old-fashioned spice cake with penuche frosting

(2 RATINGS)
90 Pinches
Charles City, IA
Updated on Nov 28, 2011

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

prep time
cook time
method ---
yield 16 serving(s)

Ingredients

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

How To Make old-fashioned spice cake with penuche frosting

  • Step 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.
  • Step 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.
  • Step 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.

Discover More

Category: Cakes
Keyword: #sugar
Keyword: #frosting
Keyword: #cakes
Keyword: #icing
Keyword: #pecans
Keyword: #dates
Keyword: #Brown

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