My Own Creation

Myrna's Very Own Jell-O 'N Pudding Cake

I made this cake up for a church award I was working on.

1 small package cherry Jello gelatin

1 large package Jello chocolate pudding mix, regular cook-style

1/2 cup cooking oil

4 egg whites

1 cup milk

1 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Stir all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add liquid ingredients and blend on low speed of electric mixer. Then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Pour cake into lightly greased pans (2 8-inch layer pans or 1 9X13 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes for the layer pans and 30 minutes for the 9X13 sized pan. Other flavors of pudding and jello may be used. Vanilla and orange are good but chocolate cherry is the best.

Yummy for Your Tummy Spice Cake

Spice Cake

3/4 c. butter or shortening 

1 c. brown sugar 

1 egg 

1/2 c. raisins 

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cloves 

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

I c. sour milk

2 tsp. baking powder

Cream together butter, brown sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in raisins salt and spices. Add half the flour. Blend in baking soda and milk. Stir in remaining flour and baking powder.

Pour batter into buttered 8 inch round layer pans or 7 x 12 inch baking dish. Bake in a moderate oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until top springs back when touched. May be served plain or frosted; warm or cooled. Serves 8.

Coconut Topping Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup shredded coconut (Ground or finely chopped almonds are also good)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (or other chopped nuts)

3 tablespoons light cream

Melt butter in sauce pan. 

Add brown sugar and stir over medium heat until sugar is mostly dissolved. 

Add coconut, pecans, and cream. 

Spread topping over cake and broil cake for 2-3 minutes, until topping is bubbly and browned.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Yield: enough to frost tops and sides of two or three 8- or 9-inch cake layers

ingredients

1 12 ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate pieces

1/2 cup butter

1 8 ounce container dairy sour cream

4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar (about 1 pound)

In a large saucepan melt semisweet chocolate pieces and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until smooth. This frosts tops and sides of two or three 8- or 9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost the top of a 13x9x2-inch cake.) Cover and store frosted cake in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Molasses Cake

Pumpkin Molasses Cake

2 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp grated orange zest (optional)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk or soured milk (add 1 tbsp vinegar to 3/4 cup milk)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup molasses

Powdered sugar or vanilla frosting

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9X13 baking pan. Mix the four, zest, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and add the brown sugar and continue to cream until light. One at a time and the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add the buttermilk and the four mixture, alternately, a little at a time, to the butter mixture. Be sure to beat the mixture well after each addition. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 35 minutes or until done. Cool. Either frost or sprinkle top with powdered sugar.

This make a really BIG cake!

German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for the cake:

4 ounces sweet dark chocolate (see Shopping Hint below)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup warm milk

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 medium egg whites

2 cups sugar

5 medium egg yolks, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk, well shaken

For the coconut frosting:

2 cup sugar

8 medium egg yolks

2 cups evaporated milk

2 cups (2 sticks) butter

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

20 ounces fresh or frozen and thawed grated coconut

3 cups finely ground pecans, walnuts, or almonds

1/2 cup warm milk

Prepare the chocolate by melting it in the top of a double boiler, stirring until it is smooth. Add 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of the butter and stir until it is melted and blended. Add 1/4 cup of warm milk and stir until smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Line the bottoms only of three 9-inch cake pans with circles of parchment paper, or grease each pan bottom only with solid shortening and dust lightly with flour. Sift together the sifted and measured flour, baking soda, and salt.

Whip the egg whites until stiff using the wire beater of the mixer. Transfer the beaten whites to a separate bowl and set aside.

In the mixer bowl, cream the remaining 1 1/2 sticks of butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the melted, cooled chocolate and the vanilla. Mix well.

With the mixer on very low, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Do this by adding about a third of the flour and slowly stirring it in completely. Then add about half the buttermilk and stir it in. Continue adding flour and buttermilk in this manner, ending with flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and stir again. Do not beat the batter! With a long-handled spoon or spatula, fold and stir the beaten egg whites into the batter until the batter is smooth with no visible clumps of whites.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes. Bake on the middle rack of the oven, allowing at least 1/4-inch clearance between the pans and the oven walls. The cake will rise above the pan edges as it bakes but will not spill over and will settle back down as it continues to bake. The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pans and springs back to a light touch. Cool layers in the pans for about 8 minutes. This makes too much cake to bake in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan.

Run a knife around the edges of each pan and turn the layers out onto wire racks that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cool layers completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, combine the sugar, egg yolks, and evaporated milk in the top of a double boiler. Stir with a wire whisk until the yolks are fully incorporated. Add the butter. Place over simmering water and bring to a boil (see Note below). Simmer for 12-15 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Add the vanilla, coconut, and nuts. Cool.

To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake stand and spread with frosting. Frost each layer completely, top and sides, as it is added to the cake.

Note: You can also make the frosting in a regular saucepan, but be sure to stir it constantly, as it scorches quite easily. Also, you must use the finely grated fresh or frozen coconut, not canned or shredded, to be able to spread the frosting on the sides of the cake easily.

My Aunt's Buttermilk Spice Cake

My Aunt's Buttermilk Spice Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup Crisco

3 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan or 2 8 in. round cake pans. Measure all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Blend for 30 seconds on low speed. Scrape sides of bowl down. Blend on high speed for one minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pans. Smack pans gently on counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake 9x13 for 45 minutes; 8 inch rounds for 30-40 minutes or until wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Frost cake with your favorite frosting.

Black Magic Chocolate Cake

Black Magic Chocolate Cake

My wonderful Aunt Renee used to use brewed coffee in place of the water in this cake. It made a great cake but I don't drink coffee and, after I found out what she was putting in it, I stopped eating hers. I think the water works. It does for me and then I don't have issues.) I still think she was a great cook and I still love her.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cup sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 c water

1 c buttermilk

1/2 c vegetable oil

1 tsp real vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 oz melted unsweetened chocolate, cooled

3 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed for two minutes. Batter will be thin. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan or two 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes for a 9x13, or 30-35 minutes for layer pans. Combine frosting ingredients and mix with a hand or stand mixer. Spread frosting on cooled cakes.

Chocolate Mayo Cake

Chocolate Mayo Cake

This is was known as the Depression Chocolate Cake. I always loved it. You cannot tell that it has mayo in it. I made it from time to time when you kids were young. LHT (your Dad) really doesn't like dark chocolate cake. He would rather have a white cake with chocolate frosting. But, wow, I do (did).

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups water

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9 inch layer pans or one 13X9 pan. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, and sugar into a large bowl. Stir in mayonnaise. Gradually add water and vanilla and blend until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes. Cool, remove from pans, and frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

German Chocolate Topping

German Chocolate Frosting

1 cup sugar

1 cup canned evaporated milk

3 eggs

4 tsp vanilla

1/4 pound butter (1 stick)

1 1/4 cup flaked coconut

1 cup nuts, chopped (pecans are best but walnuts are OK)

Cook first five ingredients together until the butter has melted and the mixture has become thick. Add coconut, nuts and vanilla. Remove from heat. Mix well and spread on cake.

Sister Dyer's Favorite Cake

Sister Dyer's Favorite White Cake (from the Relief Society Magazine)

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter 

2 well-beaten eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

In a large mixing bowl place butter and sugar and beat to mix. Add eggs, vanilla and milk and beat. Add dry ingredients sifted together.  Beat for three minutes. 

To use for a pudding mix cake:

Add:

1 pkg vanilla instant pudding

2 more eggs

2 Tbsp flour

Add the pudding mix with the dry ingredients and proceed as above.

Pour batter into two greased 9-inch cake tins, or one bundt pan or one 9X13 cake pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 mins for the smaller tins and 45 mins for the larger tins. 

Frost as usual. 

Pecan: Use 1 pkg butter pean instant pudding mix. and 1/2 tsp maple flavoring. Also use 1 tsp cinnamon.

Chocolate: Add 3 Tbsp cocoa and subtract 2 Tbsp flour.

Sister Dyer's Favorite Cake

Sister Dyer's Favorite White Cake (from the Relief Society Magazine)

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter 

2 well-beaten eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

In a large mixing bowl place butter and sugar and beat to mix. Add eggs, vanilla and milk and beat. Add dry ingredients sifted together.  Beat for three minutes. 

To use for a pudding mix cake:

Add:

1 pkg vanilla instant pudding

2 more eggs

2 Tbsp flour

Add the pudding mix with the dry ingredients and proceed as above.

Pour batter into two greased 9-inch cake tins, or one bundt pan or one 9X13 cake pan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 mins for the smaller tins and 45 mins for the larger tins. 

Frost as usual. 

Pecan: Use 1 pkg butter pean instant pudding mix. and 1/2 tsp maple flavoring. Also use 1 tsp cinnamon.

Chocolate: Add 3 Tbsp cocoa and subtract 2 Tbsp flour.

Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

3/4 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease bottoms of three 8-inch round baking pans or two 8x8x2-inch square or 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour waxed paper and sides of pans. Or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set pan(s) aside. In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder; and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl; continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to beaten mixture, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan(s). Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes for 8-inch square pans and the 13x9x2-inch pan, 30 to 35 minutes for 8- or 9-inch round pans, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Peel off waxed paper. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Or place 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Just for Fun Spice Cake

I haven't made this for years and years. 

Tomato Soup Cake 

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar (can substitute ¾ cup honey)

1 cup tomato soup, undiluted

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Blend the shortening with sugar. Stir baking soda into tomato soup and add to butter/sugar mixture.  Sift dry ingredients and add to the mixture. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Pour into greased and floured 13” by 9” cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Frost with a Cream Cheese Frosting.

Just for Fun Spice Cake

I haven't made this for years and years. 

Tomato Soup Cake 

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar (can substitute ¾ cup honey)

1 cup tomato soup, undiluted

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Blend the shortening with sugar. Stir baking soda into tomato soup and add to butter/sugar mixture.  Sift dry ingredients and add to the mixture. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Pour into greased and floured 13” by 9” cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Frost with a Cream Cheese Frosting.

My Favorite Chocolate Cake

I FINALLY found my favorite chocolate cake recipe. Well, duh! I remembered that I used to use the cake recipe on the back of the cocoa can. I went online and there it was. I'm a happy camper. The frosting is the same one, as well.

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

Skill Level:Beginner

Prep Time:15 Minutes 

Ingredients

2 cups sugar1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon salt2 eggs1 cup milk1/2 cup vegetable oil2 teaspoons vanilla extract1 cup boiling water "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. 

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. 

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings. 

VARIATIONS:

ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost. 

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes. 

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.

Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Julie's Carrot Cake

Julie's Carrot Cake

Julie found the original recipe online but then she fiddled around with it until it became her own. I seriously love this cake.

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cooking oil

3 eggs

Beat sugar, cooking oil and eggs in a large bowl on the low speed of an electric mixer for about 30 seconds or until well-blended.

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add the dry ingredients to the sugar/oil/eggs mixture and beat on low speed of the mixer for one minute.

1 16-ounce package of frozen sliced carrots (3 cups)

Cook the carrots, according to package directions, until they are soft. Puree the carrots and add the cake dough mixture. Mix until blended.

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Stir in the nuts and pour batter into a prepared greased and lightly floured 13X9X2-inch pan. Bake at 350-degrees for about 45 minutes. If round cake pans are used, bake for 35 minutes.

Frosting

3 sups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup maple syrup (Julie uses homemade with extract)

Beat together and frost cooled cake.

Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake

This is the cake I used to make quite often on Sundays.

Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake (My Favorite)

1 cup quick oatmeal

1/2 cup butter

1 1/4 cup boiling water

2 eggs, well beaten

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cloves

Frosting (coconut topping):

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

3 Tbsp milk

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts

(May add 2 Tbsp cocoa and drop allspice and cloves)

For cake: Combine oats, butter and boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes. Beat together the eggs, sugars and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add, along with the oats, to the sugar mixture. Beat well. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes. Then combine the frosting ingredients, spread on cake and place under the broiler for one min or until frosting begins to bubble. WATCH so that it does not burn.

Grandma Smith's One, Two, Three, Four White Celebration Cake

Grandma Smith's One, Two, Three, Four White Celebration Cake

A favorite celebration recipe that has been in our family for many years is a delicious from-scratch white cake that's called One, Two, Three, Four Cake. The name comes from the first four ingredients--1 cup, 2 cups, 3 cups, and 4 eggs--easy and beautiful.

Cake:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

4 eggs

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp lemon extract

1 1/2 cups milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each egg. In another mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the milk. (One cup of flour mixture and mix in then add 1/2 cup of milk and beat. Do this each time, beating well between additions.) Add the flavorings. Beat on high speed of the electric mixer for 3 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round pans and bake for 35-minutes or until done. Remove from oven and let cool about 5 minutes before removing cakes from pans. (I also sometimes us one 13-inch by 9-inch pan and bake for 45 minutes.)

Icing:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter (one stick)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tablespoon milk

12-ounces flaked coconut, separated

Cream the butter and sugar together until well mixed. (I like to melt the butter slightly because it mixes in better. I put it in the microwave for about 25 seconds.) Add the flavorings and milk and mix until creamy. Frost the cake. (When I make the layer cake, I double the frosting recipe.) Sprinkle flaked or shredded coconut on top of the cake.

Iceland Christmas Cake

Years ago I taught the Relief Society Cultural Refinement lesson in the Nephi First Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each month, the lesson leader, would teach about a different country, their culture, arts, and food. I looked for a recipe from Iceland that would be easy to make, tasty and authentic. A friend of mine, Claudia Ostler, had a set of cookbooks filled with home recipes created by real women from actual countries. In one of those books, I found this recipe. It filled the bill nicely and also became something that I liked to make. In addition, the women loved it as did my family. They were my tasters before I made any food for the actual event. The cake part of the recipe is really more of a cookie.

Cake

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
4 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Cream butter until soft. Gradually add sugar. Continue mixing until very creamy. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add alternately with milk to the butter mixture. The dough should be firm but not stiff. It can be chilled for easy handling. Divide dough into seven equal portions. Roll each portion out thinly (about 1/4-inch thick) on upside-down pan. Trim edges. Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly brown at the edges but done in the middle. Remove from oven and slide cake off bottom of the pan. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat until all seven layers are baked. The layers can be baked on parchment or waxed paper with has been placed on a cookie sheet. Layers will be hard like a butter cookie. Spread a generous amount of filling between layers, stacking them as you do so. If desired, drizzle glaze on tip and let it run over the edges a bit. Yield: 14 servings.

For the filling, use apricot, raspberry or plum jam.

Or, make the following:

2 pounds dried prunes
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cover prunes with water. Cook until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Remove pits and put prune fruit through a grinder or cut into fine pieces. Add prune liquid, sugar and cardamom seed to prunes. Cook until filling is as thick as jam. Cool. Add vanilla and salt and mix in well.

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon milk
I teaspoon vanilla

Place powdered sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Melt the butter and pour into sugar. Add other ingredients and mix until smooth. Drizzle over top of the layered cake.

Grandmother Smith's Old Fashioned Pineapple Sugar Cookies

Grandma got this cookie recipe from the Salt Lake Tribune and enjoyed making them. I enjoyed eating them.

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, separated
4 cups flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 can (8 3/4 ounce) crushed pineapple
Cream butter, sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together flour, salt and soda. Add lemon juice to evaporated milk. Add dry and liquid ingredients alternately to creamed mixture. Beat in vanilla. Stir in nuts and pineapple. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. Drop by rounded tablespoons three-inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle each with a little sugar lightly spiced with cinnamon or nutmeg. Bake at 375-degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly brown rimmed. Lift from cookie sheet with a spatula and cool on a cake rack. Store tightly covered. Makes about four dozen cookies.

Pudding Chip Cookies

These cookies are a favorite in the Philip and Gwen Jones family. It's a good thing that Jim, their son, married our daughter, Julie, so we Trauntveins could get the recipe and enjoy the cookies ourselves.

Ingredients:

4 1/2 C. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 C. margarine

1 C. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 pkg. (6 serving size) Jell-O vanilla instant pudding (3/4 Cup)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

3 cups chocolate chips (1 pkg.)

Instructions:

Mix butter, sugars, pudding and vanilla in a bowl.  Add flour and baking powder and then chocolate chips.  Lightly grease cookie sheet.  Bake on cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Coconut Classics

When I first started working as a stringer for the Provo Daily Herald, Marilyn Keyte, was working for the Deseret News as a stringer. She had worked for the Herald until the better-paying position became available. She became my great friend. I learned to love her. First of all, she was a very smart newspaper woman who was willing to help me learn what it meant to be an outstanding stringer. Second, she had a heart of gold. There was nothing which could be taught that was not taught.

Sometimes when we would go out to do stories together, on assignment (for example to the Little Sahara Sand Dunes at Easter time) from two different newspapers, we would take a lunch. One of the things she liked to do was wrap a cheese sandwich in tinfoil and put it on the dash. Usually, by the time lunch hour rolled around, the cheese was melted and the bread was warm.

Marilyn was also a good cook. These cookies are an example of the many good things she baked.

1 pound (2 cups) butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flaked coconut
Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add one-half the coconut (reserve one-half to tint pink and roll dough in before slicing)> Form dough into a long roll. Cill well before slicing and baking. Bake at 350-degrees for 10-minutes or until done. You may roll the cookies in chopped nuts and chocolate sprinkles before baking instead of in coconut.

School Lunch Peanut Butter Nougats

This is another of those school lunch recipes that Grandmother Smith and I enjoyed. It was a good thing that she amassed a goodly number of cookies recipes over the years because that was my favorite after school snack--cookies and milk. This is more of a candy than a cookie but I still liked them with milk. The cookies were stored in our cookie jar and were always there for hungry grandchildren to eat. I must admit that it was easier for grandma to keep her grandchildren happy since she had only four. I have, to date, 33. Keeping a full cookie jar on my counter is not easy.

1 cup peanut butter
I cup white Karo corn syrup
1 1/4 cup dry milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Combine the peanut butter and Karo syrup. Gradually stir in nonfat dry milk powder.  Mix well. Turn onto waxed paper and knead until well-blended. Shape into desired shape. For a firmer candy, chill in the refrigerator for one hour prior to serving.

Grandma Smith's School Lunch Cookies

My grandmother, Vivian Christene Pritchett Smith, taught school for more than 40 years.

Her father, John Thompson Pritchett, was the first, and only, pharmacist in Huntington, Utah. He moved there after Grandmother was married and Grandma and her husband, Grandfather Raymond James Smith, moved there later. Grandpa Smith owned and operated a meat market in the community. He later went to school and learned to be a bookkeeper. He then became ill with cancer and died, still young man, leaving my grandmother, mother and aunt. My grandmother had graduated from BYU with a normal certificate, meaning she was a certificated teacher. She began teaching again in the Emery County School District.

After her girls were married, she took a teacher/principal position in the Carbon County School District because the pay was better. These cookies were a favorite of the Southside (later the Reeves) elementary school children there. Grandma asked for the recipe and was given it. These were a favorite of ours.

1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
 3/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour (sometimes a bit more)
Cream the sugar and butter together. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well each time. Next add vanilla and milk. Then add salt. Add flour until dough is stiff enough to roll. Roll on floured board, cut into three-inch circles and bake at 375-degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.

Pie Crust Cookies

One of my favorite cookies was the ones made from leftover uncooked pie crust. There was always a bit of pie crust left after the pies were made for family celebrations. Grandma made them and now I do. I guess it runs in the family. The only difference is that now, at times, I will make the pie crust dough just to make the cookies.

1 recipe for pie crust which has been made and is ready to roll
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar
Stir together the cinnamon and sugar and place in a shaker.
Gather together the scraps of pie crust dough which has been left over or use the freshly made pie crust dough. Cut into oddball shapes with a knife or use a round cookie cutter to cut the cookies before baking. Place on and ungreased cookie sheet. (You may apply a small amount of melted butter to the tops of the cookies. I don't.) Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake eight to 10 minutes at 350- to 375-degrees alongside your pie while it is baking or by themselves, depending on the number. Remove from oven when lightly browned and eat while warm.