Spice Cake ... Another Old-fashioned Yummy Recipe

• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup lard
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

As I have pointed out in previous "Yummy" recipes from my mother's bride chest, often there were no directions, only the list of ingredients. The reason for this was probably because all women who cooked regularly knew how to make the batter, about pans for baking, and the needed temperature. We had a wood burning kitchen range without a thermometer so we check the heat occasionally.

The following steps are how we mixed the batter, the pans we used, and the baking times and temperature:

Using a stand mixer, we creamed the lard and eggs together and then added the beaten eggs. After adding the buttermilk, the dry ingredients were put in after they had been sifted together. All of these were mixed on low and then we added the vanilla and, again mixing on low until well blended.

The batter was then poured into prepared two nine inch cake pans. We use parchment paper in the pan bottom and then oil or butter the paper. The picture at the right shows how easy the cakes are to remove. We baked at 350 degrees and, at 30 minutes, we checked the doneness with a toothpick.

There was no icing recipe with this particular cake so we used the following butter cream icing:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1 teaspoon flour

Thinking that since the spice in the cake required an icing with a stronger flavoring, we added a bit of the following flavorings: butter & rum extracts.

A good cream cheese frosting would also make a delicious combination. We will try that the next time!

The next yummy recipe we tried did not turn out like it should have. Neither Raven nor I know what happened but something delicious came about ... just not what it was supposed to be!!