Aunt Helens 30 Day Cake Recipes

HELEN'S COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• (Shredded coconut sometimes called southern style gives the cake a crunchier texture, but flaked coconut can be used if necessary. Look for canned coconut which is more moist than the bagged coconut, it's fine if it is sweetened.) Heat oven to 350°F, butter and flour a 9x13" baking pan.
• Heat milk and butter to scalding (do not boil), set aside.
• Combine the flour baking powder and salt, mix well.
• Beat eggs, add sugar beating all the while until they are thick& foamy.
• Gradually add hot milk, then the vanilla beating all the while.
• At slow speed beat in the flour, beat til smooth and combined.
• Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350°F for approx 30 minutes (test after 25 minutes with a toothpick).
• Cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool the cake slightly in the pan.
• PREPARE THE TOPPING: Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the brown sugar, add coconut& vanilla.
• Spread the topping over the cake (do it evenly reaching right to the corners).
• Turn oven to broil and place cake 6" from the heat.
• Broil until bubbling and dark brown, turning if necessary to ensure even coloring.
• The topping should be beyond golden but be very careful it can burn in an instant if you are not watching it.
• Cool to room temp, cut into squares and serve.

JULIA CHILD'S AUNT HELEN'S FLUFFY PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Separate eggs and set aside.
• Using a mixer, blender or large bowl, blend pumpkin, the 2 cups of the sugars, 1 teaspoon salt, molasses, bourbon or rum (if using), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, egg yolks, cream and milk until smooth. Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time, if the mixture is stiff: it should be a soft purée.
• In a clean bowl, whip egg whites until foaming. Whip in a pinch of salt, then gradually whip in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until shiny white peaks form. Beat 1/4 of the whites thoroughly into pumpkin mixture; gently fold in the rest.
• Immediately ladle filling into the shells, filling to just below the rim of the pan. Place in oven and bake just until rim of crust begins to turn gold, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake another 25 to 30 minutes, until a tester inserted into the filling 2 inches from the rim comes out clean. (The center should still be a bit wet; it will cook more as it cools.) If the rim of the crust starts to get too brown, cover it with aluminum foil.
• Immediately turn oven off, leave door ajar (stick in a wooden spoon to hold it open if necessary) and let sit 20 to 30 minutes more as the oven cools; this will prevent the filling from turning watery. Serve warm, or let cool, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let pie come to room temperature before serving.

THIRTY DAY FRIENDSHIP CAKE

Steps:

• Day One: In a large glass jar or bowl, combine 2 cups of the starter with 1 can of the sliced peaches and their juice (each slice chopped into 4 pieces). Add 2 1/2 cups of the white sugar and stir once every day for 10 days. When not stirring mixture, keep it covered with a paper towel, foil, or a loose lid. Let sit at room temperature. Don't refrigerate it or cover it airtight. A pan of water underneath the jar or bowl will keep the ants out.
• Day Ten: Add 1 can of chunk pineapple and its juice. Cut each chunk of pineapple in half. Stir in 1/2 cup of white sugar. Stir once everyday for 10 days. The color should change, and the mixture should foam when stirred.
• Day Twenty: Slice each cherry in half, and stir in. Add 2 1/2 cups of the white sugar. Stir once every day for the final 10 days. The cherries will give the juice back its pinkish color.
• Day Thirty: Drain fruit and reserve it and the liquid. The fruit will be used in the cake. Pour the liquid into 3 glass or ceramic pint jars. One for you to start your next cake, and two for friends. Cake must be started within 3 days after receiving the starter, or you should freeze the starter to use at a later date. Do not use plastic or metal containers to store liquid!
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9x13-inch baking pans.
• It's best to mix the two cakes separately. Combine 1 box of the cake mix, 1 box of the instant vanilla pudding, 2/3 cup of the vegetable oil, and 4 of the eggs. Stir, then add 1/2 of the drained reserved fruit from the starter. Stir, then add 1 cup of the golden raisins, 1 cup of the chopped nuts and 1 cup of the coconut. Stir until all ingredients are combined. The batter will be stiff. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Repeat for cake number two.
• Bake cakes at in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes.

AUNT HELEN'S CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. sift together the first 5 ingredients. Make a well in the center then add the next 4 ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix this batter. Add in a few tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice and stir until smooth.
• 2. Fold in the carrots, coconut, nuts and pineapple.
• 3. In a prepared 13x9 pan (greased and floured or just spray with Pam for Baking) pour the batter in and level it off. Bake at 350 degrees about 45-50 minutes (test center for doneness) Frost with cream cheese frosting.

AUNT HELEN'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Mix all of your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• 2. Add in the vanilla and the oil. Beat the eggs and add in. I always stir that much to blend before adding in the hot water.
• 3. Carefully add in the hot water a little at a time and mix it well. The batter is going to be pretty loose and that is okay.
• 4. Pour into greased and flour baking pan (13x9) and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Check center, insert a toothpick or a knife and when it is pulled from the center clean the cake is done. Let cool completely before frosting.