• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Carefully I brought it back to the porch and it was nearly worth being slapped just to hear Bailey gasp.

Uncle Willie said, “This cake can’t pay you for being slapped in the face. Momma made it just to tell you how much we love you and how precious you are.”

Caramel Cake

SERVES 8

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

1¼ cups sugar

¼ cup Caramel Syrup (recipe follows)

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 large eggs

Caramel Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two 8-inch layer cake pans with greased wax paper.

In large mixing bowl, beat butter, and add 1 cup sugar gradually until light and fluffy. Beat in syrup.

In medium mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture, alternating with milk.

In separate medium mixing bowl, beat eggs about 3 minutes, until foamy. Add remaining sugar, and beat until there is a fine spongy foam. Stir into cake batter until blended.

Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove pans from oven. Gently press center of cake with forefinger. Cake should spring back when finger is removed. If it doesn’t, return to oven for 10 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack, and remove wax paper. Let cakes cool to room temperature before frosting.

To assemble: Center one cooled cake layer on cake plate. Cover top and sides with generous helping of frosting. Place second layer evenly on frosted layer. Repeat frosting procedure. Make certain that sides are completely frosted. Cool in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Caramel Syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 cup boiling water

Heat sugar in heavy skillet over low heat. Stir constantly until melted to a brown liquid. When it bubbles over entire surface, remove from heat. Slowly add boiling water, stirring constantly. Pour into container and cool.

Caramel Frosting

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter

One 8-ounce package confectioners’ sugar

4 tablespoons heavy cream

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Brown butter in heavy pot over medium heat—be vigilant or it will burn. Allow butter to cool. In large mixing bowl, add confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla extract, and salt to the butter, and beat until smooth. If frosting is too stiff, add tablespoon of half-and-half or full cream to thin.

Coconut Cake

SERVES 8

⅔ cup soft butter

1 ½ cups sugar

2 ½ cups sifted cake flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

⅓ cup milk

4 large egg whites

⅛ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

4 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

Coconut Frosting (recipe follows)

1 cup shredded sweet coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch layer cake pans with greased wax paper. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

In medium mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Add to cream mixture, alternating with milk.

In separate medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Beat again for 2 minutes. Fold in salt and cream of tartar. Set aside.

In another medium mixing bowl, beat egg yolks. Add yolks to cake batter, then fold in whites, vanilla extract, and coconut flavoring.

Pour batter into layer cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake springs back when center is pressed gently with forefinger. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; then turn out onto rack, and remove wax paper. Let cakes cool to room temperature.

To frost, place first cake layer on cake plate, and spread frosting on top. Sprinkle some coconut on top of frosting. Place second layer onto first layer, and cover entire cake with frosting. Sprinkle coconut on top of cake, and place shreds of coconut on sides of cake. Refrigerate, and serve cold.

Coconut Frosting

1 pint whipping cream

½ cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring

In medium mixing bowl, whip cream until frothy. Add sugar and coconut flavoring, and whip until it