Thursday, November 18, 2010

Going Bananas, Fifties Style

Hi everyone!

Wow, no post since June - yikes! lol Well, no worries I bring you sweet things in apology. :D During one of my vintage stops over the Summer I found this little gem. Actually it's not so little, this thing weighs a ton.

(Notice the grease pencil price, wasn't that sweet of someone?)

I was first attracted to it because of the great 1950s illustrations, like this one:

But once I looked at the Table of Contents, I realized just how "encyclopedic" this cookbook was:

There are many, many great recipes in this book but today I'm going to share the "Gold Nugget Cake" recipe with you.


Gold Nugget Cake


2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 sour milk or buttermilk
1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3)
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas, sliced

Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt together. Add milk to mashed bananas. Cream shortening with sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients and milk mixture alternately in small amounts, beating well after each addition. Stir in flavoring.

Pour into greased pans and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool. Put layers together with Banana Frosting and sliced bananas. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake and garnish with sliced bananas. Makes 2 8-inch layers.

Banana Frosting

1/2 cup mashed banana (1 large banana)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup butter
1 pound (3 1/2 cups) confectioner's sugar, sifted

Mix banana and lemon juice together. Cream butter with 1 cup sugar, then add banana and enough of the remaining sugar to make mixture thick enough to spread.

If anyone tries this recipe, I'd love to know what you think! Do you like to cook from vintage cookbooks?

13 comments:

  1. oh my! That is an encyclopedia! What a find! And why the heck do people have to price like that?!? Somewhere I hear Walter gagging because he can NOT eat bananas without gagging. LOL!

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  2. So glad you posted!

    This cookbook looks like so much fun. I love old cookbooks, but of course, most all that came from my mom and grandmother and my own from when I was first married are considered vintage. (Heck, I'm vintage.)

    If the recipe is older than say 1952 or so, baking powder can be an issue. (Don't quote me on this; I always have to look it up.) I can cook from my mom's 1950's era cookbooks without a problem, unless the recipe calls for a can of something. The can sizes are different than they used to be.

    Does your book have a fake leather cover?? If it does, try this. Put just a tiny dab of shortening or mineral oil on a corner of a paper towel. Test on the cover material in the back of the book. If no grease mark is left on the cover, gently wipe the price off. Be sure to wipe until there isn't any greasy feel left. If a mark is left, I'd just leave the price on the book.

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  3. Wowwwwwwwwwwww! What a COOL FIND! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

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  4. Awesome find!! I love old cookbooks! And what great graphics...

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  5. LOOKS SO DANG YUMMY THIS CAKE DOES.
    I AGREE WITH DECADES A GO GO, WHAT GOOD GRAPHICS IN THIS FAB COOK BOOK.

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  6. Glad to see you posting again. LOVE that cookbook and love how the chapters are divided, Your sandwiches, Your soups, Your salads, LOL. thanks for sharing this and the recipe.

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  7. The...words...they...fail...me!!! :D Seriously that is one of those absolutely brilliant wonderful finds that I would snap up in a vintage nanosecond if I chanced upon. Stellar find, Maggi honey, huge congrats and happy (vintage) cooking! :)


    Tons of hugs & wishes of Tuesday bliss,
    Jessica

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  8. Merry Christmas Maggi,
    You find the most interesting things. Thank you Hon for stopping by.I'm glad you liked my new things and village.
    I'm glad you are back. I too been away for awhile.I'm only blogging about once a month now.But I do miss my blogging buddies like you.
    Take care yourself and May God bless,
    XXOO Marie Antionette

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  9. I love old school cook books like this! :D

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  10. I really like using banana slices to garnish a banana flavored cake. Must try this recipe!

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  11. That cake looks awesome and oh-so-vintage! I love it! Happy New Year to you :)

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  12. Damn, women took their cooking seriously back then. Love it. Wonderful post, as always!

    Happy New Year!

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  13. This is another cook book I must now find! There's sooo many out there... love your blog!

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