**DARK FRUIT CAKE**
2 lbs dates
1 lb raisins
1 lb currants
½ lb mixed peel
½ lb almonds
½ cup strawberry jam
½ cup grape juice, or extra ½ cup jam
1 cup molasses
1 cup cold coffee
2 cup brown sugar
6 eggs
6 cup flour
¾ cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mace
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
The directions are very brief, as they are in all the hand written recipes in the old books of Mom and Gram's. Likely speaks to their comfort and level of baking expertise.
- Cream sugar and shortening.
- Add eggs and all liquids.
- Add flour and fruit.
*~There are no further instructions. I think oven at 350°F. I remember sticking straws from the broom into the cake to check for doneness. If there was no sticky residue on the straw, it was declared done!!! Be sure to grease the pan before putting the batter in it. GOOD LUCK !
I received this from STcassie from the CB message board:
- "The recipe for dark fruitcake is baked between 250-300°F degrees for three hours. The fruit ingredients should be floured in a covered bowl of some sort. This stops them from sticking together."
Mom always used a baking pan with the cone in the middle, it improved evenness in the baking and reduced the time. Remember this was always done in a coal oven where regulating the temperature was an art that was mostly taken for granted at the time.
**BEER CAKE**
(I found this recipe, hand written, in the back of one of Mom's old cook books)Ingredients:
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups chopped dates
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
2 cups beer(or ale)
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups flour
½ tsp salt
Method:
-Cream sugar & shortening
-Stir in eggs, nuts, dates & spices
~In a separate bowl mix flour, soda & salt
-Stir in beer
-Combine beer mixture with creamed mixture
-Mix well
~Place in a large tube pan
-Bake at 350°F for 1 hour 15 min.
**MARVIN SQUARES**
*~Bottom:
½ cup butter
4 tbsp cocoa
1 cup coconut
1 egg
¼ cup brown sugar
2 cup cracker crumbs
1 tsp vanilla
salt
- Mix and press in 8x8 pan. ( greased )
*~TOP
- Mix together ½ cup butter, 2 tbsp vanilla custard powder and 2 tbsp milk.
- Add icing sugar to this.
- Spread on bottom mixture and chill.
- Melt 4 sqs. semi-sweet chocolate with 1 tbsp butter and spread over top mixture.
- Chill slightly and cut in sqs. and chill further.
**Tina's Thick Molasses Cookies**(Hand written by Tina)
- Mix together:
1 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup melted shortening
1 cup sugar
- ADD:
4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup milk
- Roll to ¼ inch thickness
~ Bake @ 375°F for 9 min.
- Let stand on the tray for about 1 min.
- Remove to a clean dry counter top & let cool.
**Should make around 4 dozen.
**IRIS'S BLUEBERRY SQUARES**
-Top:
1 egg white beaten stiff
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup blueberries
-Bottom:
3 tbsp butter
¼ cup sugar
1 egg yolk
¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup milk
- Mix butter , sugar, then egg yolk.
- Add dry ingredients, then milk and vanilla.
- Spread in 8' PAN.
Top with:
1 egg white beaten stiff
½ cup brown sugar
- Fold in 1 cup blueberries
- Pour over batter.
- Bake at 325°F for 25-30 mins or until brown .
**FUDGE**
3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp flour
¾ cup cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla.
- Combine all ingredients except vanilla (& optional nuts and/or coconut).
~ Cook to soft ball stage. ( ????)
((This also from STcassie-As for the soft ball stage in the fudge recipe, that means when a drop or two of fudge, dropped into cold water, forms a soft ball it is ready to take off the heat.))
- Remove from heat, let stand 3 minutes.
- Add Vanilla
- Beat till smooth and creamy.
- Pour into buttered dish.
~ Chill.
**IRIS'S PIE CRUST**
1 lb 'golden' Crisco(room temp)
5 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup cold water
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
Method :
-In large bowl mix well flour, brown sugar & salt.
-Cut in shortening with a pastry blender (do not overwork).
-In a second bowl add beaten egg, vanilla & cold water.
-Mix well
-Slowly add to flour mixture, blending briskly with a fork only until dough holds together. (All liquid may not be needed)
-Shape into 3 balls.
*Dough can be frozen for 2 months or refrigerated for 2 weeks and must be left out for at least one hour before rolling.
*When rolling, rolling pin and counter must be kept well floured.
~Bake pie @ 375°F for 45 min.
Makes 6 single or 3 double pie crusts.
**This from Kristal:
It is my recollection that there was salt in the pastry dough and that is how she made it. Funny how I did not remember the brown sugar until I saw it on the recipe (I do remember when pies were ready for the oven they got dabbed with milk or carnation and sprinkled with either white or brown sugar, depending on what kind of pie it was). But I do remember the salt. It is my assumption it was about a teaspoon, she used her hand not a measuring spoon for many of the small dry ingredients, I do the same lol. It looked like a teaspoon is all I can tell you lol. The method is a basic method,but, she used her hands to mix the dough, not a fork, pour with one, mix with the other, but it has to be done quickly. All dough can be frozen or refrigerated for the times mentioned above (not to many people make 3-6 pies at one time anymore). I actually do not remember the "golden" Crisco, just the regular, am actually unsure it was out then, perhaps this was a more recent one she had adopted in the last years. Hope this helps.
I have also added page for fruit cake recipes to the site. There are so many variations I thought it worth doing up a page.....Brianm.
**Sauce Recipe For Baked Ham**
(Mom)1 Can Ginger ale
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Mustard
Ground Pepper
- Mix all together until the solids are dissolved.
- Score the ham diagonally in a criss cross manner creating 1 inch squares about 30 minutes before done.
- Place pineapple rings on as much of the ham as possible.
- Using toothpicks, put a cherry in each ring.
- Pour the sauce over the ham.
- Baste every 5 minutes until done.
- The ham will be golden and the cherries and pineapple will be glazed. Yummy.
- Pour off the remaining pan liquids
- Serve in a gravy boat as a sauce..good on the ham and the mashed! Enjoy.
