Friday, November 26, 2010

Scripture Cake


Scripture Cake

One of the many pleasures of reading Sharyn McCrumb’s Appalachian Ballad novels is learning about the legends and customs of the people who live in the Appalachian Mountains. For example, Nora Bonesteel bakes a Scripture Cake in The Rosewood Casket.

She (Sharyn, not Nora) gave me permission to share it here. She also warned me if I got the recipe wrong I would hear about it from readers. She told me her book had inspired bakers on four continents.

4 ½ cups: 1 Kings 4:22

I cup: Judges 5:25

2 cups: Jeremiah 6:20

2 cups: 1 Samuel 30:12

2 cups: Nahum 3:12

2 cups: Numbers 17:8

2 tbsp: 1 Samuel 14:25

pinch: Leviticus 2:13

½ cup: Judges 4:19

2 tbsp: Amos 4:5

6 of: Jeremiah 17:11

Mix like a fruitcake and at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, or until done.


A slightly different version for those who don’t want to thumb through their bibles:

Ingredients:

½ cup butter, Judges 5:25

1 ½ cups white sugar, Jeremiah 6:20

3 eggs, Isaiah 10:14

2 cup[s all-purpose flower, 2 Kings 4:22

2 teaspoons baking powder, Luke 13:21

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 Kings 10:10

1 teaspoon ground mace, 1 Kings 10:10

1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 Kings 10:10

½ teaspoon salt, Leviticus 2:13

½ cup water, Genesis, 43:24

1 tablespoon honey, Proverbs 24:13

I cup figs, 1Samuel 30:11

1 cup raisins, 1 Samuel 30:11

½ cup almonds, Genesis 43:11

Blend butter, sugar, spices and salt. Beat egg yokes and add. Sift in baking powder and flour, then add water and honey. Put fruits and nuts through a food processor and flour well. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour into a 13 x 9-inch pan and bake at 375 degrees F for one hour.

Enjoy!

3 comments:

  1. I remember reading about Appalachian history and customs. Fascinating. I'll certainly try out the cake for one of my potluck parties this season.

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  2. I have read a few of Sharyn McCrumb's books and have liked them. The only part of the recipe I doubt is the baking powder. Wasn't most bread of that region and era, unleavened bread? Oh well, it's quite clever anyway!

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  3. Elaine, there was leaven/yeast during that time. When the Israelites fled Egypt, they didn't have time to put leaven in their bread, hence, matzoh. Otherwise, they would have had a version of bread. Still, I'm glad Warren wrote the non-biblical ingredients of the cake. I'm on my way to buy figs. The cake sounds really good, though I'm not a big nut person. Just a nut.

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