Christmas cakes what are your favorites?

[yellowdogintexas]

Our tradition when I was growing up: German Chocolate Cake, Coconut cake with pineapple filling, Jam cake with caramel frosting, and my grandmother's Brazil Nut Devil's food cake.

When I was 12 my mother was pregnant and I ended up baking all the cakes with her sitting in the kitchen telling me how to do everything. From then forward I baked all the Christmas cakes until I left home. I made my first Red Velvet cake when I was 13.

At our big family dinner, we always had coconut cake, ambrosia and boiled custard to drink. The other cakes were there but the coconut cake was the centerpiece. When I make it I use Ermine frosting, and mix drained crushed pineapple, coconut and chopped pecans into the frosting that goes between the layers. Then of course you coat the cake with lots of shredded coconut.

Granny's cake had ground brazil nuts in the cake and the filling. this was back when you had to hand crack those little bastards. Now I can just go to Vending Nut and grab a bag already shelled. She put 7 MInute frosting on that cake.

[msongs]

1. homemade german chocolate after it sits around for a day or two ripening with

the real coconut and pecans frosting

[trof]

8. Did you know that German chocolate has nothing to do with the country of Germany?

In 1852 American baker Samuel German developed a type of dark baking chocolate for the Baker's Chocolate Company. The brand name of the product, Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate, was named in honor of him.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_chocolate_cake

[yellowdogintexas]

10. yes I did know that.

It is right there on the box but I was too lazy to change it

[marble falls]

2. Home made fruit cake.

[Ohiogal]

3. My mother hated to cook.

I do not recall her ever making a cake or cookies.

[unc70]

4. Moravian sugar cake

[TlalocW]

5. We were more of a cookie household

I took up making Mom's favorite cookies when she got older and was in senior living places and had no access to ovens/stoves. One year, just for my own amusement, I also either ordered or made things found in old Christmas songs. Ordered some sugar plums, and I made a figgy pudding. Taste was okay. Its appearance left a lot to be desired. My sister-in-law commented on my FB post of it, "Is that a Yule Log?" I said, "Yes, after 24 hours of digestion."

I also should have gone a-wassailing since I'm so fair to be seen, but I'm not a drinker.

TlalocW

[Karadeniz]

6. We were a pie family.

[Freddie]

7. Pennsylvania Dutch sugar cakes

Are actually large soft sugar cookies, with a unique addicting taste due to the secret ingredient (buttermilk). This is a treat local to my mom’s native York County. [link:http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/sugar-cakes-pennsylvania-dutch-soft-sugar-cookies/609527 Sugar Cakes (Pennsylvania Dutch soft sugar cookies)|

[dem in texas]

9. Jam Cake and Boiled Custard? Are you from Kentucky?

My husband is from Calloway county, Kentucky. I'd never heard of these foods until we spent one Christmas with his Mom And Dad. She made jam cake with caramel frosting, coconut layer cake and boiled custard.

Growing up in Texas, my mother always made a German's Chocolate Cake and mincemeat pie for Christmas. Nobody eats mincemeat anymore, but I still like it.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. Yes!! Todd County, just to the east. So how did you like the custard?

Did you put 'flavoring' in it.
(bourbon)
Other side of Hopkinsville from Murray.

Lots of my friends went to Murray.

FWIW I hate mincemeat

[dem in texas]

13. Boiled Custard

I liked the boiled custard especially with Coconut Cake. After 12 years in Alaska, we moved to Kentucky. We lived in Hazel, KY, right on the Tennessee/Kentucky state line. My daughter went to Murray state.

[yellowdogintexas]

16. Allensville. On the TN KY state line just north of Clarksville.

Boiled custard and coconut cake were made for each other.

PS I made a batch that was too large, and my husband churned the leftovers into ice cream. It was absolutely divine.

[yellowdogintexas]

12. so where are you in Texas? I'm in Ft Worth

I get nostalgic for big gardens in the summer and dark fired tobacco barns in the fall.
Have you ever been up there when the barns are firing?

[dem in texas]

14. Yes, I had a big garden and we raised dark fired tobacco.

The smell of the smoke from the tobacco barn when the tobacco is "firing" is one of the best smells in the whole world.

We live in West Oak Cliff in the "Dallas Hill Country" at the top of a big hill (part of the White Rock Escarpment). We left Kentucky when our last 2 kids were teens. Didn't see a good future for them there. My mom needed help here in Dallas, so we relocated in the early 80's. It was a wise move.

[yellowdogintexas]

15. I agree on those barns!

I hate tobacco, smoking and and all the harm done by it. However those barns are just heavenly.

Somebody needs to invent a "Tobacco Barn" candle.

We are in the southern part of Fort Worth.

Have you connected with one of the Democratic Women's Clubs over there? (TDW) The Tarrant County club is the largest and oldest in the state. Come over and visit us sometime! I'll put you on our newsletter list if you like - just need your email.