Vintage Recipe OTD

...In which we shall introduce you to another of Femke's Favorite Things: Vintage Cookbooks. Not period cookbooks. Vintage one. 20th century cookbooks before pomegranates, the amuse bouche, and South Beach came into our lives. All butter, fresh cream, sugar-packed baking. I acquired my first one when I borrowed Mom's Farm Journal Pies cookbook so often she just gave it to me (love that book). I've also acquired some reprints. I started with more of the Farm Journal books - Ice Cream and Cakes, the Complete Baking Book, and Cookies. I also have the reprint edition of the Betty Crocker Cookie Book.

But I think I want to start watching for them at flea markets, and such. Especially some of the old promotional ones that used a specific product (Baker's Chocolate, Swan's Down Cake Flour, Clabber Girl Baking Powder - etc.)

There are some real gems in some of them. F'rinstance, I had to make a cake for a co-worker's birthday yesterday. It was important, because she often does it for others. And I had to work, didn't get home til 7 PM = and it was wicked hot and sticky. These are not friendly conditions for my usual triple layer cake with buttercream icing, no matter the flavor. So I hunted around, and found this little gem.

Chocolate Cinnamon Texas Sheet Cake

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare and 15x10x1 sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.

1 c water
3/4 c shortening
1/4 c cocoa powder
2 1/2 c sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
2 c sugar
1/2 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, bring water, shortening, and cocoa to a boil. Set aside to cool slightly

In a med mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a large mixing bowl, blend (but do not beat) eggs and sugar. Blend in cocoa mixture. Add 1/2 of flour mixture, then buttermilt, then remaining flour mixture. Stir in vanilla. Pour into pan and bake about 20 minutes. Cool.

Icing:
In a saucepan, melt 1/2 c butter with 1/4 c milk. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 c powdered sugar with 1/4 c cocoa. Add to melted butter, stir until lumps are gone. Pour over cake and spread gently with the back of a spoon.

I used my new little bag of Vietnamese cinnamon from The Seasoned Home in Holland. It gave this little cake a surprising bite. There isn't an overwhelming amount of cocoa (Again, that's something of a modern affectation), so the cinnamon really comes through.

Maybe next weekend I'll raid Mom's collection again. ;-) Hey, it's worked in the past. She has a bunch, including Pillsbury Bakeoff cookbooks that go back to nearly its inception. And some other fun 60's era delights.

If ya'll want, I'll also share the faboo gingerbread recipe that, IIRC, is from the Cry Baby Molasses bottle - many moons ago.

Stuff and Nonsense and a few other things

It was nice to have a day off. ;-) Though I forgot to check in with Leslie about my blocked kitty. Which I feel badly about, since my cell phone is kaput and I haven't bothered with a new contract yet. Something I caught section and paragraph about from Dad when he had trouble tracking me down for a critter question.

We went down to the farmer's market, then out on a site survey with John for some notion he has. Then back into GR for a little shopping and some playtime for the girls.

Too hot at home to work on the housebrook dress. But I did make a chocolate cinnamon sheet cake for us'ns at home - since the first one was so tasty. And started some wulsthaube experimenting.

Trial #1 will be a round straw wreath base sewn to the unterhaube. So far, wreath has been wrapped in cotton batting, and I'm sewing on a muslin cover. Still noodling on the construction of the unterhaube. I may use an extant Dutch cap as a guide, though I'll smooth it out, more like the goldhaubes in the Saxon portraits in that regard.

Trial #2 is more of a wicker/bramble base. The base is soaking in water. Tomorrow I'll wrap it with twine into an egg shape and let it dry, in preparation for padding and wrapping. ;-)

Yes, pictures are being taken of progress, as it goes.