Friday, December 17, 2010

St. Nicholas Cakes

I may have mentioned this cook book before;

The I hate to cook book

vintage (1960) and totally hilarious and practical all in one.

She is witty, talkative and suddenly throws at you

new recipes...

If you ever see one at a thrift store,

I suggest snapping it right up!

My yummy vegan chocolate cakes come from this book;

she calls them

cockeyed cake

I call them Lenten deliciousness.

Cleo wanted to help bake the cakes.

*

Don't worry though, I didn't let her get closer

(really, the close eye I keep on her...)

soon she scampered off...

They are now baked, cooling and will be frosted tomorrow.
(Frosting recipe here).
Cake recipe as follows:
mix dry ingredients (1.5 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 3 tbs cocoa, 1 tsp soda, 1/2 tsp salt)
make three holes in the dry mixture
in each hole add one of the following:
5 tbs cooking oil, 1 tbs vinegar, 1 tsp vanilla
then pour 1 cup water on top and mix until, as
Peg Braken says,
"You'll feel like you're making mud pies now, but beat it with a spoon
until it's nearly smooth and you can't see the flour." (page 92)
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
*
From past experience, I can assure you that
these cakes will be soon gone
when served at church for
St. Nicholas Day.
*
It is so good to make these cakes in honour of the
Feast Day of St. Nicholas!

6 comments:

Matushka Anna said...

Yummy! I love old cookbooks (not that I have many). One of my favorites is a cookbook from a Greek Orthodox church from the 1970s. Lots of good recipes.

That's actually where I got MY lenten chocolate cake recipe!

E Helena E said...

Oh, I love that book! It certainly is hilarious. You are cooking up a storm there with Cleo's help. Love to you.

. said...

I might have to check out this cook book! I'm a cook book-aholic! Seriously! I just love cooking and trying new recipes! Elizabeth, if you ever get an inkling to start another blog of just your cooking endeavors, you already have one devoted follower locked in ;) Happy St. Nicholas day to you (early)!

elizabeth said...

I love old cookbooks too! I have some fun vintage one from churches and societies that I got for 2 bucks each over the years... I seriously have to look at them more!

E-H - I know, such a great book! and totally makes sense that you would know and love it!!! Yep, Cleo and I are cooking lots these days, or should I say I am shooing Cleo and cooking... :) Thanks for your love.

Sarah - thanks!! I love cooking too... very life giving and affirming... Don't know if I can start another blog but mainly because I like to keep things really simple... but I will do more posts on cooking here, glad you like them! :)

margaret said...

I second the idea that you should post more recipes - all the food you refer to sounds delicious and I find myself thinking "I wish she would give us the recipe!" I will definitely make these cakes for St Nicholas' Day and I have already renamed them Cleo Cakes. If they turn out I'll post pics. Don't forget the frosting recipe :)

margaret said...

Oooops found the link to the frosting recipe...