Harissa

Harissa is a type of dense dessert cake made in the Middle East. Not to be confused with harissa, the North African chili paste. The Arabic Wikipedia page for harissa mentions both, but the English one does not, which is why I am mentioning this at all.

Harissa is made from semolina instead of flour giving it a dense crumb. As with many Middle Eastern desserts, it's topped with rosewater syrup.

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups semolina
3/4 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking soda
Roughly 1.5 pounds of yogurt
About 1/4 cup of tahini
1 cup of whole blanched almonds

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tbsp rosewater or orange blossom water

Preheat your oven to 370F.

Measure the dry ingredients. Add enough yogurt to make a dough. It will be have a thick consistency, but should be fluid enough to take the shape of the bowl instead of staying in a ball.

Next, grease the cake pan you are using very well with tahini. I think this recipe makes roughly one 14" diameter cake or two 9" cakes. Whatever, just don't fill it to the brim with cake batter and you'll be OK.

Bake 20 minutes, or until edges are tan. Don't let it brown yet. The cake should be mostly cooked but still white at this point.

Next, press the blanched almonds into the cake pan about three to four inches apart. Finish off the cake in the broiler for 15 minutes, or until the almonds and cake take on a deep golden color. The difference between a toasted almond and a burnt almond can be as little as one minute, so keep a close eye at this point.

Take out the cake and let it cool until it can be handled safely. While the cake is cooling, make the syrup. Add water, sugar and flavoring into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer until dissolved. Pour the syrup over the cake and serve.

Traditionally, harissa is cut into diamonds with the almond at the center.

Notes:
You can use cream of wheat, but semolina or "smeed" is cheaper in Middle Eastern groceries than cream of wheat in US grocery stores.
It's best to use Arab yogurt, since it has a unique taste. Any full fat, plain yogurt will do.

Chocolate Cinnamon Cake

I totally invented this.

2 eggs
1 stick butter
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp molasses
2 c flour
1 c cocoa powder
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 c milk
1 tbsp cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add molasses, pepper and cinnamon and stir until homogenous. Add eggs. Add flour and cocoa and alternate with milk until flour is added and consistency is like cake mix. Pour into pan and bake at 350F until toothpick comes out clean. Takes about 45 minutes.

Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake

Cream: 1.5 c white sugar
1.5 c brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs
1 c oil
Add: 1.5 c oatmeal soaked in 1.5 c hot water.
Add: 2 c flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt.
Mix well. Pour into greased, floured cake pans. Bake 350 F for 1 hour. Cool and frost with coconut pecan frosting.

Stack Cake

NOTE: This is a historical recipe. It doesn't look very tasty to me, but it's got historical significance so I included in my copy of family recipes so it's posted on this blog. The following note was written on the recipe:

Grandma Amanda Heaberlin's Recipe

"This was a recipe used by early settlers, handed down to both Wiley's family and mine. As Wiley's aunt Alifar Adams made the same cake."

1/2 c butter
2 eggs
1 c sugar
3 c molasses
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 c buttermilk
3.5 c flour (enough to make stiff dough)

Cream butter, add eggs, sugar and molasses. Beat well. Add other ingredients except milk and flour. Add milk and flour. Mix well. Divide dough into 5 parts. Roll each part thin. Put in round cake pan. Bake at 375 F until light brown (10 -12 min)

Spread filling between each layer as you take from oven. When complete let stand until cool. Store in airtight contained. Keep refrigerated for at least 2-3 days.

Filling: Use dried (apples or peaches), cook until tender. Mash, sweeten to taste and add 1/2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.

Blackberry Cake

Grandma Amanda Heaberlin's Recipe

1 c butter
2 c sugar
5 eggs
4 c flour, Sift with the following dry ingredients three times.
1 tsp soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 c sour milk or buttermilk
1 or 2 c blackberries, nut and raisins (optional)

Cream butter, add sugar. Beat in one egg at a time until you have three. Alternate flour and add more eggs until all five are added. Add flour one cup of milk and rest of ingredients. Stir well. Put in layer pans or tube pan that has been greased and floured. Bake at 300 F for 45 minutes.
Ice with grandma's caramel icing.

Sweet Potato Cake Frosting

1 large can evaporated milk
1 c sugar
1 stick margarine
3 egg yolks
Cook over medium heat for 12 minutes. Add 1 tsp vanilla.
1 1/3 c angel flakes coconut.
Beat until smooth. Cool.

When cake is cool, frost between layers, sides and top.

Sweet Potato Cake

"Uncle Bud Hurt bakes this cake in his 80s" This note was written on the recipe by great-grandma. I don't know who Uncle Bud is.

1.5 c cooking oil
2 c sugar
4 eggs, separated
4 c hot water
2.5 c sifted cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1.5 c grated raw sweet potatoes
1 c chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla

Combine oil, sugar. Beat until smooth. Add egg yolks. Then add dry ingredients. Stir well and add sweet potatoes, nuts and vanilla. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter. Grease 3 (8 inch) layer pans. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes. Frost with sweet potato cake frosting.

Spring Glow Angel Cake

You can also do this with store bought angel food cake, its faster.

1 pkg. angel food cake mix
1 pkg. vanilla pudding mix
2 cups milk
1 (No. 2) can peach pie filling
1 c heavy cream, whipped

Bake cake according to directions. Bake in 10 inch tube pan. Cool, remove from pan. Place on cake tray. Slice entire top from cake, about 1 inch. Hollow center of cake out, leaving about 1 inch on bottom and sides. Mix pudding as directed using 2 cups milk and cool. Mix half of the pie filling with the pudding. Spoon into the cavity of the cake. Replace top of cake. Whip cream in small bowl. Fold remaining pie filling into the whipped cream and frost cake. Chill until ready to serve.

German Apple Cake

2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
1 c oil
4 c apples, sliced thin
1 c chopped English walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients together with spoon (DO NOT USE MIXER, batter will be stiff) Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Use 9x13 inch pan that has been greased and floured.

Carrot Cake

1. Sift together: 2 c flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt.
2. Combine: 1.5 c oil, 2 c sugar, 4 eggs. Beat well and add dry ingredients.
3. Add 2 c finely grated carrots. Mix well. Pour into 3 (8 inch) pans that have been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. When cool, fill and frost with creamy nut icing.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

1 tsp vanilla
2 c sugar
2 c flour
1/4 lb oleo
1/4 c crisco
4 tbsp cocoa
1 c water
1/2 c buttermilk
1 tsp soda
2 eggs

Combine in baking pan: oleo, crisco, cocoa, water. Heat to melt. Mix sugar, flour, soda, buttermilk. Add vanilla to hot mixture. Add eggs. Mix well and bake. When cool, frost.

Frosting:
1/4 oleo
3.5 tbsp cocoa
1/3 c milk
1 box powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1 c pecans, optional

Mix oleo, milk, cocoa. Heat to melt butter. Add sugar, vanilla and nuts. Pour over hot cake.

Coconut Cake

1 (2 layer size) yellow cake mix
1 (4 serving) instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
1 1/3 cups water
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2 tbsp coconut
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans

In large bowl, mix cake mix, pudding, eggs, water and oil. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes. Pour into 3 (9 inch) cake pans. Line bottom with wax paper. Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes. Let cool. Frost with coconut creme frosting.

Pink Lemonade Cake

This is an ice cream cake. AND IT'S PINK. Pink is cool, right?

1 (2 layer size) yellow cake mix
Bake in 2 round cake pans, cool.

1 qt. Vanilla ice cream
6 drops red food coloring
1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed.
1 c whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar

Line a round pan with foil and mix ingredients. Spread evenly. Freeze 2-3 hours, until firm. Place one layer cake on serving plate, add ice cream layer, then add the second cake to the top.

Whip cream with lemon concentrate and add sugar. Beat until stiff and frost sides and top. Trim with candies and return to freezer until ready to serve, at least one hour. Ice cream can be made the day before and lifted out of pan and wrapped in foil. Return to freezer until ready to ice cake.

Apple Sauce Fruit Cake

3.5 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 c nuts
1 c raisins
1 c mixed fruit, floured
1 c hot apple sauce

Beat together shortening and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Sift flour, salt, cloves, soda and cinnamon. Mix alternately. Flour and apple sauce to the creamed mixture. Bake in tube pan at 300 to 325 F for 1.5 hours. Use candied cherries and buts on top. Wrap in cloth and store in tightly covered container. Add 2 tbsp rum to cloth. Don't let cloth dry out. Keep slightly damp.

Cocoa Mint Frosting

1/2 c margarine
1 c powdered sugar
3 tsp cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Cream margarine, combine powdered sugar, cocoa and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed margarine. Add cream and vanilla and peppermint. Mix well. Spread on cookies.

3 crushed peppermint candy sticks may be substituted for the cocoa and peppermint extract. This can be doubled and used on angel food cake.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

Combine in sauce pan:
1 c evaporated milk
1 c sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 lb margarine
1 tsp vanilla

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 1/3 c angel flake coconut and 1 c chopped pecans. Beat until cool and easy to spread.

Creamy Nut Filling and Frosting

2.5 tsp cake mix. Add 1/2 c milk.
Cook 10 minutes until thick paste, stir constantly, cool.

Cream together:
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Add: lukewarm paste, beat until fluffy.
Fold in: 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup chopped nuts.
Add: 1 c sifted powdered sugar. Put layers together and frost top and sides.

Fresh Orange Cake

Sift together: 1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 c sugar
2.5 c flour
Add: 1/2 c shortening
1 tsp grated orange rind
Measure: 1/4 c unstrained orange juice diluted with 3/4 c water or milk
Add: 3/4 c liquid to dry ingredients. Beat slow for 2 minutes.
Add: Remaining liquid and 2 eggs. Beat 2 more minutes.
Pour: Into 2 round 8 inch cake pans
Bake: At 350 F for 30 minutes
Frost: With creamy nut filling and frosting.

German Chocolate Cake

Melt: 1 package baker's sweet chocolate in 1/2 c boiling water. Cool.
Cream: 1 c butter or margarine 2 c sugar, until light and fluffy.
Add: 4 egg yolks one at a time. Beat after each.
Add: 2 tsp vanilla and melted chocolate. Blend well.
Sift: 2 c cake flour, 1 tsp soda, 1/2 tsp salt. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture alternatively with 1 c buttermilk. Beat until smooth.
Beat: 4 egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter.
Pour: Batter into (3) 9-inch pans with the bottom lined with wax paper.
Bake: At 350F for 30-35 minutes.

Frost: With coconut pecan frosting.

Caramel Sauce

Came with note: "Very good with ginger bread or chocolate cake (soft sauce)"

1/2 c milk
1/2 c water
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1.5 tsp flour
Cook until thick, about five minutes
Add 1/8 tsp vanilla and 2 tbs butter.

Best served warm.