Cake Recipe

Marlene Millard from Longview, Wash., said that back in the 1960s she had a recipe for making a delicious sour cream cake that used a boxed white cake mix as the base. She said it was one of those cravings she had during pregnancy that she thought she would never get back, so she threw away the recipe. Now she finds herself craving the cake some 50 years later and would like to be able to recreate the taste. Perhaps back in the '60s doctoring cake mixes was something new. These days, entire books exist with nothing but doctored cake mix recipes.

Marlene Millard from Longview, Wash., said that back in the 1960s she had a recipe for making a delicious sour cream cake that used a boxed white cake mix as the base. She said it was one of those cravings she had during pregnancy that she thought she would never get back, so she threw away the recipe. Now she finds herself craving the cake some 50 years later and would like to be able to recreate the taste. Perhaps back in the '60s doctoring cake mixes was something new. These days, entire books exist with nothing but doctored cake mix recipes.

Pam Kelleman of Phoenix was looking for a recipe for a layer cake that was served at the now-closed Pimlico Hotel restaurant in Baltimore. She was hoping a reader would have the "original" recipe for the cake. Unfortunately, I did not receive any responses, but I happened to notice that Atwater's bakery at Belvedere Square makes a version of this hometown favorite. Ned Atwater was kind enough to modify his Pimlico cake recipe for the home baker. I tested his cake, and it was just as Kelleman described the original: a yellow chiffon layer cake filled with Bavarian custard and iced with a rich chocolate frosting.

All the recession talk on TV got you down? Need a break from all the gloom-and-doom on the cable channels and their shouting, arm-waving, spittle-flicking financial gurus? Sure you do. So tune in at 9 tonight to MPT's Eatin' Crabcakes: The Best I Ever Had, which chronicles a rollicking road trip in search of "Crabcake Heaven." It's part of the station's Chesapeake Bay Week programming. OK, maybe you can't even afford a crab cake these days. But you can live vicariously through host and "crab cake connoisseur" Doug Roberts, who sampled crab cakes from downtown Baltimore to the back roads of the Eastern Shore, not to mention a church in Annapolis and a restaurant in Washington.

Here's a recipe for Betty Blaney of Sykesville. Betty wanted a yellow cake recipe using a sugar substitute. This recipe is from Doris Goans of Huntsville, Al.Sweet N' Low Cake2 cups self-rising flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda20 packets Sweet N' Low2 eggs1/2 cup corn oil1 1/2 cups cooked apples1/2 cup raisins1/2 cup pecans1 teaspoon vanilla extractPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Heavily grease and flour bundt pan. Mix flour, baking soda and Sweet and Low together, set aside. Mix remaining ingredients together and then add them with the dry ingredients.

Here's the king's favorite pound cake recipe. The recipe, for Joyce Graham of Baltimore, is from Mary E. McCartney, also of Baltimore. Several readers sent us identical copies. Joyce Eiken of Towson said the cake is very rich and delicious. She says it's important to follow the recipe exactly.Elvis Presley Whipping Cream Pound Cake3 cups sugar1/2 pound softened butter7 eggs, room temperature3 cups cake flour, sifted twice1 cup whipping cream2 teaspoons vanilla extractButter and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Thoroughly cream together sugar and butter.

Make codfish cakes and a Grape-Nut custard, requests from readers in Highlandtown and Timonium, and enjoy a touch of Boston and an Orioles memory.Gerrie Blasetti of Highlandtown requested a codfish cake recipe made with "fresh, not salted, cod."Chef Gilles Syglowski chose a recipe from Janet Machulcz of Westminster who wrote, "when I was a kid, no corner store in Highlandtown or Canton was without a tray of codfish cakes, crackers and mustard for sale."While Ms. Machulcz's recipe called for salt cod as did most of the responses received, the chef advises that fresh or salt cod could be used.

Douglas Sloan of Sevierville, Tenn., was looking for a recipe for a molasses cake similar to the one his mother used to make. Kathleen Kosinski of North East sent in a recipe she found in her copy of Great Recipes From the Women's North East Civic League. The cake has a nice, moist texture and a rich molasses taste. It is particularly delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Molasses Cake Serves 12 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup shortening 1 egg 3/4 cup molasses 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 3/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon TOPPING: 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup raisins, soaked until soft Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Get out those recipe files! We have requests for a wide variety of recipes.But first a reminder, Recipe Finder is a reader exchange recipe column. We do not mail recipes, even if you send a stamped, self-addressed envelope.Recipes in Recipe Finder are generally not tested before they run. That means it's very important to include complete ingredients and directions in any recipe you may send us.And please print neatly! Recipe Finder has spent many an "entertaining" hour trying to decide if a little squiggle stands for teaspoon or tablespoon or trying to decipher someone's last name.

All the recession talk on TV got you down? Need a break from all the gloom-and-doom on the cable channels and their shouting, arm-waving, spittle-flicking financial gurus? Sure you do. So tune in at 9 tonight to MPT's Eatin' Crabcakes: The Best I Ever Had, which chronicles a rollicking road trip in search of "Crabcake Heaven." It's part of the station's Chesapeake Bay Week programming. OK, maybe you can't even afford a crab cake these days. But you can live vicariously through host and "crab cake connoisseur" Doug Roberts, who sampled crab cakes from downtown Baltimore to the back roads of the Eastern Shore, not to mention a church in Annapolis and a restaurant in Washington.

Pam Kelleman of Phoenix was looking for a recipe for a layer cake that was served at the now-closed Pimlico Hotel restaurant in Baltimore. She was hoping a reader would have the "original" recipe for the cake. Unfortunately, I did not receive any responses, but I happened to notice that Atwater's bakery at Belvedere Square makes a version of this hometown favorite. Ned Atwater was kind enough to modify his Pimlico cake recipe for the home baker. I tested his cake, and it was just as Kelleman described the original: a yellow chiffon layer cake filled with Bavarian custard and iced with a rich chocolate frosting.

Anne Cohen of Missoula, Mont., was looking for a recipe for Elvis Presley's favorite meatloaf. She said she used to have a recipe, published in her local newspaper some years ago, that supposedly came from Presley's longtime cook. After an extensive Internet search, I managed to find a recipe for Elvis' meatloaf on trackworksinc.com, a site for food from "moving pictures." It is a copy of an actual postcard someone sent into the site from Graceland, in Memphis, Tenn.

John Klingkamer of Fife Lake, Mich., was looking for a recipe for a five-star white chili. Robert Massarelli of Forest Hill sent in one of his favorite recipes for white chili. He says it is extremely spicy but can be easily adjusted. I thought it actually had kind of an Indian flavor thanks to the healthy dose of cumin, and I didn't find it overly spicy. I liked the addition of the corn, and when it's in season, I might be tempted to use fresh instead of canned. This chili does have a good kick, but when topped with cheese and/or sour cream it was by no means too hot to handle.

EAT Kitchen treasures WITH GOURMET FOOD AVAILABLE TO BUY AROUND EVERY corner and on thousands of Web sites these days, you have to admire the folks who still go to the trouble to make gifts from their own kitchens. When we asked readers for their best recipes for gifts, we learned that despite the popularity of celebrity chefs and specialty ingredients, when it comes to the holidays, tradition still has a powerful hold. We picked seven reader recipes to share with you. Barbara Weitzel of Ocean Pines has been making the Black Walnut Cake recipe she sent us for more than a quarter-century.

There's leafy-green mint in pesto and potato salads. Mint in fruit salsas, dressings and sauces. Mint in chocolate confections and atop sliced fruit. Yes, the perky taste is clean and cool -- a perfect flavor profile to add to warm-weather treats. This chocolate cake with mint whipped-cream frosting is simple to make and delicious. Prepare a cake-mix chocolate layer cake (doctored up by adding sour cream to make it rich) and top with a minty whipped cream. Garnish with fresh berries tossed with slivers of fresh mint and a little orange liqueur or raspberry liqueur.

Douglas Sloan of Sevierville, Tenn., was looking for a recipe for a molasses cake similar to the one his mother used to make. Kathleen Kosinski of North East sent in a recipe she found in her copy of Great Recipes From the Women's North East Civic League. The cake has a nice, moist texture and a rich molasses taste. It is particularly delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Molasses Cake Serves 12 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup shortening 1 egg 3/4 cup molasses 1 cup sour milk or buttermilk 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 3/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon TOPPING: 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup raisins, soaked until soft Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bob Channing of Petaluma, Calif., begins his request for a chocolate sauerkraut cake by saying: "First off, I am not crazy but you may think I am when I ask about this recipe. Before my mother passed away, she lent her only copy of this cake recipe to a friend and forgot about it. The cake, I believe, was created during World War II. I would love to introduce it to friends and to reacquaint my taste buds with wonderful times and memories." Carol Baxter of Windsor, Calif., responded with a recipe for a chocolate sauerkraut cake recipe.

Bob Channing of Petaluma, Calif., begins his request for a chocolate sauerkraut cake by saying: "First off, I am not crazy but you may think I am when I ask about this recipe. Before my mother passed away, she lent her only copy of this cake recipe to a friend and forgot about it. The cake, I believe, was created during World War II. I would love to introduce it to friends and to reacquaint my taste buds with wonderful times and memories." Carol Baxter of Windsor, Calif., responded with a recipe for a chocolate sauerkraut cake recipe.