A Cake Bakes Best of 2012

There were so many noteworthy dessert discoveries this year (rescued from the early 20th century, of course), but I managed to whittle the list to a baker's dozen.  So, in no particular order, I present the best of 2012.  (To get the recipes and more pictures, just click on the recipe names, the ones highlighted in red at the first words in each description.) Here's to a sweet new year.

Toll House Cupcakes 

Toll House Cupcakes  were the sleeper of the year. These are so unusual and so delicious, it's hard to imagine that they fell out of favor. Careful, though, as you may create a cadre of addicts.  Your friends and family will request them again and again.

Lemon Chiffon Pie

Lemon Chiffon Pie is so light and ethereal that it's hard to believe that just three simple ingredients -- sugar, eggs and lemons -- are responsible for this masterpiece.  Make chiffon pie part of your new year.

Barney's Brownies

Barney's Brownies can literally be put together in minutes.  They will disappear just as quickly, guaranteed.   Brownies so delicious, you'll be amazed there's no butter.

Elaine's Anise Cookies

Elaine's Anise Cookies are perfect at Christmas or any time of year on account of the flavor, the texture and most of all, the perfect little cookie caps that form in the oven.

Ritz Cracker Meringue Pie

Ritz Cracker Meringue Pie is an unusual dessert that's a mid-century American version of the French dacquoise.  You'd think that crackers would form the crust, but no!  They're folded into the filling, creating a wonderful new way to experience this salty and buttery cracker.

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies because I know you want one right now with a tall glass of milk.

The $28 One-Step Pound Cake

The $28 dollar One-Step Pound Cake, so named because that's how much I paid for a recipe box that contained only one fabulous recipe -- this one.  It's easy and everyone should have a delicious pound cake recipe in their repertoire. 

Cinnamon Crunchies

Cinnamon Crunchies were a favorite among co-workers this year, and they are a very discriminating bunch.  These three-layer treats are way more than the sum of their parts.

Rhubarb Custard Pie

Rhubarb Custard Pie is the perfect way to celebrate spring, no strawberries needed. Plus the pie is even more delicious the next day.

Lemon Crunch

Lemon Crunch is a personal favorite, and what happens when a 1950s housewife takes a traditional lemon bar and ramps it up with coconut for the added crunch, a welcome flavor and texture note.  

Apple Dowdy Cake

Apple Dowdy Cake is a wonderful autumn and winter cake, made extra delicious by the caramel-praline glaze.  Plus, what a great name!

Passover Woodchucks

Passover Woodchucks are another addicting treat you won't find on everyone else's table.  No need to wait for the holidays because walnuts, dates, sugar and coconut are always in season.

Cake

Cake made the list because this basic (and delicious) yellow cake is the building block of all manner of desserts, from Boston Cream Pie to upside down cake (pictured here) to coffee cake. It's like the little black dress of the kitchen and who doesn't want one of those?

Grandma Jean's Challah

Grandma Jean's Challah is very good, though there are many richer challah recipes around.  I like the bread, but I love the serendipity of its discovery even more.

Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas and at my house, since we get our tree about five minutes before we open gifts, that aroma -- of ginger and spice -- emanates from the kitchen.

I was anxious to try this vintage recipe for molasses cookies because it was deemed so valuable by the housewife who kept it in her recipe box that she rewrote the fading original recipe on a new piece of paper, and stapled both together.

These cookies are absolutely delicious and pack a lot of flavor, but like most baked goods from the 20th century, are not overly sweet. (The DS, who rarely eats baked goods, had several.)  Right from the oven, they are crisp; leave them overnight and they become chewy.  Counter intuitive, I know, but it's true.

Like most cookies, these are a snap to put together.  The time suck comes during the baking;  only six cookies fit on a sheet, so there's a lot of in-and-out of the oven.

First, the sugar, shortening (I used butter and you should too), molasses and egg are blended together.

Next, the dry ingredients, which have been mixed together in a small bowl, are added.

The dough is very sticky -- I put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm it up enough to shape into balls "the size of walnuts."  These are then rolled in sugar and placed on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Below is the original recipe, attributed to Lil Graves, followed by the copied one.  I've written out the instructions further down, to make it easier to follow, because I know you'll want to make these.

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies

1 C. sugar
1 egg
4 T. molasses
3/4 C. butter (1 and 1/2 sticks)
2 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cream sugar and butter. Add egg and molasses and blend well.
Mix flour, baking soda and spices in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Add dry mixture to the wet mixture.  Mix well.
Place dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes if it's too sticky to handle.
Form dough into small balls, the "size of walnuts" or about 1.5 inches.
Roll balls in sugar and place on parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for eight to 10 minutes.  (The original recipe says 15, but these were done well before that.)