Birthday Cake
With the beginning or a new year people’s thoughts turn to new beginnings. One new thing everyone will experience is yet another birthday. Love ‘em or hate ‘em there is no stopping them so you may as well embrace them.
The Amish celebrate their community member’s birthday with a little extra special attention to the birthday boy or girl-who may be eight or eighty years of age. The special day is celebrated at home or in the school. The family may plan a small party for children with relatives and friends gathering at the home. The meal may be followed with a birthday cake and gifts. The gifts are usually practical items-gloves, clothing, soap- or there may be a small toy or two. The parents may take a special treat to school on the day of their child’s birthday so all the children can share in the day and a special snack.
Adult’s birthdays are recognized as well. Each year is a blessing from God and that is what the birthday celebration is about-a celebration of God’s blessing and care for His people. Family, friends and neighbors may all plan a little something special for the birthday celebrant. Close friends may prepare a little “surprise” party and invite the unsuspecting birthday person to a neighbor’s home. There they will have a cake with candles, one for each year. Imagine the flames on the cake of a person turning eighty!
As with the little ones, gifts are given. Again the theme is the practical along with smaller, fancier items-decorative soaps, little knickknacks-something special to show that the person was thought of by the gift giver. All in all the discrete but joyous celebration of community member birthday serves to strengthen the Amish’s commitment to God, to family and community bonds and their lifestyle.
As a twist on the Amish Friendship Bread, here is a recipe for Amish Friendship Cake that serves a big crowd of two dozen.
Ingredients:
For starter:
½ tsp. of active dry yeast
1 oz. warm water
1 tbsp. white sugar
1 tbsp. white vinegar
½ tsp. salt
3 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. milk
For cake:
1 c. sourdough starter
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3 eggs
1 c. white sugar
2c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Topping:
1/3 c. melted butter
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. quick cook oatmeal
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Starter directions: dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a non-metallic bowl, then add 1 tbsp. white sugar, 1 tsp. vinegar, ½ tsp. salt, 1 c. flour, and 1 c. milk. Stir with non-metallic spoon, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in warm place of two days. This will ferment the mixture which will become bubbly and have a sour odor. Stir the mixture on day 2, day 3 and day 4. On day 5 add 1 c. flour, 1 c. sugar and 1 c. of milk and stir the mixture. On days 6, 7, 8 and 9, stir the mixture. On day 10 add 1 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, and 1 c. milk. This will make 4 cups of starter.
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Beat starter, eggs and oil in a large bowl. Add flour sugar, baking soda and salt. Next prepare topping by combing all topping ingredients in a small bowl. Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with half the topping then add rest of batter. Sprinkle with rest of topping and bake for 35 -40 minutes.
Another tasty cake is the pineapple cake:
Pineapple Cake
2 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 can crushed pineapple
2 cups flour, all-purpose
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting
12 ounces whipped topping, prepared
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
1 can crushed pineapple
Preheat oven to 350 °. Beat eggs and sugar together and then add the rest of the ingredients. Pour batter in a greased 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. To prepare frosting, mix the ingredients together. After cake has cooled completely top with frosting
