Sunday, May 31, 2009

Quick Lunchbox Cake

My Sweetie-Pi niece, Laura, emailed me to say she was following my blog and was enjoying the recipes here and learning a little more about our family. Hearing that from her I decided to post a recipe that my grandmother made as an after school snack for me and my brothers.

This recipe has been in the family archives for over 40 years. It's not sophisticated by any means, as my grandmother lived simply and humbly her entire life. The food she prepared was plain, but it was comforting and satisfying. She was of an age where canned goods and TV dinners were incredible culinary events. Her old, oak ice box sat in the hall of her woodshed, holding paint cans and brushes, while her new-fangled Philco refrigerator took up way too much in her tiny, tiny kitchen.

This is a no frills, no thrills (except for the chocolate chips) , no spice, not even vanilla recipe.

Quick Lunchbox Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soft butter
1 1-pound can fruit cocktail, undrained

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Generously grease a 13x9 inch pan and set aside.

Combine all ingredients, except chocolate bits and nuts, in a large mixer bowl. Blend well at lowest speed, then two minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into pan and sprinkle with chocolate pieces and nuts.

Bake 35-40 minutes. Cool thoroughly before slicing into serving pieces.

Grins. Told you it was quick!

40 comments:

  1. Katy, I love your lunchbox cake and is easy to make. Thanks! XO

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  2. Oh Yum! I love the fruit cocktail in there!

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  3. It sounds great! You should enter in the Family Recipes event this month http://shelbymaelawstories.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogging-event-near-and-dear.html

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  4. What a great recipe from your grandma. Those are my favorite kind! Thanks so much for sharing it with us :)

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  5. I love this!! Such a great memory, thank you for sharing this with all of us, too :D

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  6. Some of these old recipes are memory shakers. I love these really old recipes. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Katypi, perfect for my FS clients... thank you so much! Kathye

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  8. Katy, it looks yummy and I would never belive there was fruit cocktail in there by looking at it!

    Yes, what Barbara said. :o) Laura of the Spiced Life is hosting the event this month. You should participate!

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  9. Sounds so easy and Ive never baked with fruit cocktail before, I should try this one soon. Looks delicious..

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  10. Barbara, HoneyB, I LOVE the idea of the Family Recipes event. When it was posted last month I went and oogled and admired everyone's recipes and was gladdened by their happy memories. It's my favorite event that I've seen so far.

    But Honeyb, you know I'm not much of a joiner. I don't think I could keep up my end of the bargain every month. I'd only disappoint my fellow bloggers and then myself. I think it would be better if I just followed along in the sidelines, giving accolades, madly copying recipes, and cooking up a storm.

    Hugs,
    Katy

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  11. Lunchbox cake is a term I haven't heard in a long time. Yours looks delicious and I love that it is an old family recipe.

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  12. What a great recipe from your grandma! I love those melted chocolate chips on top- major YUM!

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  13. OOOOH that looks YUMMY!!! Ya know..I have always found that the simply made foods taste the best..and people in the good ol days made things healthier without a lot of additives in them..TY for sharing, I love reading your stories...Blessings, Diana

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  14. Thank you for sharing a special family recipe! This looks yummy!

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  15. Hi Katy

    The lunchbox cake looks so amazing. I love the stories behind family recipes! Have a great week.

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  16. Katy, That cake looks so good! I love old recipes, espcially ones that have family stories behind them. Thanks for sharing this!!

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  17. This looks wonderful, aren't family recipes the best!

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  18. Grandma recipes are so precious! I bet the fruit cocktail gives it a lovely and moist flavor. I'm so glad you shared!

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  19. I love the classic recipes, they are good!

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  20. This is definitely a kepper Katy. Thank you for sharing it and for sharing the stories about your family. They are such gems!

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  21. I love using family recipes.

    I like the use of the fruit cocktail, I actually have some little cans that the sous chefs didn't like...but I'd bet they'd LOVE it in a cake!

    Thanks for sharing the recipe.

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  22. I love the old school recipe. We should all pass some down.

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  23. Denise, I was looking at some of my school cafeteria recipes I've collected from different places and thinking the same thing. They need to be shared.

    Even if we don't ever make them again, I think they're fun to have and important to keep, if only for their historical and sentimental value.

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  24. Old, simple family recipes are the best! I just inherited a fantastic cookbook from the 1920s and can't wait to find some gems in it...and I love that you share some of your gems, too!

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  25. I love family recipes Katy, this looks so good, thanks for sharing it with us!

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  26. What a neat way to share a little family history with your niece. I love old family recipes.

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  27. I love your family recipes Katy. The cake looks delicious:)

    Thanks for sharing your recipe with all of us:)

    And you can visit me if I can visit you:)

    Welcome:)
    foodcreate.com

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  28. Lunch box cake works for me if I can have the whole thing. What a cute story Katy.

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  29. This looks wonderful! I love digging out those old family recipes--thanks for sharing!!!!!!!

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  30. This sounds great! With fruit, nut and chocolate?! Yummm, perfect!

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  31. Katy--just wanted to let you know that I have an award waiting for you at my blog!

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  32. This looks wonderful and I absolutely love the story behind it. What great memories to share!

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  33. I would sure like a slice of that in my lunch box! Yum!

    Your presentation is gorgeous!

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  34. The only I need now is to find a big enough lunchbox to feed all my kids lol. This looks absolutely gorgeous!

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  35. Katy~
    Thank you for your very kind words! I feel so blessed to have "met" you...you seem like such a warm and down to earth person! I completely understand about not participating in the whole award thing, but more than anything, I just wanted you to know how highly I think of you and your blog!

    Take care and have a wonderful week!
    Love, Rachel

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  36. Katy, This is such a simple down home treat I am sure. Sometimes it's the love that goes into a dish that makes it special.

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  37. Katy- Id like to try this.. did you use fruit cocktail in juice or fruit cocktail in syrup, please lmk asap. Thank you!

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  38. Donna, I used the fruit cocktail in syrup, the 14.5 oz size, I think it was ~ whatever the "normal" size can is nowadays. The cake was a tad dry, better on the 2nd day. It might help to toss in another smaller can, (at least the fruit) as I think our can sizes are becoming smaller than when my grandmother made this for the family.

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  39. What a delicious sounding cake, and great use for fruit cocktail. I'll be setting this recipe aside for when my niece is coming over!

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