First, I was able to taste it and enjoyed it so much that I was thrilled when Jeanne Haynes sent this recipe for her Aunt Lydia’s cake. Jeanne said: “She was a relative on my mother’s side. The farm they developed when arriving in Hancock county in the 1800s is still in the family and the black walnut trees were in the woods which was originally close to the houses.”
Black walnut cake
2 C brown sugar
1/2 C lard, butter or oleo
2 eggs unbeaten (add 1 egg, beat in, add second egg, beat)
1 C sour milk or buttermilk (preferred)
3 level C flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 C black walnuts, chopped
Cream sugar and butter together, then add eggs. Sift dry ingredients together and add to butter mixture. Mix in 1 cup of black walnuts. Bake in 3-8-in. layers at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes.
For icing:
8 oz. unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C black walnut pieces
In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla, then add nuts.
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Really different chocolate cake
1-1/2 C flour
3 TBS cocoa (unsweetened)
1 C sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
5 TBS vegetable oil
1 C water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8-in. sq. baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients – two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth. Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting.
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Rhubarb dump cake
1 lb. fresh rhubarb, chopped (about 4 C)
1/2 C sugar
1 pkg. (3 oz.) strawberry flavor gelatin
1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 C water
1/3 C butter, melted
3/4 C thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place rhubarb in 13×9-in. baking dish; sprinkle with sugar, then dry gelatin mix. Beat cake mix, water and butter with whisk until blended; pour over rhubarb. Spread to completely cover rhubarb. Bake 45 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm topped with Cool Whip.
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Thought – Someone told me it takes five sheep to make one sweater. I didn’t even know they could knit.
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)