Strawberry Sparkle Cake

Cake:

15 egg whites      1 tsp. cream of tarter

1 ½ cups + 2T superfine sugar

1 cup cake flour      ¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:

One 3-ounce package strawberry gelatin

2 ½ cups boiling water

1 lb. package frozen strawberries

Icing:

1 ½ cups heavy cream      ¼ cup powdered sugar

Whole strawberries, for decorating

Directions:  

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Add 

the cream of tartar and beat until stiff. Sift the superfine sugar three times and add 

slowly to the egg whites.   Sift the cake flour and salt five times, and then fold slowly 

into the egg whites. Sprinkle in the vanilla and fold. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in an unbuttered angel food cake pan.  Set aside to cool 

completely, inverted on a bottle or jar that fits the cake pan. 

For the filling: Dissolve the gelatin in boiling water and add the strawberries, stirring 

to break up and mix the berries. 

For the icing: Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until thick. 

To assemble: Place the cake, wide-side down, on a serving plate. Cut a 1” layer from 

the top and set it aside. Cut around the cake 1” from the outer edge to 1” from the 

bottom. Cut around the cake 1 inch from the inner edge to 1 inch from the bottom. 

Gently remove the section of cake between the cuts and pour in strawberry mixture. 

Place the cake layer back on top and spread the icing all over the top and sides of the 

cake. Decorate with whole strawberries. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Comment:  From Pioneer Woman, so you know it is delicious!

Rum Cake

1 box Duncan Hines butter recipe golden cake mix

1 small box vanilla instant pudding

½ cup chopped nuts

½ cut vegetable oil

½ cut light rum (42 proof)

4 eggs

½ cup water

Hot Glaze:

½ cup butter      ¼ cup light rum

1 cup sugar      ¼ cup water

Directions:  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour tube cake pan.  Set aside.

Mix all cake ingredients together and beat 2-3 minutes.  Pour into tube pan.  Bake for 

55 minutes.

Remove cake from pan as soon as removed from oven.  Place wax paper under the 

cake rack.     

Prepare the glaze.  Mix all ingredients in a heavy sauce pan.  Boil for 2-3 minutes; 

stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Punch holes in the top and sides of cake using a skewer.  Slowly drizzle glaze over 

sides and top of cake.  Let glaze soak in and then drizzle some more.  Let stand 30 

minutes.

Comment:  A Ruth Romer favorite!

Grandma Yearwood Coconut Cake

Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

One 12-ounce box vanilla wafers, finely crushed

6-ounces grated coconut

½ cup chopped pecans

Coconut Lemon Glaze

2 cups sugar

2 T. cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Grated zest of 2 large lemons

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

6-ounces grated coconut

Directions: 

For the cake: Grease and flour a 9-inch tube cake pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  

Cream the butter and sugar until light and smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating 

well. Mix in the vanilla wafer crumbs, coconut and pecans. Pour into the pan and 

bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes 

before turning out onto a rack. 

For the glaze: Mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon zest and juice, 1 1/2 cups of 

water and coconut in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until 

thickened, for about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then using a toothpick, poke 

several holes in the top of the cake and drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Comment:  From Trisha Yearwood show.  She used food processor to turn vanilla 

wafers into flour.

This is a rich cake.  Sometimes takes a little longer to bake.  Because of richness, 

may want to substitute a simple confectioner sugar and milk glaze with a little lemon 

zest.  The recipe’s lemon/sugar glaze piles on the sweetness.

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie

Pie Filling:

½ cup sugar      1/8 tsp. salt

3 T. flour      6 cups peeled, sliced apples

1 tsp. cinnamon

Crumb Topping:

1 cup brown sugar      ½ cup flour

½ cup oatmeal      ½ cup butter, very soft

Directions:  For pie filling, mix all the filling ingredients and pour into a 9” deep-

dish pie crust.

Mix together crumb topping ingredients.  Carefully pack /sprinkle on top of pie.

Cover the edges of the pie with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Take off 

the foil.  Bake another 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with ½ cup 

chopped pecans and ¼ cup caramel topping.

Comment:  Yummy!  This is Aunt Elizabeth’s signature recipe.  Everyone loves it!

Rice and Tomatoes

There are two distinct ways to make Rice & Tomatoes. The Aunt Mary

version is the traditional recipe (Riz Shidua). It is a sweeter version with

cinnamon. The second version reflects Becky’s take on this traditional

dish. It is a more “Italian” version with garlic.

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3 sticks margarine               2-3 lbs. stew meat

8 large onions                       6 beef bouillon cubes

6 cups water                        1 tsp. pepper

3 large cans tomato pieces  1 can tomato sauce

2-3 cups Uncle Ben’s rice    1½ cups (pkg.) Orzo #43

Salt to taste

Mary’s Version:

1 tsp. sugar                         3 tsp. cinnamon

Becky’s Version:

1/3 cup red wine                 

2 tsp. garlic powder, or chopped cloves to taste

Directions:  Trim and cut stew meat into small pieces.  Chop onions lengthwise.  In a large soup pot, melt one stick margarine, brown ¾ of the stew meat and three onions.  Add water, bouillon.  Simmer for at least one hour.

In large sauce pot, melt one stick margarine, brown remaining stew meat and onions.  Add tomato pieces, sauce.  Simmer for at least one hour.  Stir frequently.  (Mary:  Add sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon to sauce.  Add 1-2 tsp. cinnamon to rice.)  (Becky:  Add wine and garlic to sauce.)  Add salt to taste. 

A half-hour prior to serving, melt one stick margarine in a large skillet.  Brown Orzo; stir frequently to avoid scorching.  Add browned Orzo to soup pot.  Be careful as melted margarine will splatter when it hits the hot water.  Add rice.  Stir.  Simmer.  Add rice as needed to use up broth.  To serve, plate rice.  Ladle tomatoes over rice.

Comment:  Do not ask me to take sides between Mary and Becky versions.  For both versions, I tend to use more onion.  For the Becky version, I use more garlic.  This dish reheats well.  Eric insists that the rice and the tomato sauce be stored in separate containers at all times.  You must make Syrian bread to accompany the dish.  A Sensky family tradition!