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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 31, 2001
In response to Alice Davis' request for the recipe for Hershey's cold water chocolate cake, a recipe about 40 years old, readers have shared just what Alice asked for. Hershey even included this popular recipe in its Hershey's Centennial Classics recipe collection. Frost it with buttercream frosting or peanut butter frosting if you like. Crushed peppermint candy may be added to the batter for another variation.
Marie Allen sends the recipe for her son's favorite cold water-cocoa chocolate cake and the caramel frosting that tops it. Marie writes that the frosting requires a bit of beating, but the results are worth the effort.
Florentine crescents, prepared by filling refrigerated crescent dinner rolls with a mixture of Velveeta cheese spread, frozen chopped spinach, bread crumbs and crumbled bacon, is the appetizer recipe Heinz Stevens asked for. Each recipe makes 32 appetizers, so invite your friends over.
The menu is a bit convoluted today, starting with dessert, followed by appetizers and then soup. The soup, Greek lemon, is welcome any time of the year, but especially when the weather starts to get cooler. The subtle tartness adds just the right touch.
For: Alice Davis of St. Petersburg
From: Betty Jean Ries of Homosassa, Cheryl Ellison of Crystal River and Betty Corbett of Tarpon Springs
Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake from Hershey's Centennial Classics.
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened (11/2 sticks)
12/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
11/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
11/3 cups water
1/2 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candy (optional)
In large mixer bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add alternately with water to creamed mixture. Blend just until combined; add candy, if desired.
Pour into two round baking pans or one 9- by 13-inch baking pan that has been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan(s). Cool completely; frost. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Cheryl Ellison gives the following instructions for making cupcakes: Fill paper-lined 21/2-inch muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool; frost. Makes about 21/2 dozen cupcakes.
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
22/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In small mixer bowl, beat butter. Add confectioners' sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups of frosting.
From: Marilyn Rostad of Brooksville
Recipe: Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting, from www.hersheys.com
Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
Gradually stir milk into flour in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until very thick. Transfer to medium bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Cool to room temperature, about 1/2 hour.
Add sugar, peanut butter, shortening, vanilla and salt. Beat on mixer's high speed until frosting becomes fluffy and sugar is dissolved. Makes about 3 cups of frosting.
From: Marie Allen of Holiday
Recipe: Easy Chocolate Cake With Caramel Frosting
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
11/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup melted shortening
1 cup cold water
In large mixing bowl, combine ingredients in order listed. Beat until smooth. Pour into greased and floured 9- by 13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool.
2 cups brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
Heaping tablespoon of peanut butter (optional)
Combine ingredients in saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring. Boil until flour is cooked. Remove from heat and beat until frosting is creamy. Spread on cake.
For: Heinz Stevens of Largo
From: Gloria Losi of Clearwater and Valerie Calabria of St. Petersburg
Recipe: Festive Florentine Crescents, a Kraft recipe
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1/2 pound Velveeta processed cheese spread, cubed
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
3 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled
2 8-ounce cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
Combine spinach, cheese cubes, bread crumbs and bacon in 11/2-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese cubes melt. Unroll dough; separate into 16 triangles. Cut each in half lengthwise, forming 32 triangles. Spread each triangle with approximately one teaspoon of mixture. Roll up, starting at wide end. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 32 appetizers.
For: Bette Kwiek of New Port Richey and Pat Ungerer of Clearwater
From: Joyce Garalski of Largo
Recipe: Greek Lemon Soup, from the St. Petersburg Times some time ago.
4 cups strained, well-flavored chicken broth
1/4 cup rice or orzo
3 eggs
Juice of 1 medium lemon
Salt and white pepper
Heat broth in saucepan. Add rice, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Beat the eggs and lemon juice; add 1/2 cup broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly, then stir this mixture into the remaining hot soup. Season to taste. Do not boil. Serve at once. Makes 1 quart.
The recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Pie, which appeared Oct. 17, failed to list pie crust among the ingredients.
The recipe calls for the use of a pastry of choice for a two-crust pie.
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