When you're sharing a recipe with others, PLEASE remember to add "cook's notes" to the recipe if preparation might be unusual. You will be appreciated greatly if your notes are added. For example, I have just finished making a recipe called "Minnesota Apple Cake" that I got several years ago from a Minnesota paper. Although I have been baking for more than 50 years, this recipe's preparation was very unusual (to me) and after popping it into the oven, I have no idea what I will end up with.
Part of the prep was to combine 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of oil in a separate bowl. Directions said "pour into egg mixture ..." that mix did not pour because it was like sludge sliding down out of the bowl. And later in the preparation, I was to "pour the batter" ...
I had to scoop out the batter it was so thick and no way did it spread. In fact, I was so disgusted that I turned the mixer bowl upside down on the counter to see if it would move, and it didn't! Now, this creation may turn out to be one of the finest cakes I have ever made, but I'm not banking on it right now! A simple notation or two by the originator would have saved me a lot of worry!
By Ronsan
Editor's Note: This was added some days back. I hope that Ronsan will let us know how the cake turned out.
I hope this does not offend anyone but I have found that many of the church cookbooks or even some of the ladies club ones, have very incomplete recipes....it's like the ladies make something so much that they don't even think about it anymore and perhaps don't even measure....but when I make something for the first time, I don't want to have to second guess. You want your dish to turn out right and it would be so helpful if the cook would just be more specific and also add any helpful info on how she does things. I print many recipes from the internet and put in binders. After I try one and we decide it's good enough to be a "keeper", then I write notes on any modifications I may have made or just anything that would help me when I make again. Since I have so many recipes, I sometimes don't make something again for quite a while and I don't necessarily remember how I did things the time before! Same goes for when I send out a recipe which I do quite often after I try one that we like, I send in an email to my friends. I let them know any little tricks that helped make the meal a success! Oh and when I try a new recipe, I make sure to have my husband give me his honest opinion....usually we agree anyway and since I have so many recipes, if a new one I try isn't absolutely delicious, I just pitch it. I don't bother fixing things that are just so-so!
I, too, have tried recipes like yours, that were published in cookbooks, only to end up tossing them in the trash. My Mom says, 'never prepare a new dish to take somewhere or to give to someone, unless you've made it before'. I've found this to be true several times. I'm all for trying recipes I've found online. Several times, my husband has said, "You know, it'll not hurt my feelings, if we don't have this anymore." What a sweetie for trying not to hurt my feelings!
I just found one of those kind of recipes recently. It was for dinner rolls. One of those quick recipes that uses both yeast and baking powder. After mixing all ingredients, the directions said to knead lightly, pinch off pieces and roll into balls. The batter was like pancake batter. Ever try to knead pancake batter? LOL! I just kept adding self rising flour, until I could knead it lightly. They were edible, but only when fresh and hot from the oven. Guess I would try it a second time, but add the milk a little at a time until I got the correct consistency of the dough. Harlean from Arkansas
I too have had the same problem and wondered if something were missing...I'm sorry about your cake but am so glad that I'm not the only one who takes the recipe and rolls with it anyway and waits for the outcome...LOL
It was a disaster! But at least I can laugh about it now. My husband's only comment was, "I think I prefer your apple cake recipe over this one." Ever the diplomat! Right before I threw away the remainder of the cake and the recipe, I wondered if somehow, some way, an ingredient (or 2) was left out when it was published.
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