One of the projects I want to work on this year is cooking through Mabel’s recipe file. I think it will be fun to discover new recipes, whether they are excellent or total flops. I also believe that actually doing history is the best way to learn about the past and each of these recipes has a wealth of historical information hidden within.
Last winter I took each recipe card and placed it in a sleeves, in a binder, a big binder. A few weeks ago I pulled down the binder and stared at it for a few minutes and then began to leaf through it. Where to start? Well, I started with desserts. What can I say? As I narrowed it down to that I skipped the pies as most of them seemed to focus on fresh fruit, which are not in season right now. Cookies I passed too. I just don’t have the time to scoop and bake hundreds of little cookies. That left me with cake. I can do cake.
The first recipe I picked was passed on to Mabel by someone I remember fondly, her daughter Jeanette. I chose this recipe for several reasons. First, the ingredients looked familiar and accessible. Second, it was made with oatmeal which sounded intriguing. Lastly, my mother said, “Everything Aunt Jeanette made was good.” I didn’t particularly want to start off with a flop.
It was good. It kind of reminded me of the flavor and moistness of zucchini bread. The only thing I wondered about in history terms was the frosting (which I did not make as the cake already had 2, yes 2 cups of sugar in it). The frosting called for “1 can cocoanut.” It did not say coconut milk, but cocoanut. Did cocoanut used to be canned? If so how much would be in a can? Would it be wet or dry? I know it wouldn’t have come in plastic bags historically. Or maybe she did just mean coconut milk. I asked my grandma and she couldn’t remember how she bought cocoanut and the internet was not much help. So I am left with a historical question, maybe you know the answer. If you know anything about canned cocoanut, let me know.
What do I know- this cake is good, and I’m going to share the recipe with you and with my favorite cousin Bethie. This is typed verbatim.
Oatmeal Cake (Jeanette)
1 ½ cups water 1 cup quick oats ½ cup butter or marjorine 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ½ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon soda Bring water to boil and add oats. Let stand 20 minutes. Cream sugar and butter. Beat eggs into creamed mixture. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture than add oats. Beat well. Bake in greased 8 x 11 inch pan at 350or 35 min. When baked spread with topping and return to oven for a few minutes. Topping for cake- Mix 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, 1 tablespoon cream or evaporated milk add ¾ cup brown sugar and heat to boiling. Add 1 can cocoanut and 1 cup chopped nuts. Spread over baked cake, brown lightly.
This cake was very moist with a chewy, oatmeal texture that I liked. It would be terrific with chopped apples, I think. I would like to decrease the sugar so this is healthier and perhaps something I could enjoy on a morning with tea. I also think I could just throw in leftover oatmeal if I have that around.
This cake is definitely going from Mabel’s recipe file to my recipe file. What’s up next: chocolate chip date cake, salad dressing cake (yep), raw apple cake, and more. This is going to be fun.
mustbemabel 
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