One Perfect Bite: Scripture Cake

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Scripture Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our County Fair is well underway, and I, like most city kids, am drawn, as a moth to the flame, to the sights and sounds and smells of the midsummer fair. Not surprisingly, my favorite attractions can be found in the Agricultural Hall where food items - bread, pies, cakes, cookies, pickles and preserves - are exhibited and judged. Among this year's entries were some surprising old cake recipes that I'd like to share with you this week. While the first recipe is a challenge, I think those of you who accept the gauntlet and do the necessary research will have a good time and perhaps share it with like-minded friends. This cake is at least a century old and it was originally used to teach young girls scripture as well as baking. If you are up to the challenge, try to determine the ingredients used in this cake using the Bible verses below. A decoded version of the ingredients can be found by using the "Read More" link that appears below it. There are many version of this cake, but I selected this one, which comes from Hushpuppy Nation, because it was the oldest and most authentic recipe I could find. I have a couple of cautions to share with you before I leave you to your devices. The batter for the cake is very stiff and it will need to bake for at least 70 minutes. The baked cake will be dense and it should be allowed to sit for a day before it is glazed and served. Do be careful when making the burnt sugar syrup. When water is added to the hot syrup it will sputter and spurt and as it cools the syrup will clump and seize. Just keep stirring and it will again melt and become pourable. While this cake is a curiosity, I think those of you who actually make the cake will be pleased with your creation. It would be a wonderful exercise for a Sunday school class and it might be of interest to homeschoolers. If you enjoy fruit and nut cakes I think you'll like this one. Here is how it's made.

Scripture Cake

Biblical Ingredients:
Cake
3/4 cup _____ Judges 5:25
1-1/2 cup _____Jeremiah 6:20
5 _____ Isaiah 10:14
3 cups sifted _____ Leviticus 24:5
3 teaspoons _____ 2 Kings 2:20
3 teaspoons _____ Amos 4:5
1 teaspoon _____ Exodus 30:23
1/4 teaspoon each _____ 2 Chronicles 9:9
1/2 cup _____ Judges 4:19
3/4 chopped _____ Genesis 43:11
3/4 cup finely chopped _____ Jeremiah 24:5
3/4 cup_____ 2 Samuel 16:1
Whole _____ Genesis 43:11 for garnish
Glaze
1-1/2 cups _____ Jeremiah 6:20
1/2 cup _____ Genesis 24:45
1/4 cup _____ Genesis 18:8

Scripture Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
3 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg, ginger, allspice
1/2 cup milk
3/4 chopped nuts
3/4 cup finely chopped figs
3/4 cup raisins
Whole almonds for garnish

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
2) In a 4-quart mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice.
3) Beat flour mixture into butter and egg mixture, alternating with milk, until flour is just blended in. Beat egg whites until stiff, then fold into batter. Fold in chopped nuts, figs and raisins. Turn into prepared tube pan.
3) Bake for about 70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After fifteen minutes, turn cake out from pan onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with Burnt Jeremiah Syrup.

Burnt Jeremiah Syrup

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter

Directions:
In a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, melt sugar, stirring ocasionally to prevent sticking. After sugar melts, continue cooking, stirring continuously, until it is a deep golden brown. Add water and cook, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from the heat, add butter and stir till until it melts; allow to cool. Drizzle over cooled scripture cake and garnish with whole almonds.