PENUCHE-TOPPED CAKE

We are having an on-again, off-again rainy Memorial Day Weekend.  It was 88 degrees outside until the clouds moved in, followed by rain.  Now it is 67 degrees.  Feel badly for people who were trying to enjoy this weekend camping. (Like our younger son and his family.)  Hope it is a good weekend for you.

This Penuche-Topped Cake is another recipe from the NEW 1953 COOK Book of Pillsbury's 4th Grand National Prize Winning Recipes.  It was a junior winner by Elaine Moehring from East Tawas, Michigan.  What a fine!

I made it to take to Hillcrest Thrift Shop to share with the other volunteers.  Since the recipe said to serve it warm, I decided to go early which meant I could share lunch with them, too. I stopped by Arby's on the way, but it wasn't necessary as they had a big pan of fried chicken.  As always, they were happy to see the dessert. 

Remember the print friendly button at the bottom of the post will allow you to remove the images if you want to print the recipe.

PENUCHE-TOPPED CAKE

2       cups sifted flour
3       teaspoons baking powder
1/2    teaspoon salt
1/2    cup shortening
1/2    cup stevia/sugar blend (or 1 cup sugar)
2       eggs
3/4    cup milk
1       teaspoon vanilla
              *  *  *
1/2    cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4    cup nuts, chopped
1/4    cup butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and lightly flour a 12 x 8 x 2 - inch pan.

Sift flour

and then measure 2 cups.

Sift again the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Blend together the shortening and sugar, creaming well.

Blend in the eggs, one at a time. 

Beat mixture for 1 minute on medium speed.

Combine the milk and vanilla.

Add the flour and milk mixtures alternately to the creamed mixture starting and ending with the flour. 

(I do this three times with the flour and twice with the milk.) Blend thoroughly after each addition. (With electric mixer use low speed.  You will also need to scrape the sides of the bowl during this process.)

Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

Combine the brown sugar, nuts, and butter in a small bowl.

Sprinkle over batter. (I love recipes that say to sprinkle because that is impossible with this mixture.  Here's what I do:

Using 2 small teaspoons, I start carefully dropping small amounts on the batter.

Continue doing this over the top...

filling in the spaces

until you have a fairly even spread of "dropping" over the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. (Since I was using a glass dish, I reduced the oven to 325 degrees and baked it for 40 minutes.)

Cool on wire rack.

Serve warm with whipped cream.

Here is a serving at Hillcrest Thrift Shop where I took it. Don't you just love the paper plates?!