MORE cake..." - Harry S. Truman

Photographs 2025 
                                       

FROM SCRATCH

Morgan's WHITE ALMOND LAYER CAKE 

(PAULA DEEN recipe)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2  9 inch pans. Line with parchment. Spray paper.

"Cake is happiness! If  you know the way of the cake, you know the way of happiness! If you have a cake in front of you , you should not look any further for joy!"-C. Joybell C.

1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups CAKE flour

2 ½ tsp baking powder,  Pinch salt

1 cup whole milk, room temp, 2 tblsp sour cream, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 large egg white, room temp

Garnish: strawberries or other fruit

LARGE BOWL: Beat butter, sugar till fluffy

MEDIUM BOWL: Combine flour, baking powder, salt.

SMALL BOWL: Whisk milk, sour cream, vanilla.

ADD: Flour mix to butter mix with milk mix.

beating till combined.

Many moons ago, I  made a  cake from scratch .  I was 16. My uncle had come to visit. My job was to make the cake for dessert.  I made the cake all right. Forgot the egg whites. And the baking powder............I plopped the batter  in a loaf pan. It was fairly solid.

When I turned it out, it dropped on the floor. "Thunk". Like a brick. But I slathered it with chocolate frosting and my uncle ate it anyways......my mother questioned its wondrous density.....I just licked off the frosting.

ANOTHER BOWL: Beat egg whites till stiff peaks form.

Fold into batter  gently

SPREAD batter into prepared pans.BAKE about 40 minutes

Let cool for 10 minutes  on wire racks. Spread with frosting. 

FROSTING:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 pound powdered sugar, ½ cup whole milk, 1 tsp almond extract.

"To have a cake........to howl at the moon....to know true happiness.....I am happy!"-C. Joybell C.

Photographs 2021  This is a delicious cake. Morgan did a great job of it She took care putting it all together, and  it made for a lovely  cake.............

                                                     

CIVIL WAR CAKE for CHRISTMAS

Good for Company. Or, in these days, good for just one or two. Yum Yum. Polish it off with wine or earl Grey tea.....

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old familiar carols play, and wild and sweet, the words repeat of peace on earth , goodwill to men..."

                                                  -Longfellow

Lovely, soft tea cake. Good whenever and however........

1 lb raisins or not , if you wish., 2 cups water,2 cups sugar (1 white & 1 brown)

1 cup shortening,4 1/2 cups cake flour,1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon,2 teaspoons baking soda,1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon clove

1 cup nuts (optional)

"Peace on earth held in the stars' yoke..." Clemens Brentano

·        Combine raisins, sugar, 1 cup of water, shortening, salt & spices in a saucepan.

·        Bring to a boil, simmer 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then cool till lukewarm, then add the other cp of water.

·        Dissolve soda in 2 teaspoons of water.

·        set aside. Stir sifted & measured flour into raisin mixture & beat until smooth.

·        Add dissolved soda last. Pur into greased floured 13x9  

                                           Bake for 50 mins

"The true beauty of Christmas is revealed...." -Michael Johnson

May also be served in a tube pan. Adjust times.

Whip up some whipped cream and plop that on. Yum.

I wouldn't freeze it. So much nicer the day you make it.

My favourite way to serve it is to slice and slather with strawberry jam

"Christmas is filled with joy and laughter..." -Wayne Chirisa

"Let the sky  celebrate....." -Noha  El-Din

Photographs 2020