Poppy Seed Cake

Tasty even with no frosting! 

Do you ever crave a taste from childhood that you just can’t find anywhere? For me, it’s my mother’s poppy seed cake, and I found it in the adorable “Hasty Lady Cookbook” from BEST YEAR EVER IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND, 1971 – thank you, League of Women Voters of Illinois!

My favorite cookbook ever in terms of format. I love 1971!

Now I know you’re thinking, but Carrie, you’re always saying you don’t use mixes and packaged foods are gross – and you’re right. But there are times when you’ve got to eat that foot that’s in your mouth if you want to eat cake. So there you are.

Don't you love how I have the organic eggs to offset the cake mix?

This cake calls for cake mix and Jell-O pudding mix (Hah! My one processed food go-to, Jell-O! My eternal love!) and then some pantry staples, including “Butter-flavored oil” – WHAT THE HECK? I’m sorry, I don’t know what that is and I don’t want to know what that is. Let’s just go with vegetable oil, how ‘bout. Oh and cream sherry – is just a nicer quality than “cooking sherry” which, if you’ve talked to any chef, isn’t good enough to clean the toilet with anyway.

Going into the oven - soon it will smell REALLY GOOD!

Finally, this cake is nice and moist even with no glaze, though the glaze is a nice touch. If you want to make it look fancy and French-ify it, shake some powdered sugar over the top with a sieve and stick a sprig of mint or edible flower next to the cake et voila, nobody knows it came from a mix! Enjoy.

Poppy Seed Cake

1 pkg (18.5 oz) yellow cake mix

1 pkg (3.75 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

½ cup butter-flavored oil

½ cup cream sherry

1/3 cup poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients, stirring to blend. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer for 5 minutes, or 700 strokes (!!!) by hand. Scrape sides of bowl frequently.

Pour into greased 10 inch bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 15 minutes; turn out on wire rack. Cool

If desired, glaze with thin confectioners’ icing flavored with cream sherry.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie – it’s just not Thanksgiving without it, but once you realize how easy it is to make, you might want it more often. Like for breakfast!

I have to admit to using an old standby, the recipe from a can of Libby’s 100% Pure (canned) Pumpkin (see below) which never fails, though I swap out the evap milk for the same quantity ½ and ½. It’s fast, easy, yummy and familiar. However, one year I decided to do a taste test with one “traditional” pie versus one Bourbon Pumpkin Pie which I saw in Gourmet Magazine. Which one won? The Gourmet version did, and you can say because it has fewer eggs and ads sour cream for a little tang, or is more heavily spiced, or is creamier… or you can just say BOURBON.

First of all, you need to make a crust. Click here for my FAMOUS three minute Cuisinart “no roll” crust and thank me forever. If you’re in a rush, fine. Go ahead and use frozen dough. I will avert my eyes. (Below: my pie crust, right out of the Cuisinart. No rolling! Trust me.)

After you blind bake your crust, let it cool while you prepare the filling, as follows:

BOURBON PUMPKIN PIE

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

¾ cup sugar

3 ½ Tbsp. bourbon

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. ground allspice

¼ tsp. salt

·         Whisk together ingredients and pour into cooled shell.

·         Bake until edge of filling is set but center trembles slightly, about 45 minutes (filling will continue to set as it cools). Cool completely.

·         Serve at room temperature. For added depth of flavor, add bourbon to the whipped cream you dollop on top of each slice!

going into the oven - and out of it! (Note in photo below the filling is puffed up. It will settle.)