Sunday, November 14, 2010

PANTRY CAKES

It is November isn't it? Yesterday the temperature shot up to the high sixties. Our street was abuzz with the sound of lawn mowers and leaf blowers. I finished painting the trim on the front of the house, moved pumpkins and gourds from the back porch to the wheelbarrow out front.... cleaned the hen house, the girls need to be warm and cozy with winter coming on.... raked and raked some more.... filled the porch window boxes with pine and fir boughs. You just can't take this unusually warm weather for granted.... it is crunch time....winter weather is lurking.... Inside, the last of my Halloween decorations have been packed away....I hate to see them go....but time marches on....everywhere you look there are Christmas displays....Christmas music....and Holiday craft fairs....I rebel at the commercialism of Christmas....I want to enjoy the up coming holidays at my own pace. Okay.... here is my pantry cake. It looks similar to hard gingerbread....smells of cinnamon and cloves and looks perfect on my wooden riser covered by a fly screen. In primitive shops you will find these priced in the $12.00 dollar range. I decided to make my own. I found a recipe on line offered by BITTERSWEET PRIMS.
PANTRY CAKE:

4 Tablespoons used coffee grounds

1 Cup sea salt, I used kosher as this is what I had on hand

2 Cups flour

3 Tablespoons cinnamon

2 Tablespoons cloves

1 Cup water-add slowly

I also added cinnamon and clove oil.

Mix dough till everything is combined and not too sticky. I used my Kitchen Aid mixer....spray mold with cooking spray.... coat with spices. Press dough into the mold you are using.... making sure the bottom is even. Oven temperature is 170 for six hours.... let them sit in oven after it is turned off to cool. I took my mold placed it on a cookie sheet and put it under the wood stove for the night, worked like a charm. Six hours in an electric oven is not feasible.... I tea dyed cheese cloth.... cut strips and tied the cake and placed a piece of holly on the top. I think pantry cakes are a perfect primitive accent. I purchased eight of the small molds shown above at an antique store for $1.00. These smaller molds are drying under the wood stove as I type. Mornings now begin early at Dog Trot Farm, my feet hit the floor at 5:30 AM, time for Winslow Homer's insulin and breakfast....who said you couldn't teach an old dog a new trick....me up at 5:30....yes.... it's true!!! Please don't call after 8:00PM.... I've retired for the evening!

20 comments:

Future Farmer said...

Nice recipe!

I just found your blog, and it's really interesting.

Thanks,

Future Farmer.
http://joyoffarming.blogspot.com/

Eve said...

but Julie...your cake isn't a mold shaped cake? It's flat! And do you eat them or just smell them??? I'm so confused!! hahahaha but I love your beautiful house trim and I see Winslow there too.
I still have you beat at getting up in the am...well we are actually up at the same time...but my clock is one hour earlier!

Kim said...

It was a great weekend here also. Lots of my neighbors out finishing up yard work. Its hard to believe its the middle of November!
How is Winslow Homer doing with his needles? (Poor baby)

Verde Farm said...

Amazing weather. I know what you mean about Christmas popping up everywhere. It is here too. I just hope we have some good weather to put lights up outside in the next couple of weeks. Love the pantry cake. That is so cute. Bless you heart getting up at 5:30. You do love Winslow Homer and I am sure he is eternally grateful.
Amy

Constance said...

Thank you for sharing the pantry cake recipe, yours turned out beautifuly. I have to try this.. Please give dear little Winslow a big hug for me. He is so precious and he is in my prayers.

Blessings,
Sallie

acorn hollow said...

I hope you don't mind I am going to copy that. I can think of a few people who would love it. And I have a wood stove perfect for drying it. I am up at 6 which is early enough for me but hope that winslow homer is getting in the grove of it.
Cathy

Farm Girl said...

I have been looking forward to your pantry cakes. I am going to try your recipe, I am sure I have everything on hand. They look great. So glad you are doing okay and the Winslow is doing okay too.

Thanks for you lovely comments, yes, I agree I would love to visit, It would be hard to decide when to come, when it is warm so I could take a ferry to the Island or in the winter so you could take me to that lighthouse with the wreath. Or in the fall so I could find the gazebo up the mountain above the cabin.
Or in the spring so we could take chairs and sit and watch the hens take a dust bath.
It is all so lovely, just like pages from my favorite book. :)
Thank you so much for sharing your life,
I enjoy it all.

Rusty said...

Reasonably warm days here too - but I have firmly resisted the idea of getting the lawmower out! OK, so the grass IS as high as a raccoons eye - it can wait till next spring. (Grin - I know I may regret it). I'm still messed up with the time change. I'm normally a siderial type of person - messing with the clocks messes with my head. ;) ATB!

Pondside said...

I guess I'm really out of step - but I have never heard of a pantry cake. From the recipe I can see that it is something to be saved rather than eaten, and that it must smell wonderful.
How is Winslow Homer doing?

from me to thee......... said...

I will try this, I love your display....and your pictures are wonderful as usual...have a great day, Linda

DayPhoto said...

5:oo in the morning for me and I agree don't call after 8:00 in the evning.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Cathy G. said...

Hello,
I am so glad to have found your blog! We have a diabetic dog also. He's part poodle and bichon frise mixed. It's been almost two years since he's been diagnosed. I can tell you that our lives changed with having to give him shots twice a day. But we all have adapted and he's doing fine!
Sweet blessings to you!
Cathy G

Lisa said...

I am intrigued by baking UNDERNEATH of the wood stove. Is this something that you came up with? Where can I find out more about this? I'd love to give it a try-after I sweep out under the stove!
Lisa

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

i LOVE this pantry cake !!! and LOVE the fly screen...darling...

how is winslow homer doing...

we send love and best wishes...

kary and teddy
xxx

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

What a neat way to scent your house. The pantry cake looks wonderful under the fly screen. Well wishes to Winslow!!!

Missouri Gal said...

It's been very nice in Missouri as well. I've yet to find cheese cloth! I've heard of it but never have found any!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Thanks for the pantry cake recipe, what a neat gift this would be to give.

Yep, I've always been an early riser. Our day starts on the Ponderosa between 4:30-5:30 every mornin'. Heck, I have a day's work done by eight. Heeehehehe!

Ya'll have a marvelously blessed day sweetie!!!

Genny said...

Julie, don't you just love these gorgeous days between fall and winter? They're like precious gifts, you're right. Now that the time has changed, I get to see the sunrise when I drive in to work and get to see the sunset if I head back home later than usual. When I left today, the sky was actually violet and so beautiful. I love your sunrise photo.

Flat Creek Farm said...

I can almost smell that divine pantry cake from here! Thanks for the recipe. We were about 70 earlier today (I washed windows today), and supposed to drop 40 degrees by midnight. What?! Where is the moderation here?! We will have a taste of Winter for a few days. Love your home, Winslow, and the sunrise. Gorgeous! -Tammy

Farm Girl said...

I just thought I would stop by and say hi, you have really been on my mind and just hoped you have just been really busy. I have been thinking about Winslow Homer too.
Just wanted you to know, Blessings Julie, I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving in Maine. Sounds like a great title for a cookbook. :)