Greetings from a few hours away!
I feel like the last week I have been a world traveler. Well, world may be exaggerating it a bit. I was able to go with my dad and brother to visit family in Pennsylvania over the weekend and now I’m in Indy doing one of my other jobs. In between traveling, packing and unpacking and then packing again, and trying to find time to hang out with my puppy I was able to stop in to the store and see what awesomeness I am missing. You lucky people being in town and everything. Have you stopped in this week? Since I’m not there to EAT all the sweets you have a great chance to score all the really REALLY good stuff. Also, I’m a little jealous that while I was there in Pennsylvania all the girls back at the store got to see my really handsome husband who stopped in for some lunch (and to glare at the bakery case for me). Now I’m hanging out with him while we work so I’m not AS upset.
Like I said earlier I got to travel with my dad and my youngest brother to Pennsylvania so they could be here for the first day of trout season (which was Saturday.) Something you may not know about me is that I grew up fishing. My grandpa and my dad are both avid fishermen and I was learning how to clean a fish properly when I was five (“sure five year old karyn, just take this incredibly sharp boning knife and go to town!-my grandpa). I actually came to PA not for the fishing but for hanging out with my grandparents…and for the food.
If you’ve ever had the privilege of being in “the cove” then you’ll know everything I’m talking about and nothing will be a surprise to you. If you haven’t been to this small slice of heaven on earth read on… your food life will be changed forever.
I’ve never been anywhere else in the country where there’s more delicious food or home-cooking wizards per capita than here. My great grandma Pearl was one of those wizards. She became a homemaker during the great depression so the woman could make a meal out of anything. She was tough, she was sweet, she would always offer you a warm hug, and an opinion, and send you on your way. I learned how to cook with heart and butter and goodness from her. My great grandma passed away a few years ago and since then, when I’ve been back, my grandma has passed along recipes she’s had for years. One of which I’ll share with you later!
Back in the cove there are so many places I LOVE to eat. The unfortunate part is that many times I’m only back for a few days and have to hit all the eateries in like a 3 day time span…which is not enough. A few of the must haves for me are Ritchey’s ice cream, OX ROAST (from Rhoades), something from Sheetz, raisin filled cookies (which all the girls tried back at the store… they can vouch, it’s not as terrible as it sounds), and gobs. Oh…gobs. I can’t explain to anyone why I love them SO much I just do. It’s like a whoopie pie but the cream is harder and the cake is drier. It’s like a whoopie pie that sat out too long…which shouldn’t be good but it is.
So as I sat outside on the picnic table waiting for my dad to get back from buying minnows and staring at the mountains I wanted to share with you a recipe from the cove. This is special for a number of reasons. This is my dad’s favorite cake. Ever. (he’s getting it for his birthday and you would think me saying this would ruin the surprise but unless this gets onto some hilarious you tube video it’s doubtful that my father will see it.) My great grandma’s sister used to make this cake. The place I got this recipe was from my great grandma’s old recipe book. Now, it’s my first recipe I’m posting on the blog. The girls will also be happy since I’ve been slow in getting this recipe to them… that’s a 2 birds 1 stone situation right there! So without further ado here’s Ada’s Chocolate Cake…
Ingredients:
-2 Cups of sugar
-2 egg yolks
-1 cup cooking oil (like canola/veggie)
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 cup lukewarm sour milk
-3 cups of flour
-5 heaping tsp. of cocoa
-1 cup boiling water
-2 tsp. baking soda
For Frosting:
-1 ½ cups of sugar
-2 egg whites
-1 tbsp white syrup (this is a corn syrup)
-1 tsp vanilla
-5 tbsp. cold water
-pinch of salt
-fine shredded coconut
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl Mix sugar, egg yolks, oil, and vanilla. Once that is mixed together then add the warm milk. In a smaller separate bowl mix together flour and cocoa. Once that is mixed add it to the above mix. Dissolved baking soda in boiling water and add that last. Bake in a 9x13 pan or 2 round cake pans for about 45 minutes or until knife can go into the middle of the cake and come out clean. Let cool before topping with the icing.
For the icing place all ingredients in a double boiler. Cook for 10 minutes beating with an electric mixer until done. It should be a finer more sugary consistency than a thick buttercream frosting. Top cake with fine toasted coconut.
PS, I know the warm sour milk sounds SUPER weird. Apparently back in the day the milk man would sell you day old milk for super cheap? I used buttermilk at room temperature and it turned out fine. There is a way to sour your milk but I think it’s truly fine without that sour component.
I hope you try this recipe out!:) Let me know if you attempt to pull off this cake creation!:) I know that Pearl and Ada would be VERY proud you're trying out their recipe!
-karyn
All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much. -George Harrison
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