from “AUNT ELLEN’S COOKBOOK” insert for GRISWOLD cake molds.
By Doris Mosier
LAMB OR RABBIT CAKES
½ CUP SHORTENING 2 ½ CUPS FLOUR
1 ½ CUPS SUGAR 4 TSPS. BAKING POWDER
3 EGGS ½ TSP. SALT
1 CUP MILK 1 TSP. VANILLA
Cream shortening, add sugar gradually. Cream well. Add well-beaten yolks and cream again.
Alternately add the dry ingredients, which have been sifted together, and then milk to which the flavoring has been added.
Lastly, carefully fold in beaten egg whites.
Bake on the face for 25 minutes and on the back 20 minutes. Placing a toothpick in each ear will support that portion of the cake.
ICING
1 ½ CUPS WHITE SUGAR FLAVORING
1 CUP WATER WHITES OF 2 EGGS
¼ LB. SHREDDED COCONUT
Boil sugar and water until it threads.
Beat whites of two eggs until stiff.
Pour syrup over egg whites gradually and beat until cool.
Ice cake all over and throw on the coconut.
Use raisins for the eyes and a piece of candied cherry or raisin for the mouth.
CHRISTMAS CAKE WITH DATES AND NUTS
1 ½ CUPS CHOPPED DATES 1 ½ TEASPOONS VANILLA
1 ½ CUPS BOILING WATER 2 ½ CUPS FLOUR
1 ½ CUPS SUGAR ½ TEASPOON SALT
½ CUP BUTTER 1 ½ TEASPOONS SODA
2 EGGS ½ CUP CHOPPED NUTS
Mix dates with boiling water and cool to lukewarm.
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
Combine with date mixture.
Add flour sifted with salt and soda and beat well.
Add nut meats.
Bake in well-greased and lightly floured Santa Claus mold for twenty-five minutes on face, then for twenty minutes on back, in a moderate oven. Ice or leaveplain as preferred.
SANTA CLAUS SPICE CAKE (from AUNT ELLEN’S COOKBOOK)
This is from the 1929 Griswold booklet, so change it to suit your 21st-century style of baking.
½ Cup Shortening
2 Cups Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup Sour Milk
2 ½ Cups Pastry Flour
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Allspice
½ teaspoon Cloves
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Soda
Cream shortening, and add sugar gradually while creaming. Work smooth all lumps. Add well-beaten eggs and beat well. Sift together dry ingredients and add to the mixture alternately with sour milk. Bake in a well-greased and lightly floured Santa Claus mold for 25 minutes on face side, then 20 minutes on the back side in moderate oven. Frost with any desired icing.
ICING FOR SANTA CLAUS CAKE
2 ½ Cups Granulated Sugar
½ Cup Light Corn Syrup
½ Cup Water
2 Egg whites
1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla
Boil sugar, syrup and water to softball stage. Pour slowly over stiffly beaten egg whites. Beat constantly. Add the vanilla and beat until almost cold and stiff enough to hold shape.
(This icing may be kept in a covered jar for a week. If necessary, use boiling water to soften).
For chocolate icing, add to the above 4 squares of bitter chocolate which has been melted. You can add the chocolate anytime after the hot syrup has been poured over the egg whites.
For red icing, take part of white icing and add vegetable coloring. If needed, add powdered sugar for proper consistency.
HINTS FROM DORIS
HINT ONE: I’m not too successful as a cake baker period, but I’ve been told by a very reliable source that you NEED to heat these oiled molds a bit and dust them with flour before adding the batter. Bunny Baker never uses the molds cold.
HINT TWO: Fill the largest half of the mold within ¾ of the top—not more. Put the other half on top, empty!
HINT THREE: Get real—o.k. if you REALLY want to be authentic on the ingredients, but I’m all for using a boxed cake mix and canned icing—I know it’s not quite the same, but I’m not into pain either. My friend Sue Conron claims that the DROMEDARY Pound Cake mix is great for these molds—just a perfect consistency.
HINT FOUR—if you do the rabbit mold cake, even Aunt Ellen says to reinforce the ears by placing toothpicks in each ear before you bake the batter, unless you’re into floppy-eared rabbits.
HINT FIVE—leftover batter makes good cupcakes!
HINT SIX—you can SOUR milk by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to regular milk.
…….and I’m available for sampling your baking results!
NOTE: This post was written by Doris Mosier during the 20+ years she ran the site at griswoldcookware.com (around the 1990s – 2018). All opinions and information expressed are that of Doris Mosier.
