My fondest memories from childhood are of being allowed to help my mother with the baking. I’m afraid this recipe isn’t very calorie conscious, but then nothing was in the 1950s. Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix was often a staple in most homes back then but you may not be able to find it today. If not, you can substitute any yeast bread mix, or frozen dough, or your favorite made-from-scratch version if you’re that ambitious!

1 recipe unbaked yeast bread dough

Filling:

1 cup each coarsely chopped dates and walnuts
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) melted butter plus one more tablespoon for brushing the top before baking.

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients together. Mixture should be soft but not runny, and will be spread over the baked, slightly warm cake.

Optional syrup icing:

¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon vanilla or orange extract, or rum or bourbon

Boil sugar and water for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and add butter and flavoring. Spread over slightly warm cake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a sheet pan, or a pizza pan works well. The coffee cake will spread to about 11 or 12 inches in diameter so make sure that your pan is large enough.
In a medium bowl, stir together the dates, walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Add the ¼ cup melted butter and stir until well blended. With a rolling pin on a floured surface, roll the bread dough into a rectangle approximately 1/8 inch thick. (The measurements are not critical.) If you use a surface covered with plastic wrap, the wrap will make it easier to form the coffee cake later.

Note: if you are making dough from scratch, this step will be executed after the first rising. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, making sure to spread it out to all four edges.
tarting at either of the long edges, roll the dough up over the filling to create a cylinder as you would for a jelly roll. On your greased pan, form a circle with the dough and pinch the ends together. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes. Next, using kitchen shears (they actually work better than a knife), make cuts about three quarters of the way in towards the center, about 1½ inches apart. Carefully turn each piece over to reveal the filling, creating a pinwheel effect. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
While the cake cools slightly, prepare your choice of icing or syrup. Transfer the coffee cake to a serving platter and pply the topping as directed. Store the leftovers (if there are any!) in a covered container.
This rich and beautiful confection works as well for desert as it does for breakfast or brunch, and you may substitute different dried fruits and nuts to suit your taste buds. Cranberries and pecans are a great combination, and red and green candied cherries with slivered almonds and amaretto liqueur in the icing make a colorful holiday treat. But beware – they are all irresistible!

This was a family favorite in Nana’s house.

1 day old sponge or angel food cake (not chocolate), cut into three layers
enough fresh bananas or frozen or fresh strawberries to completely cover each layer of cake
enough ice cream for same

On top of the bottom layer of cake, put enough fresh fruit to cover it. On top of the fruit put a layer of ice cream. Put the second layer of cake on top of that and layer it with fruit and ice cream. For the top layer you can do the same, or leave the top cake layer as is. Do all of this quickly because the ice cream will be melting. If you used strawberries, you can put the cake into the freezer until you are ready to eat it. Top with whipped cream or dairy cream.

1/2 lb butter
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt and garlic salt
1 lb mixed nuts (optional)
1 box cheerios
2 c Rice Chex
2 c Wheat Chex
1 box Kix or Corn Chex
1 pkg slim pretzel sticks, broken into 1″ pieces

Melt butter and Worchestershire sauce with the salts. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour the liquid over the rest and stir lightly. Put in a baking pan. In a 250 degree oven, bake covered for one hour, then uncovered for another hour, or until you consider it is done. Stir every 20 minutes.

2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups cooking oil
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped dates
3 cups granny smith apples
1 cup chopped pecans

Cream together the sugar and oil in a bowl. Add eggs and beat well. Add vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.Gradually add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Add coconut, dates, apples, and nuts to mixture. Batter will be thick. Pour batter into well-greased and floured 10 inch tube pan or two loaf pans. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until done.

One 9” pie shell
One envelope of Knox, unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
1 cup sugar
3 tbl cornstarch
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Libby canned pumpkin
1 cup evaporated skim milk
2 Tbsp butter
4 egg whites
¼ cup crushed pecans

Bake pie shell. Soften the gelatin in the cold water. Combine ½ cup of the sugar with the cornstarch, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add pumpkin and evaporated skim milk. Mix well. Cook about 12 to 15 minutes over medium heat until thickened. Stir constantly. Add the gelatin mixture and the margarine. Stir until dissolved. Cool mixture until partially set.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar to the egg whites. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold egg mixture into pumpkin mixture.

Place pie filling into pie shell. Garnish with crushed pecans. Chill until well set.

1 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 salt
1/3 c shortening
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 c ripe bananas

Cream sugar and shortening, add eggs and beat. Add sifted dry ingredients,
alternating with bananas. Bake in greased loaf pan 350 degrees about 70 min.
Sometimes I add crushed pineapple, orange juice (not much).

1 c hot water
1/2 can frozen raspberry/cranberry juice
1/2 can frozen orange juice
12 eggs beaten
1 qt bag nonfat powdered milk
1/2 c regular oatmeal
3/4 c fine cornmean
1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves
1 c sliced almonds
1 c raisins
6 slices multigrain bread cut into 1/2 inch pieces

In large bowl pour 1 c hot water, add juices. As soon as juice is defrosted add the
rest of the ingredients except the bread and mix. Add the bread last.
Pour into a 9 x 12 x 2″ greased baking pan. Bake 30-40 min at 425 degrees til knife
into center comes out clean.
Place on table top until lukewarm. Cut into 1″ squares. Makes 5 to 6 dozen.