Desserts: Cake

This recipe, offered by Pat Squire, of Portland, Oregon, is an excellent use of pineapple in baked goods. Pat says it can be quickly beaten, baked, and served with tea [or something stronger], or as a delightful conclusion to a meal. Personally, I think it would be an ideal complement to a barbecued protein, especially pork. I’ve provided italicized notes for those with dietary concerns and/or an adventurous spirit. The only thing I can’t suggest is an alternative is the use of sugar, as substitutes will change the texture as well as the flavor. Do let me know if you find a means for resolving this concern satisfactorily…
 

Ingredients

2 Eggs, beaten 

1 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple [not drained] 

2 Cups Flour 

2 Cups Sugar

2 Teaspoons Baking soda
​

Preparation

Add crushed pineapple to beaten eggs. 

Mix in flour, sugar, baking soda. 

Beat into egg and pineapple mixture

Pour batter into 9 x 13-nch pan [greased or lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes. Verify doneness by inserting a toothpick into cake, which should be extracted cleanly. Cool in pan.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 

Blend the following ingredients to a smooth texture 

1 lb. Confectioners’ Sugar 

     [Also known as icing or powdered sugar, you can make your own by finely grinding 1 cup of sugar plus a tablespoon of cornstarch in a blender or food processor]

3 oz cream cheese

     [if you’re concerned about lactose intolerance, use a cream cheese substitute] 

1/3 Cup Butter 

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

      [if using salted butter, this can be reduced]

1/3 Cup Milk [you can use almond or cashew milk if needed] 

1 Teaspoon Vanilla 

Embellishment
​Decorating this cake with small pieces of fresh pineapple, or slivers of unsalted macadamia nuts can add a final celebratory note.

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In September 2018, I visited Portland, Oregon, where I was pleased to announce that Murder on Mokulua Drive has been nominated as a finalist in the fiction category of the Arizona Literary Excellence Contest. I was honored to address creative writing students at my former high school and a combined meeting of book clubs in Lake Oswego…and I attended the 50th Reunion of the Woodrow Wilson High School Class of 1968.  Enlivened by their own travels, the book club members [of the American Association of University Women] were articulate in their exploration of my author experiences. It was such a pleasure to visit with these women…I only wish I had had time to learn more about their individual lives. I’m delighted that mystery devotee Pat Squire offered this recipe that she has shared at fundraising events for several decades! Following her education in journalism and literature, Pat had a successful career in advertising in San Francisco. Later, she became the director of alumni relations for Portland State University, where she engaged alumni through weekend events featuring noted speakers…and an occasional taste treat. I appreciate her kind words of support for the Natalie Seachrist mysteries and anticipate fulfillment of her own goals. As she says, “Somewhere, I have a book in me, and am constantly figuring out the plot.”

This recipe comes from Johanna Papakaniʻau Wilcox, a second cousin of the subject of Conversations with Auntie Carol, Seven oral history interviews with Caroline Kuliaikanuʻukapu Wilcox DeLima Farias. Let me know If you find an error or wish to suggest an enhancement.
 

Ingredients

1 Lb. Butter

1 Lb. Suggar

10 Eggs  

1 Lb. Flour 

1 Tsp. Mace

2 Tbs., Brandy (It is always recommended to use quality liquor used for drinking)

Preparation

Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Cream butter and sugar together. Gradually add egg yolks, mixing until thick and lemon colored. Add flour, mace, and brandy. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Beat vigorously for five minutes. I must confess that I enjoy adding a wee bit of vanilla and almond extracts...

Pour batter into a deep loaf pan and bake in a 300 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 1 1/4 hours, or, if to be used for an ornamental cake, bake 30 to 35 minutes in a shallow pan.  Doneness can be verified by inserting a toothpick into cake, which should be extracted cleanly. Invert onto cake rack to cool. May be frozen to retain freshness. 

When ready to serve, place on an appropriately sized plate and garnish with powdered sugar, a drizzle of your favorite icing or a glaze of 1/2 c. strawberry-guava jelly that has been melted and thinned with 2 Tbs. of water.

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Johanna (also known as Koana) was a daughter of Capt. Charles Kauakahiakua Wilcox and Eleanor Milnor Nakaiewalu Halstead Wilcox, and one of the Wilcox Sisters of Maui, Hawaiʻi.   Following her 1917 graduation from Honolulu College, she joined the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), a unit of the U.S. Naval Reserve. She served as a yeomanette at Pearl Harbor for two years during World War I, achieving the rate of Chief. The secretarial and administrative skills she obtained in that position served as the foundation for her subsequent forty-three-year career in national and local governmental organizations. Her work included positions with the U. S. Military Government in Hawaiʻi during the Second World War, the U.S. Federal Civil Service, and departments of the Territory of Hawaiʻi and then the State of Hawaiʻi.  

Johanna was the first woman registered to vote in the Territory of Hawaiʻi. For decades she gave public addresses and wrote articles about the history, language, music, and culture of the Islands. Some of her pieces were published in the Paradise of the Pacific Magazine, which evolved into Honolulu Magazine. She also collected stories of the Islands and translated Hawaiian songs and chants into English which often appeared in her published articles.  Like other members of her family, Johanna’s avocation was music. In addition to singing and playing the ʻukulele, she directed a group of women performers known as the Wilcox Glee Club. She was the composer of “Maui Nani” (Beautiful Maui) and often performed as a regular soloist on Charles Edward King’s KGU radio program. As an Hawaiiana specialist, she recorded Hawaiian music and transcribed Hawaiian language tapes for the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.