February 22, 1956 Perfect Washington Pie, Vanilla Cream Filling, Vanilla Icing, Old-Fashioned Coffee Cake

Perfect Washington Pie

1 c. cake flour
1/4 t. salt
5 slightly beaten eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1 T. butter or fortified margarine, melted and cooled

Sift flour with salt twice. Combine eggs and sugar; place over hot water until mixture is warm, stirring constantly. Remove from hot water; beat egg mixture until very light and thick. A small amount lifted on the spoon forms definite peak. Add vanilla; blend carefully. Gradually sift flour and salt over egg mixture, folding in thoroughly. Add melted butter slowly, continuing to fold. Pour equal equal amounts of batter into each of 2 greased 9-inch pie pans. Bake in moderately hot oven (400 degrees) 10 to 12 minutes or until cake is golden brown.. Turn out to cool. When cool, split each cake crosswise to make two layers. Spread each bottom layer with cherry jelly, raspberry jam or this Vanilla Cream Filling.

Vanilla Cream Filling

1/3 c. cornstarch
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 c. milk, scalded
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
1 t. vanilla

Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Cook in double boiler 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Add small amount of hot mixture to eggs; stir in remaining hot mixture. Continue cooking 3 minutes. Cool; add vanilla. Enough for two Washington pies. Over top of each pie, either sprinkle confectioners sugar or spread Confectioners icing. 

Vanilla Icing

4 T. butter
2 c. confectioners sugar
4-5 T. light cream
1/2 t. vanilla

Cream butter and blend in sugar. Add milk and vanilla, adding only enough milk to make a spreading consistency.

Getting Fancy -- Melt one square bitter chocolate, pipe through pastry tube made of 6 x 8" piece of wax paper. Start at center of cake, trace a spiral. Run knife lightly out from center to make 12 spokes.

Old-Fashioned Coffee Cake

1 1/2 c. sifted all purpose flour
1/2 c. brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 t. soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. unsalted nuts
1 egg
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 t. vinegar
1/2 t. lemon extract or vanilla

Turn oven on and set at 350 (moderate). Mix well in a 2-quart bowl, flour, sugar, soda and baking powder. Work butter in with a fork or pastry blender until mixture has appearance of fine corn meal. Stir in finely cut nuts. Save 1/2 c. of this mixture for topping of cake. Beat egg in a quart bowl. Add the evaporated milk, vinegar, vanilla or extract and mix well. Add to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spread the batter in greased 9-inch square pan and sprinkle the 1/2 cup crumb mixture over the top. Bake on center rack of oven about 30 minutes or until topping is brown. Serve warm.