Journal of a Living Lady #246

 

Nancy White Kelly

 

Not long ago I wrote about a recipe for the Kentucky Wonder Cake which I had found on the internet. My impression was that it was just a “so-so” cake, but Buddy insisted it was the best I had ever baked.

 

You readers were invited to try it out and let me know what you thought. Obviously a lot of people ate Kentucky Wonder Cake that week. The conclusion was, with one exception, that it truly was a wonder(ful) cake.

 

One man from the Birmingham area wrote that Buddy was responsible for several pounds on his derriere. Another lady in Warner Robins, Georgia, wrote: “…made the cake today and told Leon that Buddy thought it was the best cake he had ever eaten. Leon said that it was okay and maybe among the top ten, but not the best. When he finished the first big piece, he re-thought the ranking. Maybe it was in the top five. Leon wanted another taste to be sure. He ate about a fourth of it before he stopped.

 

“His final answer: ‘No icing. That is good. Not too sweet. That is good. So moist and smells good. Pecans are so good. Maybe this is one of the top two.’

 

“Nancy, if any cake is left by bedtime, I will be surprised. Then you can share the blame for the overhang on his pants.”

 

My favorite response was this one: “…THE cake. I just had to try the recipe so it just went into the oven. But, I see that I was supposed to put it in an ungreased tube pan. Boo Boo #1. I thought the typo in the recipe was for a greased pan. Wrong. Will see what happens. Maybe it won’t rise. Boo Book #2. Instead of water, being a Kentucky cake, I went for the moonshine and substituted 2 teaspoons of bourbon for the hot water. It sure did make my microwave smell good after I heated it in there. I am even thinking of a bourbon/confectioner’s sugar glaze, but need to try it plain first. We can drizzle that on after we cut it. Will let you know how we like it. Also told some neighbors that they’d be getting a piece as we want honest opinions.  I am sure Buddy was very honest!!!!

 

“The cake smells good. It just peaked. It is rising. Yippee!”

 

A little later I got another email from her.

 

“Nancy, you wonder why you made the cake, wonder no more. It WAS awful. A WET DOUGHNUT! (sic)… will NOT make it again. I just helped out Ingles today.”

 

So, readers, it was 49-1 in favor of the Kentucky Wonder Cake. In case you missed the recipe, here it is again. If you use booze, you lose.

 

KENTUCKY WONDER CAKE
2 1/2 c. flour, sifted
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. Crisco oil
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 egg yolks
1 sm. can crushed pineapple
2 tsp. hot water
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. chopped nuts
4 egg whites, beaten

Mix flour, sugar, oil, cinnamon, egg yolks, pineapple, water and nutmeg.
Fold in nuts and beaten egg whites. Pour mixture into an ungreased tube
pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Suitable for freezing and, by popular vote, suitable for eating.

 

nancyk@alltel.net