Staycalm said:It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday to bring
morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow. The big problem
is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our boss with a humongous
morning tea with heaps of food. With this coming after the overindulgence of
Christmas food, everyone is a little over the usual sweet concoctions or
cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a suggestion for something I could
take? The catch is that I have a strained calf and am off my feet. It will
probably need to be something I can buy and quickly put together sitting
down. I was thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just
seems a bit boring is all.
Liz
Here's a couple of recipes that are not too sweet and are easy to cook.
If you made the pineapple cake, do not frost it; just dust lightly
with powdered sugar and serve while still a little warm if possible.
(But if you tell folks it has no fat and no dairy, they won't eat it.
Don't ask me how I know) I never have figured out what's Swedish or
Mexican about the cake, but it's good anyway.
Also have an assortment of good-quality fresh fruit available.
Here in Minnesota, some people bring pickled herring to these sorts of
things. :-/
Swedish Pineapple cake (a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cake)
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
Grease a 13x9x2” baking dish. In large mixing bowl, combine all
ingredients and mix well by hand. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35
minutes at 350°F, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes
out clean. Cool, then frost with cream cheese frosting. For Mexican
Wedding Cake, add 1 cup chopped pecans to cake batter, and 1/2 cup each
chopped pecans and flaked coconut to frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup
butter or margarine, 2 cups powdered sugar
* * *
Raisin Applesauce Snack Cake
1 C whole-wheat flour
1 C unbleached AP flour
1 C sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/4 C canola oil
1 1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1 C raisins
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking
spray and set aside.
Combine flours, sugar, spices, soda, and salt. In separate bowl,
combine the vanilla, egg, oil, and applesauce and mix well. Add the
applesauce mixture to the dry mixture all at once and beat at medium
speed to combine. Stir in the raisins. Pour the batter into prepared
pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of oven for 30 minutes, or
until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool
in the pan; cut into 1 x 1 1/2 inch bars. Makes 36.
* * *
Best regards,
Bob
