I’ve been a member of the Polk County Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for a number of years and our big annual fundraiser is a bridge luncheon, silent auction and bake sale that we host every November. Funds raised are used to award scholarships to local graduating seniors every May.
We were fortunate in that our daughter, along with one of her classmates, was awarded one of these scholarships this past May, for which we are still very grateful.
Many of our AAUW members are retired and spend the day working the bridge luncheon. As I’m not retired and still work, I’m unable to help host the luncheon so I try to do my part in other ways. In the past, I’ve made casseroles or provided fruit trays. This year, I volunteered to bake three desserts – one for the bridge ladies to enjoy following their lunch, and the other two to enter into the bake sale.
For the dessert that will be served to the ladies following their lunch, I opted to make a blueberry coffee cake. It’s a fun recipe that was given to me by my longtime friend and college roommate, Londa Haynes. It’s easy to make and is always a crowd-pleaser.
For the bake sale, I decided to make my nephew James Banks’s famous “Crack Cake.” It, too, is another fun recipe. He usually makes a couple of them for every family holiday and we’re always glad that he does. It is jam-packed with flavor. Of course, that might be the white wine that’s in the cake, as well as the glaze.
When I selected these two desserts, I failed to consider the fact that although they both taste wonderful, neither photographs well.
And, as luck would have it, the top of one of the cakes stuck in the bundt pan, leaving the cake topless. As I couldn’t offer that one up for the bake sale, I kept it and I guess we’ll eat it this weekend. That’s the second time that has happened and both times, it was the same pan. I may have to quit using that one. Oh well.
From Londa Haynes
Follow the directions on the cake box EXCEPT do not put the water. Add the softened cream cheese. Fold in the blueberries with the juice. Bake in a 9x13 pan (sprayed with nonstick spray) for at least 30 minutes.
Mix sugar and cinnamon. While the cake is still hot, rub butter over it. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture on top.
From James Banks
For the cake:
For the glaze:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Mix all the ingredients for the cake by hand or hand mixer.
-Grease a bundt pan very well.
-Pour batter into pan and bake for one hour, or until a knife comes out clean.
-When cake comes out of the oven, melt one stick of butter into 1 cup of sugar and ¼ cup of white wine.
-With the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake and then pour the glaze over the hot cake.
-Cool. Flip out of the pan onto a plate and serve.
