Dixie Tea Cake Recipe pre civil war recipe

Dixie Tea Cake Recipe
pre-civil war recipe

Tea cakes, also known as plain cakes, were meant to be served with custards, whipped frostings, creams, sugared pie fillings or fresh fruits. I don't have an exact date for this recipe, the only thing I know for sure is that it pre-dates 1860.
I found the original recipe in a regional cookbook, when I first started collecting recipes -as a child, I did not always write the contributors name on the recipe.
~ky cook



Cake layer

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups flour
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder

~

optional topping layer
1 Tbls cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans


To make cake layer;
Measure out 2 exact cups of flour before sifting.
Sift once, and again and a third time after adding baking powder.
Cream sugar and butter.{You can use an electric mixer}
Add to this the sifted flour mixture and milk,
alternating flour, milk, flour, milk - until all is added
Lastly fold in the eggs and vanilla.
Pour into a long, well greased, rectangular biscuit pan
{make sure the pans sides are at least 1 and 1/2 inches}
Sprinkle on topping right before baking.

Bake in moderate oven {375 degrees} for 15 to 20 minutes
after cake cools, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.
Especially good with a cup of hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate.











Diary of a Kentucky Cook