My 1961 Betty Crocker Picture Book

Good Morning Everyone! It is sooooo cold in SW Virginia today. This morning it is 16 degrees with a windchill of 0! That's pretty darn cold for the south.

Last weekend one of my friends gave me the coolest cookbook ever! It's the 1961 (the year I was born btw) Betty Crocker New Picture Cookbook.

I love the cover of this book! There are so many pretty pictures in this book, it was just fun to look at.
These bon-bons make me want to get into my lounging outfit and sit on the couch and watch soap opera while the maids clean my house. (Like that will ever happen!). Isn't that the prettiest server they are on?
Then there are those um... not so pretty pages like this one. What were they thinking??? There is absolutely nothing appetizing about these pictures, especially the fish on the pink table cloth.

But I found a recipe that I wanted to try. I decided to make the Pie 'n Cake Dessert. I figured even if the recipe failed and we didn't like it, at least I could wear it on my head like this man did. A hat would come in handy on these ridiculously cold days.

So here is the recipe for the Pie 'n Cake Dessert:
Make Kitchenette Cake (above). Opps! I guess I will have to give you the directions for the Kitchenette cake first!

1 1/3 cups Gold Medal Flour (don't tell, but I used Virginia's Best instead)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tea. salt
1/3 cup soft shortening
2/3 cup milk
1 tea. flavoring (I used almond)
1 egg
Heat oven to 350. Now here is where the pie 'n cake part comes in. Grease and flour an 8" pie plate and a 9" pie plate.

Measure flour by dip-level-pour method (whatever that is). Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening, milk and flavoring. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed on mixer or for 300 vigorous strokes by hand (like that would ever happen). Add eggs. Beat 2 more minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 8" cake for 25 minutes and 9" cake for 20-25 minutes. Immediately spread a 1 lb can of cherry pie filling over the 9" cake. Place 3 suares of chocolate from three 7/8 oz milk chocolate bars over top of the 8" cake and spread as they melt to form frosting. Serve cherry dessert warm in wedges; serve chocolate topped cake later.

Ok! So I did they cherry pie filling thing, but didn't have any chocolate bars so my 8" cake is sitting on my counter bare nekid. However, my cherry dessert turned out pretty good, although it wouldn't win any of the one gazillion food challenges on Food Network. At least I don't have to wear it for a hat!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Linda