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Barely Scraping the Bowl – Southern Cakes

© Lisa Casey Perry

Like the song says, If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake! Drop in at Granma's, Aunt Iva's or Cousin Betty's house for a visit and before the screen door yawns shut behind you the gracious offering is made. Fruit cakes, chocolate cakes, pound cakes, coffee cakes, every southern home has one, either in the fridge, courtesy of Sara Lee or on a plate at the center of the table. Nothing says welcome home like cake and if you are as lucky as I am to have an aunt who made the absolute best homemade ice cream to slip up next to it on the dish, well then, you know the true meaning of dessert!

Here are a few all time favorite Dixieland cakes.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups sugar

2 sticks margarine

2 Tbsp cocoa

1 ½ cups chopped nuts

1 Tbsp vanilla

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

Icing:

1 stick margarine

1 box powdered sugar

½ cup cocoa

1/3 cup milk

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Cream together margarine, sugar and cocoa. Add flour, nuts, vanilla and eggs. Mix well and pour into lightly greased and floured 13X9X2 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

Mix icing ingredients together except marshmallows. Beat until creamy and well blended. Fold in marshmallows. Spread on top of cooled cake. Turn oven onto broil. Place frosted cake under broiler in the middle of the oven, and watching every minute, broil just until marshmallows begin to melt/burst under heat and frosting starts to go shiny. Do Not Burn! Best served warm but good anytime!

Lisa's Favorite Family Reunion Carrot Cake

I love carrot cake so much that I don't really care for the superfluous traditional cream cheese frosting. The following pound cake is moist enough with the oil and the crushed pineapple that you'll never miss it either!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1-8 ounce can crushed pineapple

3 cups grated carrots

4 eggs

Sift together all dry ingredients except sugar and set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat oil, sugar and then eggs, adding one at a time. Pour into dry mixture and fold in carrots and pineapple. Blend well. Pour into lightly, greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350° for about 50 to 55 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Sock-it-to-me Cake

This is a nice little coffee cake to serve for brunch-time visitors.

Ingredients:

Cake:

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. vegetable oil