The 44 Year Old Recipe Book

Do you tear recipes out of magazines?  Or save the magazine that has a great sounding recipe in it?  Or have 50 cookbooks loading down your cabinet?  I do all of these things and have for all of my 44 years of married life.  And with today’s technology, I am always searching for recipes on the web.

But, I especially treasure the little recipe box that I received at my church bridal tea in 1966.  It is filled to overflowing with “keepers”; many in the handwriting of that special friend who shared her favorite at a bring-a-dish pot luck event throughout the years.  The first index card in the box read:

“May you fill this little box with many favorites throughout the years.  One of my favorites is the “recipe for happiness” found in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13.”

So I dedicate this first blog post to the wonderful ladies at Pleasant Plains Baptist Church in 1966.  The memories of those days and these sweet ladies are priceless.

And now, from one of those magazines I have saved- Southern Living, January 1999 included the recipe for Hummingbird Cake, and it remains the most requested recipe in Southern Living history.  And it is also the cake that my family requests the most.  One slice and you know why. 

Southern Living’s Hummingbird Cake

Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

• 3  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  cups  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 3  large eggs, beaten
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1  (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1  cup  chopped pecans
• 2  cups  chopped ripened bananas
• Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)
• 1/2  cup  chopped pecans

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.

Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans. (Diane’s tip:  I use parchment paper in my cake pans.) Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information - Calories: 642; Fat: 34.2g; Cholesterol: 71mg; Sodium: 312mg

Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1  (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2  cup  butter or margarine, softened
• 1  (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract

Preparation

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.

Nutritional Information - Calories: 71; Fat: 3.6g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Sodium 34mg

I would love to hear your comments if you take time to make this delicious cake.  I’ll bet your family and friends will sing your praises for days after that first piece!

Until next time…..

Blessings,

Diane

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