"I need help. I am in desperate need of a recipe for actual old-fashioned Southern tea cakes. Most of the recipes I find are tea cake cookies. I am looking for tea cakes that were cut into squares and served with ... ANYTHING. My grandmother passed the recipe to my mother, who cannot find it! Please help." -- Kelandra P. Williams, Locust Grove
One man’s tea cake is another man’s tea cookie, but Jennifer Kearns of Adairsville knows her tea cake from her tea cake. She writes, “My mother, Virginia Collins, made this light cake all the time in a rectangular, metal pan. It was always good warm with confectioners' sugar sifted on top and cut into squares. I like to make it as a strawberry, or any fruit, shortcake.”
The goddess tried it both ways (well, she has to be thorough, doesn’t she?) and agrees, it’s lovely on its own with a “cuppa” of Earl Grey or fancied up with a big dollop of whipped cream and sliced fruit.
Mother's Tea Cake
Serves 12
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Confectioners' sugar, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch by 10- or 11-inch baking pan.
With an electric mixer, beat shortening and sugar until well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add eggs and beat well to combine. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Add vanilla. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to combine. Pour into baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm or room temperature.
Per serving: 184 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 3 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 10 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 32 milligrams cholesterol, 144 milligrams sodium.
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