WHAT’S THEY COOKING?: Cold weather inspires a lot of cakes

After enjoying the wonderful worship – songs and encouraging messages – at the Indian Field Camp Meeting this past week, as well as wonderful fellowship with family and friends, my heart and soul have truly been refreshed. Also, we enjoyed an abundance of delicious grilled food brought in by different family members every day, so my tastebuds are still “happy” and craving for more.

The wonderful pound cake baked and brought by Jeanette Mizzell for Sunday dinner reminded me of my Banana Pound Cake, a recipe I have used many times over the years. You see I first shared it in 2003 and received several wonderful responses, including a wonderful email from Nancy Bolin of Orangeburg. She wrote, “I just wanted to let you know that my husband, SA Bolin, has worked at Sunbeam Bread for 44-1/2 years. He saw a banana pound cake in your section and decided to try it. He added nuts to the recipe, joined them in Orangeburg County. Fair and she won first place. I told her that the women who work hard to get the ribbon will lose her head.” Nancy said, “Nadiña and I’ve been waiting for a long time.

In my opinion, pound cakes are great all year round, but they’re even better with a glass of warm drink in the fall and winter. So, with the cold weather providing inspiration, I’m sharing three pound cakes below. Please remember to use fresh ingredients and follow directions carefully. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. As a reminder, Orangeburg County is in full swing this week so please take some time to enjoy it.

1 cup shortening (Crisco)

2 teaspoons vanilla (not vanilla flavor)

3 large bananas (peeled)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the spice mixture. Add milk and vanilla extract and mix well. Mash the bananas, and pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch cake pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until done (use a toothpick test). Place the pan on a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Place the cake in a baking dish. (Optional: You may choose to add chopped walnuts or pecans.)

(Recipe shared by my dear old neighbor Rhoda Wagers.)

1 teaspoon of vanilla

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. In another bowl, use a sifter to combine the baking powder, salt, flour and cocoa together. Mix this into the butter mixture until the ingredients are well combined. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until a thick, smooth, creamy batter forms. Pour this batter into a greased and floured pan. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and immediately place the pan in the oven. Bake for 90 minutes or until done (use a toothpick test).

(Recipe shared by Pat Cook of Bamberg)

18.25-ounce package of low-fat cake mix

8-ounce container of fat-free cream

1 tablespoon of almond or vanilla extract

Raspberry Soup (recipe below)

Garnish: powdered sugar, fresh mint

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour, shaking from side to side to coat the pan. Beat the cake mix with the following five ingredients on medium speed with an electric mixer for 4 minutes. Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake the cake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Serve this cake with Raspberry Sauce; decorations, if you like. This recipe makes about 16 servings.

4 (10-ounce) packages frozen raspberries, thawed

Blend both in a blender until smooth. Pour through a wire strainer, discarding the raspberry seeds. Chill for an hour. This recipe yields 3 cups of nutritious and delicious soup.