We all know Emily Dickinson as an American poet but did you know she also enjoyed baking? I came across her recipe for Coconut Cake recently and had to follow up and read more on Emily Dickinson’s love of baking.

In 1845, a young Emily wrote a letter to her friend Abiah Root:

“I am going to learn to make bread to-morrow. So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up, mixing flour, milk, salaratus, etc., with a great deal of grace.” 

A decade later her “rye and Indian” bread won a prize at a local cattle show.

She loved to bake for her family and friends and continued even after she stopped leaving her home permanently.

She has two recipes for her Coconut Cake and here’s one below.

1 cup cocoanut

2 cups flour

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoonful soda

1 teaspoonful cream of tartar

This one makes half the rule

The original recipe did not have directions attached.

Emily Dickinson’s Coconut Cake

Adapted from a recipe in the collection of Donald and Patricia Oresman

Ingredients

½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8½″ X 4½″ loaf pan with butter, line the bottom with parchment, and butter the parchment.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well.

3. Sift the cake flour together with the baking soda and cream of tartar, and whisk to blend (or substitute a scant 2 teaspoons of baking powder for the soda and cream of tartar).

4. Add half the milk to the butter-sugar mixture and stir to blend, then add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add the remaining milk and then the remaining flour, mixing briefly after each addition. Fold in the coconut.

5. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake on middle rack of oven for about 55-60 minutes, until golden around the edges and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

Today in American history…Thomas Jefferson, our third U.S. President (1801-1809) was born on April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia.

Along with being a U.S. President, he was one of our founding fathers and the primary author of The Declaration of Independence.

He was also the second Governor of Virginia (1779-1781), second U.S. Minister to France (1785-1789) first U.S. Secretary of State (1790-1793) and second Vice President (1797-1801).

Thomas Jefferson accomplished much in life as a statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, planter and philosopher but one of his greatest personal accomplishments was the founder of the University of Virginia.

He passed away on ironically on July 4, 1826 on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Our second U.S. President, John Adams, passed away on the very same day.

Before he passed away, Thomas Jefferson wrote his own epitaph and was buried at his home at Monticello. His epitaph reads:

Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia.

One of the crops grown at Monticello were sweet potatoes – it was one of his personal favorites (along with pecans!) The recipe is from the National Constitution Center (NCC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the NCC, Thomas Jefferson’s biscuits were served at the very first meeting of the First Continental Congress in 1774.

Thomas Jefferson’s Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, cut in small pieces

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup of milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sweet potato, mashed (about 1 large Virginia Sweet Potato)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 cup pecans, chopped (I omitted the pecans)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F

Combine the dry ingredients. Add butter with fork, food processor or pastry cutter until the texture is small crumbs.

Combine milk and sweet potatoes. Add to flour mixture. Add pecans.

Knead dough with your hands until it is a smooth mass. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2″ thickness and cut with a 2″ biscuit cutter.

Place on a greased baking sheet 2″ apart.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Nothing is more comforting as a fresh out of the oven banana bread – especially loaded with blueberries 🫐

Blu’Nana Bread was a favorite of President and Mrs Ford’s and we are very fortunate to have been able to use her personal recipe.

The bread is super moist and tasty – everything you would expect and desire from a delicious banana bread.

Blu’Nana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, at room temperature

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups sifted flour, divided

5 ripe bananas, mashed

3 teaspoons allspice ***

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries (I used fresh blueberries)

*** since I didn’t have allspice on hand, I used a teaspoon each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg and cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

Cream together sugar and butter.

Beat in eggs and vanilla. Fold in half of the flour and mashed bananas.

Place remaining flour less 2 Tbsp in a sifter and add allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift and fold Into banana mixture.

Sprinkle blueberries with remaining flour and fold into batter. Divide batter into both prepared pans.

Bake for approximately 50 minutes.

Test with toothpick to determine if bread is done.

Today in American History…former First Lady Elizabeth “Betty” Ford was born on April 8, 1918 in Chicago, Illinois.

To celebrate Mrs. Ford’s birthday today, we are going to enjoy her personal recipe of Chinese Pepper Steak for dinner.

And for dessert (because there always has to be a dessert!) I made one of her and President Ford’s favorites: Blu’Nana Bread 😋

Betty Ford’s Chinese Pepper Steak

Ingredients

2 pounds flank steak (I used ribeye – just a personal favorite)

2 tablespoons shortening (I used unsalted butter)

3 green bell peppers, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (I used tri-color bell peppers)

1 package onion soup mix

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup sherry

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Cut steak lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips and then into 1-inch pieces.

Melt the shortening in a skillet and fry the steak just long enough for it to change color.

Remove the steak and sauté the green peppers.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.

Add onion soup mix and continue to boil for 10 minutes.

Stir in the meat and green pepper and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch (diluted in a little water), salt and pepper.

Cook until slightly thickened. Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4.

I’m looking forward to attending Vintage in the Valley tomorrow in Strasburg and modeling in the vintage fashion show at 1PM.

Make sure to come out and enjoy these wonderful festivities tomorrow! I’m personally excited for the carriage rides, all of the fabulous vendors and of course…the wine🍷

Here is a fun look back at previous vintage fashion shows. It’s not very often I get the chance to walk a runway 🤣

For our Easter dessert tomorrow I made a cake that my son loves. He adores anything with strawberries…and chocolate…so what goes better than a chocolate cake with strawberry buttercream frosting – with chopped strawberries in the frosting! 🍓

My little granddaughter helped me in the kitchen today. Shes going on 2 years old and it was so much fun having her help me make the cake. She really wanted to just eat the cake batter and lick the spoon – don’t we all??!! 🤣

For the cake recipe, I used 2 boxes of pre-made chocolate cake mix BUT added chocolate chips in it to “make it my own.” If using 2 boxes of cake mix, I would add in about 2 cups of chocolate chips.

Prepare the cake according to box directions. I used 2 cake pans (filled 3/4) and baked for 28 minutes and cooled.

I also had enough to make 6 cupcakes with the rest of the batter.

Once the cake is cooled, it’s time to add the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting.

Homemade Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)

4 cups powdered/confectioners sugar (add more if needed after mixing)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt add more to taste, as needed

2-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk

1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries

Optional: Whole strawberries and halves for garnishing the cake

Directions

Place butter in the bowl of a stand alone mixer (or use a large bowl and an electric mixer) and beat until creamy and smooth.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined.

Add heavy cream or milk and stir.

Add the chopped strawberries and fold into the mixture.

Add more powdered sugar if needed until you get the frosting consistency you desire.

Begin frosting the first layer and then the top layer and the sides. Add the whole and/or chopped strawberries for decoration.

It’s National Waffle Day! One of former President Warren Harding’s favorite things to eat was homemade waffles covered in butter, syrup and sometimes even chipped beef gravy.

We are very fortunate to have former First Lady Florence Harding’s waffle recipe and I used her recipe to make homemade waffles this morning.

The waffles are light and fluffy. Just all around delicious and I highly recommend this recipe if you are to ever make homemade waffles. You won’t be disappointed!

There is nothing in the world like Almond Amaretto Cupcakes topped with Almond Buttercream Frosting. The cake is light and fluffy and the little hint of Amaretto is just perfect. Of course topping it off with Almond Buttercream Frosting is the perfect way to top this delicious cake.

Ingredients for the Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup almond flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk at room temperature

1/4 cup Amaretto liqueur

Ingredients for Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream, half-and-half or whole milk at room temperature

2 teaspoons almond extract

Optional: Chopped slivered almonds for topping

Directions for Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine milk and Amaretto. Set aside.

Using a stand alone mixer, cream the butter and sugar on med-high until pale yellow and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

Add the eggs and Add vanilla extract.

Alternate adding 1/2 of the flour mixture and amaretto milk mixture, beginning and ending with the remaining flour mixture. Mix thoroughly each time.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until you do a toothpick check into the center and it comes out mostly clean.

Remove the cupcakes from the tins after ten minutes and cool completely before frosting.

Directions for Frosting

Using a handheld or stand alone mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Add 4 cups confectioners sugar, the heavy cream, half-and-half or milk and almond extract. Beat for 2 minutes until it’s the perfect consistency for frosting.

Top the cupcakes with chopped sliced almonds for the perfect decor and extra almond flavoring.

Tonight in the kitchen I made one of President Grover Cleveland’s favorites – Parsnip Fritters.

President Cleveland’s most favorite meal of all was Squirrel Stew but I decided against trying to achieve that masterpiece. First of all, I’ve never tasted or prepared anything squirrel related and I personally wouldn’t eat it. Can’t take the city girl out of the city haha! No offense to those who enjoy squirrel 🥰

During President Cleveland’s first administration in 1885-1889, Parsnip Fritters were on the Thanksgiving menu.

The recipe was also in a White House cookbook published in 1887. The recipe description said the fritters “resemble very nearly the taste of the salsify or oyster plant, and will generally be preferred.”

I couldn’t locate parsnips at my local grocery store so used turnips in its place. I also added a little bit of fresh chopped parley. Other than that…I used the exact recipe from 1887.

The fritters resemble potato cakes – very similar in taste and texture. Absolutely delicious! I recommend dab of sour cream or applesauce on top – extra yummy 😋

Grover Cleveland’s Parsnip Fritters

Ingredients

Servings: 14 (makes two-inch fritters)

16 ounces parsnips, peeled, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths, thick rounds cut in half lengthwise (I used 2 turnips)

Salt

2 teaspoons flour

1 large egg, beaten

A couple pinches of freshly grated nutmeg (I omitted the nutmeg)

2 tablespoons lard, turkey fat (from pan drippings) or unsalted butter, or more as needed (I used Canola oil)

Directions

Place the parsnips in a medium saucepan with salted water to cover, bring to a boil and cook until the parsnips are tender, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Transfer the parsnips to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to press the parsnips into a coarse mash, discarding any sections that are tough and woody. The yield is about 2 cups.

Stir in the flour, egg, salt to taste and the nutmeg, if using, and stir to combine well.

Line a large plate with several layers of paper towels.

Heat the lard, turkey fat or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the parsnip mixture 1 spoonful at a time, pressing down on it to form a round patty about 2 inches in diameter. Work in batches so as not to crowd the skillet. Cook until the patties are golden brown, about 2 minutes, then turn them over and cook until golden brown on the second side, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the cooked fritters to the paper towels to drain. Repeat to fry all of the batter, adding fat as needed. Serve the fritters warm.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you! What a great way to celebrate the day by indulging in a Bailey’s Irish Cream Cake with homemade Bailey’s Buttercream Frosting☘️ ☘️☘️

Ingredients for the Cake

2 cups all purpose flour

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

I tablespoon baking soda

1 egg

2/3 cups oil (I used canola oil…vegetable oil is good to use as well)

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream

I cup black coffee

Optional: mint chocolate chip pieces, diced finely, for decoration.

Ingredients for Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake Directions

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Set aside.

In another medium bowl, beat the egg, oil, buttermilk, Bailey’s Irish Cream and coffee together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Beat for about 2-3 minutes.

Pour into two well greased 8” or 9″ round cake pans or a 9×13″ pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the cake is done (use a toothpick to check!)

Cool completely before frosting the cake.

Frosting Instructions

With a handheld or stand alone mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and butter is a nice pale yellow – about 2 minutes.

Add 4 cups confectioners sugar, Bailey’s Irish Cream and vanilla extract.

Beat for about 2 minutes or until you get a nice frosting consistency.

Frost the cake and add minced mint chocolate chips for that special touch!