It’s not a minute too soon, not really, to look ahead to Easter and start pulling together our menu roster possibilities for the special dinner that always polishes off this special day.
In the dessert category, two Forum cooks suggest making a cake, and share favorite recipes guaranteed to please all ages and tastes.
Miss Vonny McCarver of Everett writes, “I do so love cakes, so to keep the array of cakes going, because you can never have enough good cake recipes, and also because Easter is right around the corner, I’m sharing a recipe from good ol’ Paula Deen.
“The name isn’t real ‘Easter-ish,’ but you can call it what you want.”
And Mill Creek cook and cookie baker Shirley Christiansen antes up with a comfy oatmeal cake and tells us, “Perhaps this is the recipe Patricia Ellis is looking for. I can vouch for the fact it is a favorite at our home and has been for many years.”
By the way, you Forum readers who think you don’t like oats in any way, shape or form must not (shame on you, if you do) overlook this recipe — it’s as yummy in its own way as today’s cream-cake concoction.
And besides, oatmeal’s good for you — and you won’t even know you’re doing yourself a favor by indulging!
Is it really better than sex cake?
1box (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
1can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 1/3cups sugar, divided
1box (3.4 ounces) French vanilla pudding mix, plus ingredients to prepare
1 1/2cups heavy cream
1cup flaked coconut, toasted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Turn into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
While cake is baking, in a saucepan, combine the pineapple with juice and 1 cup of the sugar; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Remove cake from oven. Using a fork, pierce holes in cake. Pour the pineapple mixture over the hot cake and set aside to cool.
When cooled, prepare the pudding mix according to package directions; spread evenly over cooled cake and refrigerate until cold.
Whip the cream with remaining 1/3 cup sugar until stiff, then spread evenly over top of cake.
Sprinkle evenly with the toasted coconut. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Makes one 9-by-13-inch pan.
Oatmeal cake
1 1/2cups boiling water
1cup oatmeal
1/2cup butter
1cup brown sugar
1cup white sugar
2eggs
1 1/2cups flour
1teaspoon cinnamon
1teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
1teaspoon vanilla
Frosting (recipe follows)
In a mixing bowl, pour boiling water over oatmeal and let stand 20 minutes.
In a separate mixing bowl, cream butter with sugars. Beat in eggs. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt all at once. Add vanilla and beat well. Add the oatmeal/water mixture and mix well.
Turn into a greased-and-floured, 9-by-13-inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and frost while still warm.
Makes one 9-by-13-inch cake.
Frosting
1/2cup butter
1/2cup evaporated milk
1cup brown sugar
1teaspoon vanilla
1cup coconut
1/2cup chopped nuts
In a saucepan, combine the butter, evaporated milk, brown sugar and vanilla and boil 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add coconut and chopped nuts. Spread over cake and broil for 2 to 3 minutes.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s comics pages.
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