.jpg)
by Crystal Schlueter
Several years ago, when my grandmother passed away, I found a stash of cards and letters while cleaning out her room. I decided to write to everyone to thank them for having written to my grandmother and to inform them of her passing. I only heard back from one person, and it was my dad’s cousin, Eleanor. Eleanor and I have never met, but we have been corresponding ever since; she, too, has a passion for recipes. I was pleased to hear that whenever I had a recipe featured in a magazine, my dad would send her a copy.
I didn’t have any recipes from the German side of my family until one day, last year, when I received a thick envelope in the mail. Eleanor sent me a carefully compiled stack of family history, old photos, and treasured heirloom recipes that she knew I would appreciate. My great-grandparents emigrated from Germany in the late 1800s. Eleanor’s father was one of my grandfather’s older brothers. My grandfather was the youngest out of 16 children.
This week’s recipe was a cake my great-grandmother, Hulda, enjoyed making for her family. With 16 children, I imagine she did a lot of baking. As the cake baked, it filled the house with the fragrance of warm holiday spices. The flavor and texture reminds me of a cross between gingerbread and banana bread. Eleanor usually drizzles it with buttercream frosting, but I decided to make a simple toffee sauce that I pair with anything apple-flavored. I would like to send a special thanks to Eleanor for sharing this treasured recipe with us.
Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups applesauce, at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour a standard-sized bundt or tube pan. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the applesauce. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Add to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Gently stir in the dates, raisins, and nuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest portion comes out clean.
Toffee Sauce
Ingredients:
1 bag (8 ounces) bits o’ brickle toffee bits
1/2 cup heavy cream Apple slices for garnishing
Instructions:
In a small saucepan over medium low heat, whisk together the toffee and cream until completely melted (the mixture will remain slightly chunky from the almond bits). Alternatively, you can microwave the toffee and cream at 45 second intervals 2-3 times or until the mixture is very hot. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir until melted. Let cool until at room temperature, then drizzle over the cake. Garnish with apple slices.
Yield: 16 servings
