old-fashioned spice cake with penuche frosting

★★★☆☆ 2
a recipe by
Carol Michels
Charles City, IA

My fraternal grandmother make this cake for my dad, every year on his birthday, in the 1930s and 1940s.

★★★☆☆ 2
serves 16

Ingredients For old-fashioned spice cake with penuche frosting

  • CAKE
  • 1/4 c
    soft butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1/4 c
    vegetable shortening
  • 1 1/2 c
    packed brown sugar
  • 2 lg
    eggs, beaten
  • 1 c
    milk
  • 2 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 tsp
    ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp
    ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp
    ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp
    salt
  • 1 c
    chopped dates (or raisins)
  • 1/2 c
    chopped nuts
  • FROSTING
  • 1/2 c
    butter (1 stick)
  • 1 c
    packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 c
    milk
  • 2 c
    powdered sugar

How To Make old-fashioned spice cake with penuche frosting

  • 1
    CAKE: Cream shortening, butter, and brown sugar. Gradually add eggs. Sift flour, soda, salt, and spice and alternate with milk. Add dates and nuts. Bake in 9-inch layers at 350°F for 30 minutes. Cool, then frost with Penuche Frosting.
  • 2
    FROSTING: Melt butter in medium saucepan. Stir in brown sugar and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk and heat to boiling. Remove from heat; cool and beat in powdered sugar.
  • 3
    NOTES: I believe that the reason for 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening was economy. All butter would probably work well, too. Margarine contains liquid, so it wouldn't be the best choice. Be sure to use 9-inch cake pans, or you'll have cake everywhere. Three thinner, 8-inch cakes could probably be made instead, but I've never tried it.

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